Commissioner for Development announced the launching of a new initiative to fight discrimination in developing countries. This new package will be available for NGOs and civil society groups to tackle incidences of any kind of discrimination on the ground. The funding will be launched through the Commission's Call for Proposals in 2013.

European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, announced a new €20 million package to help fight against any kind of discrimination - whether based on gender or sexual orientation, religion or belief, race or ethnic origin, or disability - which affects millions of people around the world. The funding will be launched through the Commission's Call for Proposals in 2013. Through its European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), the EU is also active in combating racism and supporting minority groups, for example through the provision of funding to support civil society projects in this area.

Mr Piebalgs stressed during its announcement that the new package launched is a clear signal of the EU's determination to help civil society and willing partners to make diversity acceptable and an asset of our societies. The package will be available for NGOs and civil society groups to tackle incidences of any kind of discrimination on the ground.

Around 80 countries still criminalise same-sex relations, and in seven of these it is still punishable by the death penalty; the Roma population suffers a legacy of discrimination in these countries, resulting in widespread poverty, unemployment, homelessness and lack of access to education. The EIDHR supports Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) groups around the world – monitoring information on LGBTI rights, raising awareness on this issue and supporting individual cases through prison visits and court hearings. In addition to this, the EIDHR has just funded a project to help to improve conditions for the Roma community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example.