Coordination at national level

• Author: Karin de Vries
• Pages: 83-84

83

9COORDINATION AT NATIONAL LEVEL

For various (legislative) procedures and the development of policies, frequent co-operation

exists between the Ministries of the Interior and Kingdom Relations; Social Affairs and

Employment; Education, Culture and Science; Health, Welfare and Sport; and Justice and

Security. For some specific projects other ministries may be involved. The division of tasks

is organised in the following way:

1.Equal treatment in employment: (inter alia: GETA, ADA, DDA and Equal Treatment

Act Men/Women): Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.

2.Age discrimination in employment: Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.

3.General policies against racism: Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.

4.Disability discrimination: Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.

5.General Equal Treatment Act, Constitutional provisions, general coordination of anti-

discrimination policies: Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.

6.Criminal law provisions regarding discrimination, anti-discrimination policies for the

police/public prosecution: Ministry of Justice and Security.

7.Emancipation policies for women and LGBT people: Ministry of Education, Culture and

Science.347

The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations co-ordinates all the legislative activities

because it is responsible for the implementation of the Constitution, which in Article 1

contains a general non-discrimination provision.

The anti-discrimination policies are also coordinated by the Ministry of the Interior and

Kingdom Relations. The Ministry is responsible for municipal anti-discrimination services.

The latest National Action Programme against Discrimination was published in January

2016.348 Basically, this action programme brings together under a single umbrella various

existing programmes and plans to combat discrimination and exclusion, such as the

programmes mentioned above. It thus seeks: to achieve a better overall view and strategy

across all grounds of discrimination, including but not limited to those covered by the EU

directives; to create more synergy; and to improve cooperation between all the

stakeholders involved.

With this programme the Government intends to respond to the current social context

characterised by increasing tensions between ‘various groups’, as it is formulated, which

calls for a clear message from the Government to combat exclusion and discrimination and

improve cohesion. Which groups are meant is not specified.349 The programme identifies

four main starting points: prevention and awareness-raising to promote an inclusive

society, including the promotion of diversity in the labour market and combating

stereotypes; strengthening cooperation and infrastructure to combat discrimination;

paying more attention to policies and action at the local level; and supporting policies and

actions through interdisciplinary knowledge and research on the causes of discrimination

and the effectiveness of interventions.

347 Emancipation is not defined, but in recent periods emphasis has been placed on promoting the norms and

values of gender equality and LGBTI rights, including for women a focus on economic independence,

‘women to the top’ and a socially safe environment, and for LGBTI people social acceptance, in particular in

bicultural and religious communities. See Minister of Education, Culture and Science, 20 January 2017,

Opbrengsten Emancipatiebeleid 2013-2017 (‘Results of Emancipation policy 2013-2017):

http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/kamerbrief-over-opbrengsten-

emancipatiebeleid-2013-2017-1.pdf.

348Nat¡onaal Actieprogramma tegen discriminatie (National action programme against discrimination), Tweede

Kamer, 2015-2016, 30 950, no. 84.

349Nat¡onaal Actieprogramma tegen discriminatie (National action programme against discrimination), Tweede

Kamer, 2015-2016, 30 950, no. 84.