From April 1st in 2013 until May 15th 2015, Estonian Human Rights Centre was carrying out a networking project “Equal Treatment Network”.
The main goal of the project was to advance the principle of equal treatment and increase the effectiveness of protection from discrimination in Estonia through network based strategic advocacy activities and cooperation among NGOs. With the creation of the equal treatment network, cooperation in the field of advocacy and awareness-raising was increased in this field, which is a prerequisite for societal impact. As a result of the project, the capacity and capability of advocacy was increased to work with the governmental institutions and influence them to better follow and value the principle of equal treatment. Also, awareness of issues related to equal treatment was raised among NGOs and policymakers, which brings about mainstreaming of the equal treatment principle in making policy and laws.
The project achieved an equal treatment network, into which belong organisations involved in advocacy. The equal treatment network will document different discrimination cases and according to that information will give input for changing Equal Treatment Act. The Project addressed challenges in rising the capacity of advocacy in the field of fighting against discrimination among those organisations.
Beneficiaries were disabled people, women, youth, sexual minorities, non-Estonians.
Project partners were: Estonian Women’s Roundtable, Estonian Chamber of Disabled Persons, Estonian LGBT Union, Estonian National Youth Council, Tallinn Human Rights Information Centre.
The project was supported by the NGO Fund of EEA Grants, which is operated by Open Estonia Foundation.