Angra do Heroísmo, Azores — The Azores Regional Government is reporting steady progress in its first comprehensive strategy to promote equality and combat discrimination across the archipelago.

Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security Mónica Seidi participated yesterday in the first meeting of the Consultative Forum for the Regional Plan for Equality and Non-Discrimination in the Azores (PRINDA) 2023–2026, held at the historic Solar dos Remédios in Angra do Heroísmo.

Seidi emphasized that advancing equality and preventing discrimination are core responsibilities of the Regional Directorate for the Promotion of Equality and Social Inclusion (DRPIIS). The PRINDA plan—approved by the Regional Government in December 2023—represents the first coordinated regional framework to address these issues.

“PRINDA represents a clear commitment by the Government of the Azores to building a more just, inclusive society free from discrimination,” Seidi said. She noted that the plan relies on cooperation among public institutions, social partners, and civil society organizations.

The strategy is organized around five main priorities: promoting equality between women and men; preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics; combating discriminatory forms of violence such as ageism, bullying, and ethnic discrimination; countering hate speech; and monitoring the implementation of the plan.

The PRINDA Consultative Forum, established by government decree in September 2025, plays a central role in overseeing the initiative. The body reviews annual progress reports, recommends adjustments to policies and objectives, and works to strengthen coordination among agencies responsible for implementing the plan.

Data presented during the meeting indicate steady progress. In 2023, all 13 planned measures were completed. In 2024, 26 of 42 planned initiatives were implemented, with the remainder still underway. In 2025, 34 of the 49 planned measures were completed, with the remaining 15 continuing into the following year. By the end of 2025, roughly 70 percent of PRINDA’s initiatives had been completed, with the remaining measures continuing into 2026.

Key activities have included regional conferences, public awareness campaigns, training programs for public administrators and technical staff, and outreach efforts addressing equality, discrimination, cyberbullying, and hate speech.

Since the program began in 2023, the regional government has invested approximately €320,000 in initiatives to strengthen equality and social inclusion across the islands.

Seidi described the forum meeting as “an important moment of collective reflection and renewed commitment to equality and non-discrimination in the Azores,” stressing that the involvement of institutions and civil society is essential to building more inclusive and effective public policies across the region.

In Diário dos Açores-Paulo Viveiros, director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.