Establishment of the Fundamental Rights Agency
The Council Regulation establishing the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights has been published on February 22, 2007, in the Official Journal of the European Union. More on: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:053:SOM:EN:HTML
ECRI seminar on positive action
On 22 and 23 of February 2007, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) held a seminar for national bodies concerned with combating racism and racial discrimination. The aim of the meeting was to clarify the notion of positive action and exchange information on good practices in the field of discrimination. Among the other discussed issues about positive actions was also the new ECRI General recommendation No. 10 for combating discrimination in school education, which is going to be published on March 21, 2007 on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In October 2006 when the General recommendation No. 10 was still in drafting process, ERIO proposed to ECRI a list of advocacy recommendations concerning combating racism and racial discrimination against Roma in school education. More on : http://www.erionet.org/erioadvoacydocuments.html
Portugal discriminates most against Gypsies
The Roma/Gypsy community is the most discriminated in Portugal, not only by the local population, but also by law enforcement authorities a report by the European Commission published this week has revealed, though it stresses that Portugal is not a racist country. More on: http://google.the-news.net/display.aspx?id=895-9
For Gypsies, Eugenics is a Modern Problem Czech Practice Dates to Soviet Era
Prague (Newsdesk.org) -- Gypsy women who say they were sterilized against their will by Czech doctors were heartened last December when a government investigator released a study that largely vindicated their claims. Six months later, however, advocates for Gypsies -- known more formally as Roma -- say the practice is continuing, and are dismayed by what they consider only token steps by Czech officials to stop it. "There's been basically dead silence at the level of elites," said Claude Cahn, program director of the European Roma Rights Center, an advocacy group based in Budapest. Officials at the Health Ministry acknowledge the problem, but have not taken responsibility. More on: http://www.newsdesk.org/archives/003850.html
Italy with special law against Gypsies from Bulgaria
The number of travellers on the planes that fly in Italy from Sofia and Bucharest is not increasing. There was no influx of Bulgarians and Romanians on the Slovenian-Italian border, near to Trieste-the natural front door of Italy to workers from the two Balkan countries. More on: http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_692666547
Plan to meet pitch demand
Finnland has the highest number of gypsy and travellers' caravan pitches in the whole of Cambridgeshire, but 180 more will still be needed in the next five years. This was the finding of a new research study, which also said that, in all, an additional 383 pitches would be needed across the whole of the county. The study was complied by a consortium of researchers from three universities and forms part of a review being undertaken by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) to identify the number of additional pitches required across the region. It has been estimated from government figures, collected in 2006, that there are 689 pitches on authorized sites and 151 on unauthorized sites in Cambridgeshire. Of those 255 authorized pitches are in Fenland along with 42 unauthorized sites. South Cambridgeshire has the second highest number of legal pitches with 242 and 120 still needed. In Peterborough there are 82 legal pitches and 13 more are needed by 2011.
Pat Niner, from Birmingham University, who led the research study, said: "The case study suggests that there are inadequate provisions for gypsies and travellers in the East of England region, leading to the problem of unauthorized sites." It is therefore important that more caravan pitches are provided to ensure that the travelling communities, who are among the most deprived groups in the population, have a decent place to live." The findings of the research will be published soon, and will be considered by the EERA's regional planning panel at a meeting next month. More on: http://www.erionet.org/www.cambs-times.co.uk
Council of Europe: AC FCNM adopts opinions on Spain and FYROM (Macedonia)
Strasbourg 23.2.2007 - The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities adopted two country-specific opinions this week under the second cycle of monitoring the implementation of this convention in States Parties. The opinion on Spain was adopted on 22 February, and the opinion on "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" was adopted on 23 February. These two opinions will now be submitted to the Committee of Ministers, which is to adopt conclusions and recommendations. More on: http://www.coe.int/minorities
Council of Europe to launch "Dosta!" awareness raising campaigns in Serbia and Montenegro to fight stereotypes and prejudices towards Roma
Strasbourg, 20.02.2007 - After initiating the project "Equal Rights and Treatment for Roma in South-eastern Europe" in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," the Council of Europe will launch an awareness-raising campaign next week in Serbia and in Montenegro. Co-financed by the European Commission, the project includes training programmes for Roma and government officials to uphold Roma rights, and the "Dosta!" awareness raising campaign, which promotes a positive image of Roma citizens against common stereotypes and prejudices. More on: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=PR117(2007)&Sector=secDC&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&BackColorInternet=F5CA75&BackColorIntranet=F5CA75&BackColorLogged=A9BACE
Second CoE report on Georgia
Adopted by CoE on 30 June 2006 made public on 13 February 2007 ECRI strongly recommends that the Georgian authorities closely monitor the situation of Roma communities in Georgia, ensure that they are taken into account in government-run civil integration programmes and respond swiftly in the event of any manifestations of intolerance or racial discrimination against members of these communities. More on: http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/1-ecri/2-country-by-country_approach/georgia/georgia_cbc_3.asp#P239_34481
Third CoE report on Slovenia
Adopted by CoE on 30 June 2006 made public on 13 February 2007 ECRI recommends that in their efforts to promote social inclusion of Roma and mutual integration between Roma and non-Roma communities, the Slovenian authorities extend existing good practice in this area throughout the country. http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/1-ECRI/2-Country-by%20country_approach/Slovenia/Slovenia_CBC_3.asp#TopOfPage
Ethnic Roma in Romania: Less Discriminated, but still poor
Bucharest - 45% of Roma population in Romania think of themselves as assimilated to the Romanian culture - that category of Roma people that barely keep in touch with the cultural dimensions of their ethnics, being educated within the spirit of the Romanian culture, reveals the data of the Roma Inclusion Barometer, released by the Open Society Foundation.
