Now in its fifth year, the Award honours online or print journalists in the EU who, through their work, contribute to a better public understanding of the benefits of diversity and the fight against discrimination.
The competition is open to journalists in the EU who write on issues of discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age, disability and sexual orientation.
This year’s competition includes a Special Award on the Roma as a community which frequently suffer from racial violence, hate speech and discrimination in accessing employment, education, health care, and public and social services.
The Journalist Award is a key activity of the “For Diversity. Against Discrimination.” an information campaign run by the European Commission, Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.
The campaign works in all 27 EU Member States to raise awareness of discrimination, and the legislation which exists to combat it, as well as to promote the benefits of diversity.
It works to fight discrimination based on a person’s race or ethnic origin in all areas of life (which is outlawed under the Racial Equality Directive, 2000) and on age, disability, sexual orientation and religion or belief in the workplace (which is illegal thanks to the Employment Equality Directive, 2000).
The campaign is funded through PROGRESS, the EU’s employment and social solidarity programme.