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DATA EQUALITY Consortium to Forge Common EU Methodology

The final workshop of the European project DATA EQUALITY will take place on July 9th in Rimini, Italy. The Euro-Arab Foundation is part of this project, which aims to prevent and combat intersectional data discrimination. This workshop brings together law enforcement agencies, judicial professionals, civil society organizations, and researchers to discuss the main conclusions from four thematic Working Groups. These groups focused on data collection and management, data analysis, data exchange, and bias and ethical issues in the use of data for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools.

Throughout the project, participants from across Europe have explored common challenges and shared best practices. Through three transnational workshops and four specific working groups, they have identified key elements that should shape a Shared European Methodology on Equality Data. This new methodology aims to promote the ethical, secure, and inclusive use of data related to discrimination.

About DATA EQUALITY

DATA EQUALITY is a project funded by the European Commission through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme. The consortium, comprising nine members and coordinated by the Corte di Appello di Venezia, includes the Euro-Arab Foundation and the City Council of Murcia, along with other entities from various European countries. Launched in September 2024 and scheduled to conclude in May 2026, the project has three main objectives:

  • Improve the capacities of public authorities to effectively investigate, prosecute, and adequately sentence discrimination incidents.
  • Enhance cooperation and information exchange among public authorities (particularly district courts and municipal and regional administrations), as well as between public authorities and other stakeholders, such as civil society organizations and community representatives, to improve responses to discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance.
  • Improve the discrimination recording and data collection system, enhance the methodological approach, and foster inter-institutional cooperation in data collection.
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Online workshop on how to improve discrimination data management

On May 9th, the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies held an online workshop for civil society organisations, within the framework of the European project DATA EQUALITY, financed by the European Union. This meeting aimed to analyse current practices, challenges and good practices in the collection, management, analysis and exchange of data related to discrimination and was led by Euro-Arab researchers Rascha Albaba Acosta, Paula Cano Cruz and José Luis Salido Medina.

The session was interactive and participatory, allowing participants to share their experiences and perspectives on the topics discussed. The workshop was attended by representatives from different European countries, including Greece, Italy, Spain and Albania, who shared their knowledge and good practices on data management related to discrimination.

This activity is part of Task 3.1 of the DATA EQUALITY project, which focuses on improving the understanding of how different actors collect, manage, analyse and share data in the context of discrimination. The project, which will run for 24 months from September 2024, aims to develop a shared European methodology to enable civil society organisations, law enforcement and judicial agencies to cooperate more effectively in the management of discrimination data.

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Presentation of the results of the Needs Assessment of the DATA EQUALITY project

On 28 March, the First Policy Event of the European DATA EQUALITY project to prevent and combat intersectional data discrimination was held in an online format. This activity aimed to present the most relevant insights from the Needs Assessment activities, as well as to discuss possible solutions based on the Technical Roadmap elaborated on the evaluation of existing AI solutions for predictive justice and for pre-existing OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) platforms to be free of bias in collecting and processing data.

The meeting was attended by researchers from the Euro-Arab Foundation, Rascha Albaba Acosta, Jose Luis Salido Medina and Paula Cano Cruz. The latter was in charge of presenting the results of the Needs Assessment, a task led by the Foundation, which aims to illustrate the roadmap and innovative ideas for data collection and elaboration through AI-based tools, involving stakeholders such as Judicial Authorities, LEAs (Law Enforcement Agencies), technology companies, research centres and representatives of CSOs (Civil Society Organisations).

The results of the Needs Assessment, gathered through desk research activities, a survey and semi-structured interviews, have highlighted the gap in both the public and private sectors in the collection, management and analysis of discrimination data, including the lack of knowledge on the general issue of data-based discrimination.

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Launch of DATA EQUALITY, a project that will fight against discrimination based on data

DATA EQUALITY, a European project that seeks to join forces to combat data-based discrimination, was launched at an online event on 20 September. The Euro-Arab Foundation, together with the Court of Appeal of Venice (coordinator of the project), the Agenfor International Foundation, the Municipality of Murcia, Kentro Merimnas Oikogeneaias Kai Paidiou, Hellenic Police, Keshilli i Larte i Prokurorise, Associazione Nazionale Comuni Italiani Emilia Romagna and Kentro Meleton Asfaleias, will develop a common methodology that will allow different actors to cooperate in the identification and prevention of this problem.

The project targets professionals active in the collection, analysis, use and dissemination of data belonging to the two macro-sectors on which the project focuses: public authorities, in particular local law enforcement agencies and judicial bodies, and civil society organisations (CSOs).

The project will train law enforcement officials, judicial bodies as well as members of CSOs in the use of the new methodology, including its impartial OSINT component and in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. The students will come from the countries participating in the project: Greece, Italy, Spain and Albania.


The role of the Euro-Arab Foundation

The Euro-Arab Foundation will undertake the task of comprehensively assessing the current methodologies employed in the collection, management, analysis and dissemination of discrimination-related data. The aim is to identify the main shortcomings, omissions and existing demands, as well as best practices to be incorporated into a new methodology. It will also explore the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence and open source tools (OSINT) to detect inherent biases in data.

This will require cooperation between public and private bodies, in particular between CSOs and local and judicial authorities, as well as surveys and interviews with law enforcement and judicial professionals and civil society organisations to understand their perspectives, needs and challenges in relation to data collection, management, analysis and sharing.