Call for participants
Europe is currently facing a prevention crisis. The rise in nationalist and exclusionary far-right politics across the continent is increasing discrimination, marginalisation, and persecution, and is threatening the fabric of Europe’s societies. The crisis is also both a symptom and a driver of what is a preventable global phenomenon, one that risks undermining the hard-fought gains of recent decades.
Europe can and should be a global leader in protecting populations from the threats of identity-based violence, including mass atrocities. This responsibility to prevent and to protect is as much the case within and at its own borders as in its contributions abroad. European civil society should likewise be leading by example, applying scrutiny to national and regional policymaking, and championing a bolder approach to prevention.
Protection Approaches is pleased to convene the first online consultation on Europe’s prevention crisis, bringing together civil society practitioners, researchers, and local and community experts from across the region.
From Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 August, our inclusive online forum will host a series of lively and frank conversations that will explore key questions including:
- What are the obstacles facing, and opportunities for building, a more effective European civil society?
- What are the lessons to be shared from successful civil society prevention work?
- How can we break down the conceptual and practical barriers that exist between the fulfilment of prevention responsibilities at home and abroad?
- What can European civil society do when populations are facing acute risk of identity-based violence?
To register, please complete the online form via this link by 5 August 2019.
Overall aim of the consultation
The consultation will map how European civil society is responding to rising identity-based violence within the region, at its borders, and around the world. Conversations over the three days will discuss the current state of prevention in Europe, consider lessons learned and examples of best practice, and identify key challenges and opportunities for building an effective civil society constituency of influence.
The will be an opportunity for shared learning between participants from a range of backgrounds. Protection Approaches will produce a report for publication in September 2019 that is intended to share knowledge from the consultation with a wide range of key civil society stakeholders and national government representatives.
What is identity-based violence?
We define identity-based violence in non-legal politically neutral terms as any act of violence motivated by the perpetrator's conceptualisation of their victim's identity – for example, their race, gender, sexuality, religion or political affiliation.
This encompasses hate crime, violent extremism, and genocide or other mass atrocities, and affects individuals as well as entire groups or communities.
How can participation benefit your work?
This is a unique opportunity for you to participate in a collaborative piece of research. You will have the chance to:
- Raise awareness of the work that you do to combat identity-based violence
- Exchange knowledge and experiences with colleagues who share your goals
- Feed into a mapping exercise and final report on the current state of prevention in Europe which you can use in your own research and development work. The report will include a list of participants and affiliated organisations of those who have provided consent.
How will it work?
The consultations will take place on the Platform4Dialogue site over 3 days. Although the main language will be English, participants who are more comfortable in other languages are welcome to participate provided that they also include a Google-translated English version for the benefit of other participants.
The online system allows participants to contribute at times most suitable to them and within their own time zone. It is therefore possible to fit participation around your usual commitments. It may take just a few minutes each day to make some very important contributions to the exchanges.
A summary email will be sent to participants each day that will contain an overview of the day’s discussion and highlighting key contributions.
A final public report will also be produced, and participating organizations and individuals will be listed as contributors. If preferred, participants will also be able to contribute anonymously.
What is required to participate?
The online consultation will take place from Tuesday 13 August to Thursday 15 August 2019.
During this period, participants will be expected to log in and join the discussion at least once on each day, or more often if you choose to do so. You will be expected to read the introductory reflection pieces, discussion questions, and the comments of other participants, and then contribute by posting comments, responses, ideas, and examples of your own.
Questions?
Please contact Ben Willis, Senior Research Officer, Protection Approaches: [email protected]