Organisation & Board of Directors

The Prospection Department draws up strategic and operational plans and ensures their follow-up. As an incubator, it also ensures that project leaders have the necessary tools. It also conducts studies and surveys and developed the equality data hub that brings together data sources on the different discrimination criteria.

The communication service promotes Unia's expertise and takes care of external communication through press releases, publications, website, social media posts, newsletters, etc. This service also takes care of internal communication within Unia so that the different departments work together even better.

The Prevention department gives guidance to organisations in the private and public sectors in their initiatives on diversity and non-discrimination. This guidance is always customised. The concrete guidance process can consist of various actions: training, support for a diversity working group, advice for internal and external communication, guidance in developing an action plan, etc. They have also created the online learning platform eDiv (only available in French and Dutch) for companies and organisations that want to develop and maintain an inclusive diversity policy.

The Protection department has extensive legal expertise that is highly valued both nationally and internationally. The service has various tasks:

• The staff handle all reports that Unia receives. They do the intake, analyse the facts and evaluate them in the light of the legal framework. 
• They are responsible for questions  about discrimination, hate crimes or hate speech. They make a professional referral if necessary and provide information on individual rights. 
• They formulate advice in the context of legislative initiatives and look for solutions to put an end to discriminatory situations.

The Policy & Monitoring department promotes diversity and fights discrimination and racism through lobbying. In this way, they aim to ensure that Unia has an impact in the various sectors of society. This department closely monitors the policy of the federal government and the regional governments in order to provide  advice and policy recommendations where necessary.

The Internal Management department is responsible for reception, logistics, buildings and facilities, ICT and finance. The department fulfils these responsibilities for Unia, but also for Myria, the Combat Poverty, Insecurity and Social Exclusion Service and partly also for the secretariats of the European networks Equinet and ENNHRI that share the same building.

The HR department is responsible for the well-being of all employees. It is responsible for payroll administration, recruitment procedures, staff training and advises the directors on (individual and collective) personnel management. The department carries out these responsibilities for Unia, Myria and the Combat Poverty, Insecurity and Social Exclusion Service.

Unia is committed to the fight against racism. Primarily on the basis of our cooperation agreement, but also because Unia was designated as the responsible body to handle reports under Article 14 of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). As a national human rights institution, Unia also participates in the evaluation of Belgium when it comes to the compliance with human rights.

As an independent mechanism, Unia is responsible for the protection, promotion and supervision of Article 33.2 of the  UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities .  Unia focuses primarily on its supervisory mission with a view to enhance compliance with the provisions of the UN Convention in all public policy measures.

Unia is also active locally. We have signed several cooperation agreements at local level.