Human Rights Deputy High Commissioner, Kyung-wha Kang told representatives from EU Member States, EU Institutions and Social Partners in her keynote speech at the IV Equality Summit in Brussels that in the current times of economic crisis, the principles of non-discrimination and other human rights priorities cannot be set aside, waiting for fairer weather.

“No setbacks should be allowed. On the contrary, in times of such economic hardship, maintaining the emphasis on non-discrimination is more relevant than ever because members of the most disadvantaged and stigmatised groups risk suffering the most: being the first to lose their jobs and the last to regain them”. It is of critical importance that the drive to achieve effective and full equality for all does not lose its momentum, stressed Kyung-wha Kang at the opening of the Summit.

She encouraged the EU to go ahead and adopt the broad non-discrimination directive, covering discrimination on grounds of disability, age, religion and sexual orientation as proposed by the European Commission already in 2008.

Kyung-wha Kang recalled in her address that discrimination when looking for work and at work often emerges as one of the most significant areas of discriminatory treatment, in particular when the employees or the job seekers are women, migrants, persons with disabilities, persons with HIV/AIDS or persons belonging to historically disadvantaged ethnic groups such as the Roma.

Despite the remarkable efforts made by the EU and its Member States over the last years, many Roma across Europe continue to experience a vicious circle of prejudice, stigmatization and social exclusion. This is also a situation encountered by many women, particularly those who are employed as domestic workers who are often excluded from access to rights which other categories of workers enjoy.

“Let us not be mistaken – the fact that highly developed European societies have been tolerating this situation so long is itself a sign of a dismissive or even discriminatory attitude to this category of workers, both on grounds of their gender and on grounds of their ethnic origin’ Kyung-wha Kang said. Discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity continues to be a reality for many acceding to the job market and at the workplace. While Europe is in the lead in legislation, the road is still a long one in changing attitudes and perceptions in particular in the area of employment. “A greater focus should be placed on education and implementation of the existing legislative frameworks’, she told to the audience.

Kyung-wha Kang highlighted that not only States but also the private sector has a significant role to play in promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities while acceding to employment and at work. “Efforts should concentrate on giving full effect to the innovative provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by individual European countries as well as by the European Union”, she said.

This IVth Summit, co-organised by the Belgian Presidency and the European Commission opened today in Brussels bringing together around 500 high-level representatives of the Member States, of candidate countries, EFTA countries, social partners, equality bodies, European NGOs, and representatives of international organisations. Ms. Joelle Milquet, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Employment and Equal Opportunities from the Government of Belgium; Ms. Viviane Reding, Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship provided the opening remarks. Ms. Kyung-wha Kang provided the key note speech for the Summit.