Approximately 15% of them identify with the "rudari" and the "vatrari" kindred, also relatively assimilated within the culture of the majority. Another 15% identify with some rather traditional branches of the Roma ethnics - the "caldarari"(bucket makers), the "ursari"(bear tamers), the "caramidari" (brick makers) - and the rest of approximately 25% name themselves "just gipsy" or affiliate to another kindred. More on: http://www.divers.ro/cgi-bin/buletin_en.py?id=250#805
Governmental Commission to study Roma's slavery
Bucharest - Premier Calin Popescu-Tariceanu authorized Tuesday, February 20, the startup of the procedures on setting up a "Commission to study Romas slavery."
This project grounds on the proposal received by Premier Tariceanu from a group of initiative made up of representatives of civic organizations involved in the issue of ethnic Roma minority. The Commission will aim at the thorough and interdisciplinary studying of the ethnic Romas slavery in the Romanian area. The conclusions of this study will be presented in a report to include recommendations in the field of education and promotion of ethnic Roma history and culture. The Commission will operate in 2007.
Premier Tariceanu designated the National Agency for Ethnic Romas to set up the Commission by March 1, based on the proposals from the Group of Initiative, as well as the activity of the Commission's technical secretariat, based on a Government Decision. In order to achieve the proposed tasks, the National Agency for Ethnic Romas and the Commission will cooperate with the Center for Roma Studies in Bucharest.
The decision on setting up a Commission to study ethnic Romas slavery comes at the celebration of 151 years from the last emancipation act.
UNICEF: Roma conference in Berlin
Roma Children: Between Integration and Isolation Berlin, March 5 2007.
Programme: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/Roma_Symposium_ENG_final.pdf Register: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/Registration_form.pdf Website: http://www.unicef.de/
The Council Regulation establishing the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights has been published on February 22, 2007, in the Official Journal of the European Union. More on: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:053:SOM:EN:HTML
ECRI seminar on positive action
On 22 and 23 of February 2007, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) held a seminar for national bodies concerned with combating racism and racial discrimination. The aim of the meeting was to clarify the notion of positive action and exchange information on good practices in the field of discrimination. Among the other discussed issues about positive actions was also the new ECRI General recommendation No. 10 for combating discrimination in school education, which is going to be published on March 21, 2007 on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In October 2006 when the General recommendation No. 10 was still in drafting process, ERIO proposed to ECRI a list of advocacy recommendations concerning combating racism and racial discrimination against Roma in school education. More on : http://www.erionet.org/erioadvoacydocuments.html
Portugal discriminates most against Gypsies
The Roma/Gypsy community is the most discriminated in Portugal, not only by the local population, but also by law enforcement authorities a report by the European Commission published this week has revealed, though it stresses that Portugal is not a racist country. More on: http://google.the-news.net/display.aspx?id=895-9
For Gypsies, Eugenics is a Modern Problem Czech Practice Dates to Soviet Era
Prague (Newsdesk.org) -- Gypsy women who say they were sterilized against their will by Czech doctors were heartened last December when a government investigator released a study that largely vindicated their claims. Six months later, however, advocates for Gypsies -- known more formally as Roma -- say the practice is continuing, and are dismayed by what they consider only token steps by Czech officials to stop it. "There's been basically dead silence at the level of elites," said Claude Cahn, program director of the European Roma Rights Center, an advocacy group based in Budapest. Officials at the Health Ministry acknowledge the problem, but have not taken responsibility. More on: http://www.newsdesk.org/archives/003850.html
Italy with special law against Gypsies from Bulgaria
The number of travellers on the planes that fly in Italy from Sofia and Bucharest is not increasing. There was no influx of Bulgarians and Romanians on the Slovenian-Italian border, near to Trieste-the natural front door of Italy to workers from the two Balkan countries. More on: http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_692666547
Plan to meet pitch demand
Finnland has the highest number of gypsy and travellers' caravan pitches in the whole of Cambridgeshire, but 180 more will still be needed in the next five years. This was the finding of a new research study, which also said that, in all, an additional 383 pitches would be needed across the whole of the county. The study was complied by a consortium of researchers from three universities and forms part of a review being undertaken by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) to identify the number of additional pitches required across the region. It has been estimated from government figures, collected in 2006, that there are 689 pitches on authorized sites and 151 on unauthorized sites in Cambridgeshire. Of those 255 authorized pitches are in Fenland along with 42 unauthorized sites. South Cambridgeshire has the second highest number of legal pitches with 242 and 120 still needed. In Peterborough there are 82 legal pitches and 13 more are needed by 2011.
