Sigma Live

High-Level Conference in Nicosia on Equality Bodies Standards

Published February 10, 2026, 12:19
High-Level Conference in Nicosia on Equality Bodies Standards

The Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights of Cyprus, in collaboration with EQUINET, organized a High-Level Conference in Nicosia on the transposition of EU Directives on Standards for Equality Bodies into national law. The conference, held within the framework of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, followed a meeting and workshop of the EQUINET Working Group. The opening session was addressed by the Commissioner, representatives of EQUINET, and the Minister of Labour and Social Security, while a video message from the European Commissioner for Equality was shown. The keynote speaker was a representative of the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers of the European Commission, who emphasized the importance of the new Directives. The Commissioner stressed that the conference is the first presentation of the Directives at a pan-European level and that they aim to strengthen the institutional coherence and effectiveness of Equality Bodies, empowering their role in preventing and combating discrimination. She noted that the Cypriot Equality Body already largely meets the philosophy of the Directives. The conference was attended by representatives of European institutions, organizations and civil society, such as the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) and the European Disability Forum.