EQUAL is a Community Initiative, which aims at adapting experimental methods of employment that will contribute to combating inequality and discrimination on the labour market. In the EU Member States the programme is funded by the European Social Fund, whereas in Hungary it is financed from the Phare Programme. The original program design enables participants to focus on nine themes:
- Employability
- (Re-)integration to the labour market,
- Combating racism
- Entrepreneurship
- Business creation
- Social economy
- Adaptability
- Life long learning
- Adaptation to change and information technology
- Equal opportunities
- Reconciling family and professional life
- Reducing gender gaps and desegregation
- Asylum seekers
From among the nine thematic fields Hungary has joined the theme Employability, (Re)integration to the labour market. The aim of the European Employment Strategy is to create more and better jobs ensuring equal opportunities for those in work and those looking for a job. This objective can be attained by local and transnational cooperation between the Member States and the candidate countries within the EQUAL Programme.
The programme will benefit from the experience and expertise that have resulted from previous Community Initiatives (ADAPT and EMPLOYMENT). It will provide an international framework for developing new employment strategies for current and future Members Sates while always supporting local initiatives.
For Hungary the EQUAL programme offers new means and methods adapted across Europe for developing new employment and training policies.
