Current best practices

• Author: Chiara Favilli
• Pages: 64-64

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10CURRENT BEST PRACTICES

In December 2018, a new project was promoted, thanks to the restarting of UNAR’s

activity. The project started in December 2018 and will last for two years, but it is not

possible to understand which actions have been taken in practice.113 The project

‘CO.N.T.R.O. –Counter Narratives Against Racism Online’ aims to combat hate speech,

while the project ‘To.Be.Roma – Towards a better cooperation and dialogue between

stakeholders inside the National Roma Platform’, aims to make the integration of people

of Roma origin easier.

It is worth mentioning that the Interinstitutional Agreement on Access to Justice, which

was agreed in 2013 and is aimed at strengthening protection for vulnerable victims, is still

active. Within this framework, a solidarity fund for access to justice by victims of

discrimination was set up (Fondo di solidarietà per la tutela giurisdizionale delle vittime di

discriminazione). The fund was created by UNAR in order to facilitate access to justice by

victims of discrimination, providing lawyers with part of the legal costs of actions brought

before the courts (about EUR 600 for each level of judicial proceedings). This amount is

not sufficient to cover the overall legal expenses, but it is sufficient to act as an incentive

for lawyers engaging in discrimination cases. In the event of a favourable judgment, the

legal aid provided must be refunded to UNAR. Applications must be sent to the National

Lawyers’ Association by individuals or by collective bodies with the right to legal standing

(a maximum of three per year). A steering committee made up of lawyers and public

officials from UNAR decide on the allocation of aid, which is an alternative to the legal aid

provided by the state for those who are eligible on the basis of their incomes.

However, no report has so far been published on the application of this financial support.

113 See: http://www.unar.it/cosa-facciamo/azioni-positive-e-progetti/progetto-co-n-t-r-o/.