May 31-June 6: June 2 -27: June 28-July 4: EUROPEAN YEAR FOR COMBATING POVERTY AND July 5 1: SOCIAL EXCLUSION August 29-September 5: September 6-12: EQUALITY BODIES PARTICIPATING September 13-19: September 20-26: September 27-October 3: Equinet is participating in the European Year for October 4-10: Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. This is

October 11 -17: Autumn EU Focus Week because:

(Centered around the International Day Against  Policy makers need to take account of Poverty) as a cause of poverty.  Equality bodies need to take account of poverty October 18-24: October 25-31: as a barrier to implementing equal treatment November 1-7: legislation. November 8-14: November 15-21: Equinet wishes to encourage and support its members to November 22-28: participate in the European Year and to contribute their November 30-7 December: expertise in matters of discrimination to the success of November 30 - December 7: the European Year.

Equinet and the European year The European Year 2010

Equinet is 2010 has been designated the European Year for  Participating on the stakeholders group for the Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. 79 million European year. people (16% of the population) live in, or are at risk of,  Conducting a survey of the experience of poverty and social exclusion in the . The relevant member organisations in implementing European Union and Member States have named the equal treatment legislation on a socio economic key objectives of the year as being to raise public status ground. awareness about these issues and renew the political  Preparing an opinion on the links between commitment to combat poverty and social exclusion. discrimination and poverty and the implications National and local events will take place in every EU of these links for equality bodies and for policy Member State, plus Norway and Iceland, featuring makers. awareness raising campaigns, workshops and information seminars. Films, magazines and other Further support information material will be produced to help people understand how poverty and social exclusion affect their For further information and support please contact communities, and, for those directly affected, increase Tamas Kadar Equinet Policy Officer at: awareness of their rights. [email protected]

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With the support of the With the support of the European Commission

For more information, including the National Ideas for action Implementing Bodies, background material, a calendar of events and a press section please consult the thematic Equality Bodies could consider: webpage of the EY 2010:  making contact with the National Implementing Bodies and relevant NGOs responsible for the www.2010againstpoverty.eu domestic EY 2010 actions  participating in the events and initiatives being or developed at national, and where appropriate at European level in relation to the European Year the webpage of the EY 2010 NGO coalition coordinated  calling attention to the connections between by the European Anti Poverty Network based in : discrimination, poverty and social exclusion at all

www.endpoverty.eu EY 2010 events  conducting independent surveys into the connections between poverty, social exclusion The contribution of Equality Bodies and discrimination  holding a conference on the links between poverty and discrimination, involving relevant Equality bodies have an important role to play in NGOs, social partners and people experiencing eliminating social exclusion and poverty. This is because poverty there is a complex and strong connection between  reviewing own practices concerning poverty as a discrimination, poverty and social exclusion. barrier to the effective implementation of equal Discrimination is one of the causes of poverty and it is a treatment legislation. manifestation of social exclusion. Poverty and social  designating a section in relevant reports to the exclusion also increase the risk for vulnerable groups to work pursued in relation to poverty and social experience discrimination and contribute to the under- exclusion reporting of discrimination. List of National and EU Focus Weeks These links are underlined by the fact that many of the groups identified as experiencing or being at risk of The national focus weeks are organized domestically by poverty are groups covered by the six grounds of the EU NGOs, while the two EU focus weeks will see programs Equal Treatment Directives – in particular, women and activities throughout the 29 participating countries (), minority ethnic groups (race), people with (EU27 + Iceland and Norway). disabilities (disability), older people and young people March 15 - 21: (age). It is for these reasons that the Equality Bodies, March 22-28: using their vast experience of implementing equal April 5-11: treatment legislation prohibiting discrimination at Member April 12-18: State level and Equinet at European Union level are April 19-25: challenged to contribute to the European Year for May 3-9: Iceland Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. May 17 24 23:-30: Spring EU Focus Week (Broadcasting Week with a focus on awareness -raising through media)

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With the support of the European Commission With the support of the European Commission