Challenge
The City Council of Terrassa has a well-established track record in developing public policies aimed at promoting equality of treatment, non-discrimination and the protection of human rights. In this context, and in line with the implementation of Catalonia’s Law 19/2020 on Equality of Treatment and Non-Discrimination, the City Council sought to strengthen its internal coordination mechanisms for responding to situations of discrimination as a first step towards the creation of an Office for Equality of Treatment and Non-Discrimination (OITND). The objective of the process was to build a comprehensive municipal response to discrimination by coordinating existing services, enhancing the capacity to detect and address discriminatory situations, and incorporating a cross-cutting approach that integrates the different axes of inequality present in the city.
Response
Spora supported the City Council of Terrassa through a participatory methodology designed to strengthen internal coordination, mainstream equality policies and consolidate a municipal model for addressing discrimination.
The project combined working sessions with management and technical staff from different municipal departments, specialised training activities and collaborative dynamics to identify challenges, opportunities and shared mechanisms for action. The process made it possible to analyse the organisational needs of the City Council, identify barriers to the implementation of equality of treatment and build consensus around the principles, objectives and tools that should guide the future office.
As a result, a strategic proposal was developed defining objectives, actions and monitoring mechanisms to advance in four key areas: internal organisation and coordination between services, training of municipal staff, support and assistance for people experiencing discrimination, and communication and awareness-raising strategies aimed at the wider community.