Pro Igual continues its initiative to survey individual experiences with hate crime in Spain. If you were a victim or witness of a hate crime, or know someone who was, please help us monitor the scope of the phenomenon by taking part in our online survey on hate crimes in Spain, and sharing the link among your contacts and networks. The current survey is available in Spanish. All responses are strictly confidential. Thank you for your help!
Recently, European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Read ECAS Director Assya Kavrakova´s post on ECAS´s accomplishments and aspirations.
Pro Igual has been a network member in the field of Human Rights, Inclusion & Nondicrimination for nearly a decade, and made its modest contributions to a number of high-profile campaigns. Among the most valuable in our own work we find EU Rights Clinic which has provided legal aid and served to rectify rights violations of countless individuals in varying administrative situation.
We warmly congratulate ECAS with the anniversary and wish many happy returns and achievements!
Useful resources developed by OSCE Office for Demoratic Istitutions and Huan Rights on the topic of combating hate crimes. Includes model training manuals, guides and methodologies, data and thematic reports from across the OSCE area. Read more...
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls is celebrated worldwide on November 25 (UN (Resolution 54/134). On occasion of this day, let us remember the names of the female victims of domestic violence in Spain. As of now, the number of murdered women and girls is over 1000…
Although Spain boasts a progressive 2004 law dealing with gender-based violence, it may be not enough, as services are over-subscribed and many victims — especially those with an uncertain legal status — are not reached. In 2017, the Spainish parliament passed measures designed to bolster the original law, with a five-year budget of one billion euros. At the same time, the law is under attack of a right-wing party (Vox) which seeks its repeal, and has received a surprizing boost at the recent Spanish election.
On the occasion of the European Victims of Crime Day (22 February)
Pro Igual reminds that all victims of hate crime in Spain, irrespective of their legal status, can anonimously share their experiences through its hate crimes survey. There must never be crimes without consequences, or victims without voices. Everyone should be able to report without fear.
OSCE ODIHR has prepared a number of valuable manuals and guides on combating hate crimes, available here. We would also like to present explainer prepared by PICUM (in which Pro Igual participates) for law enforcement actors on The Rights of Undocumented Victims of Crime: What to Know If You’re a Police Officer (available in English, Spanish or German.)
Pro Igual resumes its initiative to survey individual experiences with hate crime in Spain. If you were a victim or witness of a hate crime, or know someone who was, please help us monitor the scope of the phenomenon by taking part in our online survey on hate crimes in Spain, and sharing the link among your contacts and networks. The current survey is available in Spanish. All responses are strictly confidential. Thank you for your help!
By Claudia Delpero in collaboration with Anthony Valcke, Founder and Supervising Solicitor of the EU Rights Clinic of which Pro Igual is a member. © All rights reserved. Available on: https://europestreet.news/deal-or-no-deal-the-rights-that-will-be-lost-with-brexit/
Deal or no deal? That is the question. Despite the promise that nothing will change for them, both EU nationals living in the UK and British residents in the rest of the EU are to lose out from Brexit. The situation could even be worsened if there is no agreement on the terms of the UK’s departure from the European Union. The failure of talks at the EU summit in Salzburg this week did not offer assurances in this regard, leaving people whose status depends on EU treaties in a troubling state of uncertainty.
This is an overview of what can happen to the rights of 3.7 million EU citizens who are living in the UK and 1.2 million British citizens who are living in another EU country after Brexit. As inconceivable as it was before the EU referendum, the overview shows the rights preserved and lost under the draft “deal” published in March and in the event of “no deal”.
In short, the right to family reunion, the ability to exercise professional activities across countries and to participate in political life, will be weakened under the draft withdrawal agreement. But in the case of “no deal”, there will be even heavier consequences in terms of potential loss of acquired pension rights, free or subsidised healthcare when travelling and ability to provide services across borders. Read more…
Victim Support Europe (VSE) is preparing to launch a social media campaign in recognition of European Day For Victims of Crime with the overall aim – to make victims’ legal rights a reality on practice. The action seeks to improve the access to victim support services in member states and to encourage victims to reach out the support services. The “Make Victims’ Legal Rights a Reality” campaign is expected to launch on February 12 and will continue till February 22: European Day For Victims of Crime. Read more…
Hanna is five years old. She drew this picture of the happy family she wishes for.
Her mother named her Hanna but her name is nowhere officially recognised; to the German authorities, she is a nameless child. She was born in Cologne, and has always lived there. She knows no other country than Germany but has been considered an undocumented migrant all her life. To read Hanna’s full story, click here.
Hanna’s story is part of PICUM’s series of testimonies and stories of undocumented children and youth. PICUM, in which Pro Igual participates, regularly publishes stories and quotes in written form or through multimedia in the run-up to Universal Children’s day in November. The series aims to give a voice to children and young people as well as to their parents, caregivers and supporting organisations to show the realities undocumented children and youth face across Europe. Testimonies are available in English, French and Spanish and can also be shared through social media. #ShareYourStory
We are pleased and proud to inform that after over two+ years of relentless advocacy by Pro Igual´s team, the Valencia police signed a formal agreement with the OSCE to start police training on hate crimes within the TACHLE program.
We believe this will be a major step towards practical implementation of rights of victims of #hatecrimes, who overwhelmingly tend to be from the most vulnerable groups: minorities, immigrants, undocumented persons, and so forth.
We also hope this pilot will be replicated across Spain and will continue working towards this goal.
Pro Igual Submission towards the OSCE Hate Crimes Report 2012
Spain´s Shame: CIEs, Prisons for Migrants
Spain Supreme Court Strikes down City Burqa Ban
January 13th, 2022 
