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Qualitative Info |
The Portuguese Law 18/2004, which transposes the 2000/43/EC Directive, allows for the associations to legally represent victims of discrimination. In its article 5, one can read: “The associations who, in accordance with their own statutes, aim to promote non-discrimination based on racial or ethnical grounds, have the legitimacy to intervene, either in support or on behalf of the complainant, with his approval, in their respective jurisdictional processes”. However, in cases of contra-ordenações [minor offences], these entities only have the right to make an accusation and to file a complaint with the Comissão para a Igualdade e Contra a Discriminação Racial (CICDR) [Commission for Equality and Against Racial Discrimination].
Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (APAV) [Portuguese Victim Support Association] is a nation-wide association which, according to its statutes, has as its main goal to foster and contribute to providing information, protection and support to victims of criminal offences confidentially and free of charge. APAV includes a national network of fifteen Victim Support Offices and launched in May 2005 the Unidade de Apoio à Vítima Imigrante e de Discriminação Racial ou Étnica (UAVIDRE) [Unit for the Support of Immigrant Victims and Victims of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination], a special unit set up under a protocol with the Alto Comissariado para a Imigração e Diálogo Intercultural (ACIDI) [High Commission for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue]. Among all the organisations operating in Portugal, UAVIDRE is perhaps the one that comes closest to an institution that was empowered to support victims of racial and ethnic discrimination, as defined by Directive 2000/43/EC. UAVIDRE provide social, psychological and legal assistance to victims of discrimination.
SOS Racismo [SOS Racism] is commited to the fight against racism and xenophobia and to the defence of the rights of immigrants and ethnic minorities. One of Its primary areas of intervention has been the juridical support and assistance to victims of racist and ethnic discrimination, although SOS Racismo also addresses other issues related to immigration.
Solidariedade Imigrante - Associação para a Defesa dos Direitos dos Imigrantes (SOLIM) [Immigrant Solidarity - Association for the Defense of Immigrants' Rights] is a nationwide immigrant association and its main purpose is the defence of immigrants rights through their empowerment and the promotion of a demanding citizenship. Although the fight against discrimination and the assistance to victims of racist and ethnic discrimination isn’t the main purpose and mission, it is one of the areas of intervention, including juridical support.
Associação Olho Vivo [Alive Eye Association] has a head office in Queluz (Sintra) and two other Gabinetes de Apoio à Cidadania [Support to Citizenship Cabinets] in Oporto and Braga (North of Portugal) which provide support to victims of racism and xenophobia among victims of other offences.
Sources
Dias, B., Freitas, I., Ralha, T and Silva, E. (2005), Special Study - Organisations Supporting Victims of Racial Discrimination in Portugal, Viena: European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC).
Organisations homepages:
Associação Olho Vivo [Alive Eye Association], http://www.olho-vivo.org, Date of access: 20.02.2012.
Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (APAV) [Portuguese Victim Support Association], http://www.apav.pt, Date of access: 20.02.2012.
Solidariedade Imigrante - Associação para a Defesa dos Direitos dos Imigrantes (SOLIM) [Immigrant Solidarity - Association for the Defense of Immigrants' Rights], http://www.solimigrante.org, Date of access: 20.02.2012.
SOS Racismo [SOS Racism], http://www.sosracismo.pt, Date of access: 20.02.2012. |