Namur local council adopted the 'Mix'cité' plan on Tuesday with the aim of making the city an egalitarian and welcoming safe space for the LGBTQ community, Sudinfo reports.
The plan – two years in the making – was a collaborative effort initiated by Philippe Noël, President of the CPAS in charge of Social Cohesion and Equal Opportunities. The 2023-2026 programme consists of 64 actions to promote gender equality and combat discrimination against the local LGBTQ community. Some points have already been put in place, while others are in the process of being implemented.
The City's charter undertakes, among other things, to combat misogyny and violence against women. Furthermore, it aspires to continue its efforts to be a welcoming municipality for LGBTQ people, by offering them greater visibility and opposing all forms of discrimination against the community.
Other commitments include listening to the demands of people affected by violence and discrimination, supporting local initiatives, organising training courses, creating 'safe-places' in the city centre and gathering statistical data.
Setting an example
Moreover, for the first time, the municipal administration has contributed to the fundamental work carried out by the politicians to ensure that all departments set an example.
"We are one of the largest employers in the city, with almost 2,000 employees. We have a duty to set an example internally when we ask our citizens to do the same," Laurence Leprince, Director General of the City of Namur, told L'Avenir.
"There are already many things in place, such as having a female hierarchy. It also means responding to lesser-known phenomena such as gender reassignment. We have been confronted with this, and we have asked ourselves the question of how we arrange [gendered] toilets. We need to think about this."
