The Formentera Office of Equality and LGTBI Affairs has commissioned the island's first strategy "to elucidate the realities facing the local LGTBIQA+ community and develop initiatives that promote equality and non-discrimination for its members", explained President Alejandra Ferrer.
In big picture terms, Councillor Vanessa Parellada said the plan was about "taking the temperature of the LGTBI community on the island and propose public policies and measures to mainstream sexual and gender diversity and thus collaborate in promoting equality and non-discrimination".
Two consultants have been tapped to help prepare the plan: one is from Interferències, an association which specialises in gender and LGTBI policies and feminist research from an intersectional perspective; and the other, also a specialist in gender, from Filosa, which works to educate and train assorted local stakeholders. Technical directors of offices of municipal government will coordinate efforts and facilitate local contacts. Researcher and feminist social worker Alba Pons Rabasa, who holds a Ph.D. in social anthropology, will be at the helm of the initiative.
Preparing the plan
An initial scheduling and planning meeting was held 13 September. Otherwise, the first associated action will take place at the Casal de Joves from 6.00pm on 18 October. That gathering will see formation of the steering committee to assist in drafting.
Work on the plan will bring together various actors, including government agencies, associations and islanders at large. From these key areas, efforts will focus on determining what conditions are necessary to ensure real and effective equality in the exercise of LGTBI people's rights, the goal being to prevent, correct and eliminate discrimination in the public and private spheres over which the Consell de Formentera and other local authorities have jurisdiction.
Parties interested in helping prepare the plan, whether members of the LGTBI community or not, can send an email to igualtat@conselldeformentera.cat and register to join the steering committee.
6 October 2021
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera
Yesterday afternoon the Formentera Office of Equality and LGTBI Affairs put together a training session on ‘Inclusive and non-sexist language’ for personnel at local media outlets and other islanders whose jobs involve communication. The workshop was given by the FOEL department liaison, Sofia Vergara Levitt.
Consell de Formentera president Alejandra Ferrer and head of Espai Dones Maria Dolores Fernández Tamargo signed a deal today that will unlock a €3,500 subsidy to promote equality and prevent gender violence in 2021. Equality chief Vanessa Parellada was also on hand at the signing.
The Formentera Department of Equality has organised sensitivity trainings and a guided discussion in which participants ask questions like how they perceive equality, what preconditions and challenges they think exist to attaining it and how invested they are in the process. The sessions are being led by anthropologist and social worker Ritxi Bacete and are part of Formentera’s Internal Equality Plan.
Earlier today the Formentera Department of Equality and LGTBIQA+ unveiled its activities poster for World LGTBIQA+ Pride Day on Monday 28 June. The tagline? ‘Proud to fight for equality’. “This year’s festivities will offer a panoply of activities with something for everyone from Thursday 24 June to Tuesday 29 June”, said President Alejandra Ferrer, who highlighted hopes that “islanders of all ages can enjoy a programme crafted with visibility and support for LGTBIQA+ communities in mind”.
