The Regional Secretary for Labour and Social Solidarity stressed the importance of “educating the present and forthcoming generations based on a multicultural and critical vision” that takes into account, during their training path, the need and importance of acknowledging and welcoming plural identities.
Ana Paula Marques presided over, on behalf of the President of the Government, the opening session of the seminar on “Discrimination and Social Exclusion – Equality in Diversity” promoted by the Information, Promotion and Monitoring Centre for Equality Policies, a service under the administration of the Novo Dia Association.
According to the Regional Secretary, “living in the modern world implies the recognition of plurality and diversity of peoples and cultures, based on respect and tolerance, regarding differences not as sign of inferiority, but as an asset for society.”
Alluding to the action taken by the Government in the promotion of equality of opportunities, Ana Paula Marques stated that this area has been integrated in intersectoral policies “over various legislative periods,” particularly with the establishment of the Regional Directorate for this purpose.
Over the past two years, she added, the Government has “intensively invested” in this area, having funded, through cooperation agreements with non-profit private organisations, the creation of responses and referral services for citizens, the promotion of awareness raising action and training courses, as well as other intervention strategies to facilitate an integrated promotion in the Azorean society, non-discrimination and equality of opportunities.
According to data provided by the Eurobarometer, published in January 2007, the most significant forms of discrimination in Portugal were discrimination based on sexual orientation (67%), ethnicity (61%), disability (60%), followed by age discrimination (48%), gender (47%) and religion or beliefs (39%).