The
objectives
Distinctive
features
Means
of implementation
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to monitor inter-ethnic relations in Europe, in both EU and non EU countries (including ethnic conflict, human rights violations and expressions of racism and xenophobia); |
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to report annually on the state of relations between territorial minorities and/or immigrant communities on one hand, and other groups and/or national authorities on the other; |
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to gather and circulate information on research and training programmes dealing with inter-ethnic relations and human rights as they relate to minority groups; |
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to promote empirical research on the political, social, economic and cultural environments and issues that have caused or, in certain countries or regions, may lead to ethnic tensions or conflict; |
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to collaborate with local institutions and organisations to disseminate information and develop training activities. |
In recent years, a number of monitoring and early warning systems and networks have been, or are being established. The Ethnobarometer Programme differs from these on at least two counts:
The research component. The Programme is able to draw from its network of highly qualified individuals and research centres throughout Europe and thus offer data and evaluations of the political, economic, social and cultural factors that influence ethnic relations, with respect to both the problems that cause tensions and to possible approaches to the management of crises.
The European dimension. The Ethnobarometer Programme seeks the co-operation of and contribute to those centres and networks which are already actively engaged in monitoring, early warning systems and conflict resolution. However, while existing networks are either worldwide or regional, the Ethnobarometer Programme focuses specifically and exclusively on Europe, that is, the European Union along with the rest of Europe.
The Programme is co-ordinated by the CSS and CEMES under the joint responsibility of the Programme’s Co-Directors dr. Alessandro Silj, secretary-general of CSS, and dr. Malcolm Cross, director of CEMES.
A Panel of Advisors contributes to the definition of priorities and strategic directions and acts as a link between the Programme on one hand, and governments and international organisations, media and the public opinion on the other, in order to promote the most effective use of the results.
A Scientific Committee, whose main task is to advise CSS and CEMES on their research strategies and ensure co-ordination with other European research centres.
A network of Correspondents in all countries supplying the Programme’s staff with data, periodical reports and any other relevant information
The Correspondents report on: a) new legislation, regulations and administrative practices which, directly or indirectly, affect or may affect the status and rights of territorial minorities or immigrant communities; b) statements, claims, judicial or political actions undertaken by such minorities in defence of their rights, and the response to such actions from national and local institutions; c) occurrences of violence, discrimination or other incidents originating in racist sentiment or any other prejudice against minority groups; d) media coverage of events such as those listed above, and e) research and documentation currently available on all such issues.
The Programme informs and consults regularly with UNHCR, OSCE, The Council of Europe, and the European Union institutions, the Commission and the Parliament, as well as with other international organisations.
The Programme is co-ordinated with existing regional networks (e.g. the Network on Ethnological Monitoring and Data Bank on Ethnicity and Conflicts jointly sponsored by the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Conflict Management Group, Cambridge, Mass., in collaboration with the Negotiation Systems Project of the Harvard Law School) and international organisations (e.g. International Alert, Fewer) already engaged in monitoring and early warning systems or working on conflict resolution (e.g. PER, the Princeton based Project on Ethnic Relations, and the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Affairs Council of New York). Agreements on collaboration have already been reached with a number of these organisations, including the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Network on Monitoring which participated in the Ethnobarometer Programme’s first planning meeting.
The Programme has developed appropriate collaboration agreements with existing European or regional organisations and networks that carry out research or disseminate information on issues related to ethnic relations and human rights, such as, for example, the Nordic Federation of Human Rights Institutes and ASEN (the Association of Studies on Ethnicity and Nationalism); as well as with national academic institutions.
The Programme consults and exchanges information with non-European organisations (e.g. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) and international organisations (e.g. the International Federation for Human Rights, and the International Commission of Jurists) concerned with ethnic conflict and human rights violations world-wide.