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| ==Criticism== | ==Criticism== | ||
| The Centre has been criticized by |
The Centre has been criticized by proponents of ]<ref> ("''Matthias Storme & the freedom to discriminate''") Politics.be</ref>, among others ]<ref name="Storme1"> ("''Dirty Women! Dirty Democrats! Dirty Heteros! An Apprentice of Marcuse as Grand Inquisitor''"), ''The Brussels Journal'', May 27, 2006</ref><ref> ("''De Witte and the Law''"), February 25, 2006</ref>. Storme sees the Centre as leading a "political inquisition" in suppressing alternative political views.<ref name="Storme1"/> Storme was earlier successful in fighting a case before the Belgian Supreme Court, where he showed that some articles of the Belgian ''anti-discrimination law'' were in violation with the constitutionally protected right of freedom of speech.<ref> ("''To Discriminate is a Human Right''"), ''Katholieke Nieuwsblad'', January 21, 2005</ref> | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 21:14, 15 July 2006
The Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism (CEOOR) is a Belgian government agency under the responsibility of the Prime Minister of Belgium. Its director is Jozef de Witte.
The Centre lists as its principal tasks:
- Fighting Racism and Discrimination
- Spotlight on Integration Policy
- Foreigners' Rights and Recent Immigration
- Fighting Poverty
- Fighting Human Trafficking
- Training / Documentation / Information Campaigns
The Centre was founded in 1993 by an Act of the Belgian Chamber of People's Representatives.
Activities
The CEOOR has as its main goal to aid victims of discrimination, after an act of discrimination has occurred, or to prevent such acts.
It has four ways of achieving this goal :
- Assisting discrimination victims. This can be done by giving (legal) advice or support, mediation or going to court.
- Creating an awareness among the public opinion for discrimination issues, by training, education, documentation and public relations.
- Working with authorities and different actors in society on preventive anti-discrimination and integration policies.
- Recommendations to policy makers on the different issues it addresses.
Criticism
The Centre has been criticized by proponents of free speech, among others Matthias Storme. Storme sees the Centre as leading a "political inquisition" in suppressing alternative political views. Storme was earlier successful in fighting a case before the Belgian Supreme Court, where he showed that some articles of the Belgian anti-discrimination law were in violation with the constitutionally protected right of freedom of speech.
References
- About the Centre - Activities
- Matthias Storme & de vrijheid om te discrimineren ("Matthias Storme & the freedom to discriminate") Politics.be
- ^ Vuile Wijven! Vuile Democraten! Vuile Hetero's! Een Leerling van Marcuse als Grootinquisiteur ("Dirty Women! Dirty Democrats! Dirty Heteros! An Apprentice of Marcuse as Grand Inquisitor"), The Brussels Journal, May 27, 2006
- De Witte en de Wet ("De Witte and the Law"), February 25, 2006
- Discrimineren is een mensenrecht ("To Discriminate is a Human Right"), Katholieke Nieuwsblad, January 21, 2005