Anti-discrimination – Homosexual Emancipation Policy Introduction The municipality of Utrecht is working to combat discrimination in the city. The approach to antidiscrimination focuses on different aspects. The programme Diversity and Integration that ran until the spring of 2010 aimed to increase tolerance in Utrecht and combat discrimination. This programme was used to stimulate and support social organisations, to raise discrimination as an issue and to combat discrimination. Article 1 Office the Netherlands (Art. 1 bureau Nederland) is an organisation that anyone can appeal to when one feels discriminated against. This office is subsidised by the municipality of Utrecht. Campaigns that are organised within the framework of combating discrimination in Utrecht are the campaign to increase reporting of discrimination Discriminatie? Ff melden!, the public campaign from the Panel Deurbeleid (which combats the unjustified refusal of admittance to restaurants and bars) and the campaign RU4REAL doe normaal op internet which promotes a tolerant climate on the internet. The special Agenda 22-group is active in the area of anti-discrimination on the basis of physical limitation and works to promote the idea that all people with and without a disability should be able to take part in society. The homosexual emancipation policy is active in the area of anti-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The homosexual emancipation policy will serve as a case study in this report to show in which ways the municipality's approach to discrimination contributes to the enjoyment of human rights. 2 Municipal Homosexual Emancipation Policy The municipal homosexual emancipation policy is a policy that has existed for quite a few decades. The policy was given shape in the municipality of Utrecht for the first time in the 1970s. At the time, the essence of the policy was the emancipation of homosexual individuals. Currently, the policy is aimed more at teaching the society to accept homosexual individuals. The homosexual policy is formulated particularly to meet the needs of the city and not so much in terms of legal rules or legal frameworks. The homosexual emancipation policy serves especially as a signal and as prevention against the hardening of society. Policies for promotion the emancipation of homosexual individuals exists at both the central government level and the municipal level. In 2008 the action plan Just Be Gay (Gewoon homo zijn) was released at the central government level. This was plan was to be valid until 2011. In the framework of this plan, and almost immediately after its release, the G4-cities (the four biggest cities in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht) signed the Leaders' Agreement (Koplopersovereenkomst). Following this, the municipality of Utrecht formulated the action plan Just Be Gay in Utrecht (Gewoon homo zijn in Utrecht). This action plan will run until the end of 2011 and is being adjusted for the following years. The programme Diversity and Integration also paid attention to the emancipation of homosexual individuals. The programme aimed to provide information about homosexuality in the education and (health) care sectors, to combat violence and discrimination against homosexuals, and to improve the visibility of homosexuality in the city. Leaders' Agreement The Leaders' Agreement is meant to improve the social acceptance of homosexuality and to support homosexual individuals in “coming out of the closet.” The agreement has three goals: 1. 2. 3.
Make homosexuality an acceptable thing to talk about. Make homosexual individuals feel safer at school, on the street and at work. Combat discrimination, intimidation and violence against homosexual individuals.
2 The following sources were used for this case-study Leaders’ Agreement Lesbian and Homosexual Emancipation Policy (2008), Action Plan Just Be Gay in Utrecht (2008), Just Be Gay, Lesbian and Homosexual Emancipation Policy 2008-2011 (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science), interview with Kees van den Berg and Abdilaziz Musa Ysef (held on 13 September 2010), news reports from www.utrecht.nl and on the intranet about the homosexual emancipation policy.
Human Rights in Utrecht, June 2011
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