Pat Niner, from Birmingham University, who led the research study, said: "The case study suggests that there are inadequate provisions for gypsies and travellers in the East of England region, leading to the problem of unauthorized sites." It is therefore important that more caravan pitches are provided to ensure that the travelling communities, who are among the most deprived groups in the population, have a decent place to live." The findings of the research will be published soon, and will be considered by the EERA's regional planning panel at a meeting next month. More on: http://www.erionet.org/www.cambs-times.co.uk
Council of Europe: AC FCNM adopts opinions on Spain and FYROM (Macedonia)
Strasbourg 23.2.2007 - The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities adopted two country-specific opinions this week under the second cycle of monitoring the implementation of this convention in States Parties. The opinion on Spain was adopted on 22 February, and the opinion on "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" was adopted on 23 February. These two opinions will now be submitted to the Committee of Ministers, which is to adopt conclusions and recommendations. More on: http://www.coe.int/minorities
Council of Europe to launch "Dosta!" awareness raising campaigns in Serbia and Montenegro to fight stereotypes and prejudices towards Roma
Strasbourg, 20.02.2007 - After initiating the project "Equal Rights and Treatment for Roma in South-eastern Europe" in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," the Council of Europe will launch an awareness-raising campaign next week in Serbia and in Montenegro. Co-financed by the European Commission, the project includes training programmes for Roma and government officials to uphold Roma rights, and the "Dosta!" awareness raising campaign, which promotes a positive image of Roma citizens against common stereotypes and prejudices. More on: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=PR117(2007)&Sector=secDC&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&BackColorInternet=F5CA75&BackColorIntranet=F5CA75&BackColorLogged=A9BACE
Second CoE report on Georgia
Adopted by CoE on 30 June 2006 made public on 13 February 2007 ECRI strongly recommends that the Georgian authorities closely monitor the situation of Roma communities in Georgia, ensure that they are taken into account in government-run civil integration programmes and respond swiftly in the event of any manifestations of intolerance or racial discrimination against members of these communities. More on: http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/1-ecri/2-country-by-country_approach/georgia/georgia_cbc_3.asp#P239_34481
Third CoE report on Slovenia
Adopted by CoE on 30 June 2006 made public on 13 February 2007 ECRI recommends that in their efforts to promote social inclusion of Roma and mutual integration between Roma and non-Roma communities, the Slovenian authorities extend existing good practice in this area throughout the country. http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/ecri/1-ECRI/2-Country-by%20country_approach/Slovenia/Slovenia_CBC_3.asp#TopOfPage
Ethnic Roma in Romania: Less Discriminated, but still poor
Bucharest - 45% of Roma population in Romania think of themselves as assimilated to the Romanian culture - that category of Roma people that barely keep in touch with the cultural dimensions of their ethnics, being educated within the spirit of the Romanian culture, reveals the data of the Roma Inclusion Barometer, released by the Open Society Foundation.
Approximately 15% of them identify with the "rudari" and the "vatrari" kindred, also relatively assimilated within the culture of the majority. Another 15% identify with some rather traditional branches of the Roma ethnics - the "caldarari"(bucket makers), the "ursari"(bear tamers), the "caramidari" (brick makers) - and the rest of approximately 25% name themselves "just gipsy" or affiliate to another kindred. More on: http://www.divers.ro/cgi-bin/buletin_en.py?id=250#805
Governmental Commission to study Roma's slavery
Bucharest - Premier Calin Popescu-Tariceanu authorized Tuesday, February 20, the startup of the procedures on setting up a "Commission to study Romas slavery."
This project grounds on the proposal received by Premier Tariceanu from a group of initiative made up of representatives of civic organizations involved in the issue of ethnic Roma minority. The Commission will aim at the thorough and interdisciplinary studying of the ethnic Romas slavery in the Romanian area. The conclusions of this study will be presented in a report to include recommendations in the field of education and promotion of ethnic Roma history and culture. The Commission will operate in 2007.
Premier Tariceanu designated the National Agency for Ethnic Romas to set up the Commission by March 1, based on the proposals from the Group of Initiative, as well as the activity of the Commission's technical secretariat, based on a Government Decision. In order to achieve the proposed tasks, the National Agency for Ethnic Romas and the Commission will cooperate with the Center for Roma Studies in Bucharest.
The decision on setting up a Commission to study ethnic Romas slavery comes at the celebration of 151 years from the last emancipation act.
UNICEF: Roma conference in Berlin
Roma Children: Between Integration and Isolation Berlin, March 5 2007.
Programme: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/Roma_Symposium_ENG_final.pdf Register: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/Registration_form.pdf Website: http://www.unicef.de/
