FRA Fundamental Rights Platform discusses DARE policy recommendations

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) hosted its 3rd Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) meeting on April 15-16 in Vienna .
162 participants (of presently 300 FRP member organisations) discussed fundamental rights perspectives on poverty and social exclusion and core elements of the FRA annual work programme for 2012 and beyond.
FRA panelists and the FRP member statistics in the background

The recently drafted DARE policy recommendations on "Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion through Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education EDC/HRE" were included in the FRP meeting reader and discussed in plenary sessions and working groups.

DARE member Anne Stalfort (Association of German Educational Organisations AdB / Humanity in Action) emphasized the crucial role of adult and non-formal education in reducing poverty and social exclusion. If through EDC/HRE socially excluded people become aware of their fundamental rights, they are empowered to live up to their full potential as active democratic citizens. If the demand for access and participation is reduced to top-down "WE must help THEM"-initiaves, the sector of intermediaries will grow, but socially excluded persons will not be enabled to access public services and participate directly.

In support of this, Joanna Goodey (Head of Freedom and Justice Department, FRA) emphasized that rights need to be communicated to vulnerable groups. Gabriele Zimmer (MEP,Committee on Employment and Social Affairs) demanded the development of a concept of decent work and the need for a right to life long learning.
DARE member Chrysis Michaelides (European Social Forum, Cyprus) pointed out, that disablity and mental illness are major reasons for social exclusion in Europe and therefore patients´ rights have to be strenghtened.

The FRA currently develops a web-tool for the Fundamental Rights Platform (e-FRP). This e-platform will include a public database of civil society organisations and offer space for consultations, exchange of reports, good practices and event announcements. Thematic discussion groups and national/regional FRP-groups are also on the horizon. A demo version will be launched in May.

DARE member Polish Helsinki Foundation elected to the Advisory Panel of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency

Dominika Bychawska-Siniarska (Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights - http://www.hfhr.org.pl, a member of DARE) was elected to the Advisory Board of the European Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) on the 3rd Fundamental Rights Platform Meeting (15-16 April 2010, Vienna).

Share & Connect - Database by European Wergeland Centre

This week the European Wergeland Centre (EWC) is launching Share & Connect – an expert database designed to facilitate online networking among people working in the field of education for human rights, democratic citizenship, and intercultural understanding. Researchers, PhD students, teacher trainers, teachers and other education professionals across Europe and beyond can connect through the database to share their experiences and to benefit from each others’ expertise.

Share & Connect provides several opportunities:
* Exchange information within a safe network by adding your own profile
* Look for experts throughout Europe and beyond
* Explore potential cooperation and partnerships
* Connect with peers from theory and practice

Join the Share & Connect database here!

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About the EWC
The EWC started its work in February 2009 as a European resource centre on education for human rights, democratic citizenship, and intercultural understanding, the result of an initiative between the Norwegian government and the Council of Europe (CoE). Its services are open to the 47 member states of the CoE, and its neighbouring countries as well.
The EWC’s main aim is to build bridges between policy, research and practice. It provides services and activities to teacher trainers, teachers and other professionals in education, as well as researchers, administrators and decision-makers.

We hope that the EWC database will become a valuable resource for those working in the field of human rights education, education for democratic citizenship and intercultural learning. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any specific questions and/ or send us your feedback on this new networking service.

The EWC team is looking forward to meeting you online!

Caroline Gebara

Adviser
The European Wergeland Centre
Stensberggt 25
NO-0170 Oslo
Norway

Phone: +47 21 01 45 11
Cell: +47 450 68 608
Web: www.theewc.org