We read with concern that in the draft PON Social Inclusion (the operational tool with which the Government uses the ESF in this area) initiatives for the prevention, fight against and assistance of victims of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity have been completely omitted.
To express concern is an understatement given the grave danger that the next programming period (the only real funds available to the state and regions to address discrimination and promote social inclusion) will effectively make it impossible to access these resources, even minimal ones, for the reintegration of gay, lesbian, and transgender people at risk of exclusion from the workforce and social life in general. All this happens in defiance of the evidence, ISTAT surveys, and the explicit requests of the European Union.
The absence of this topic follows the absence, which we have widely denounced in the past, of these issues also in the Partnership Agreement between the Member States and the EU on the use of all structural funds. The mechanism is the same: mentioning sexual orientation and gender identity in the initiatives undertaken, essentially to comply with the conditionality requirement, but not providing for anything specific in the concrete initiatives and funding.
This mechanism, we recall, will not erase the precise indications contained in the Community Regulations, but it will effectively make access to these resources for interventions in these areas very difficult, both for the Government and the Regions.
Finally, we must highlight UNAR's limited role within the National Operational Programme (PON) – Social Inclusion, and in all future structural fund programming. This casts further doubt on this Office's real ability to influence and operate on issues, such as social inclusion, for which it was created.
On all these issues, Minister Poletti has not only never responded to the request for a meeting made by Italian LGBT associations, but has not even provided clarifications or answers.
We once again urge the Minister and Undersecretary Biondelli to meet, but above all, to make the appropriate additions to the Partnership Agreement.
In this context, we also welcome the intervention of the newly appointed Councilor for Equal Opportunities, the Honorable Giovanna Martelli.
Finally, we strongly urge the European Union to intervene in the evaluation of the PON Social Inclusion.
Fiorenzo Gimelli – AGEDO
Marco Canale – ANDOS
Flavio Romani – Arcigay
Paola Brandolini – ArciLesbica
Yuri Guaiana – Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti
Aurelio Mancuso – Equality Italy
Giuseppina La Delfa – Rainbow Families
