ERIO sent recommendations to the German EU-Presidency
The European Roma Information Office (ERIO) has submitted recommendations to the German Presidency, where it calls for undertaking urgent measures for the improvement of the living conditions of Roma communities and the full respect of their rights in the Member States, Candidate Countries and Kosovo. In particular, ERIO calls on the German EU-Presidency to promote equal opportunities for the Roma in education and employment, and to address the particular needs of Roma refugees, Roma in Candidate Countries and in Kosovo.
See the full recommendations: http://www.erionet.org/files/Recommendations_German_EUPresidency_pr.pdf
Slovak Constitutional Court's decision on Sterilizations of Roma women
In December 2006, the Slovak Constitutional Court decided a complaint filed by Center of Civil and Human Rights (Poradna) based in Kosice, on behalf of three forcibly sterilized Romani women whose cases were investigated by the law enforcement agencies.
The law enforcement agencies closed the investigation two times, in 2003 and in 2005. After the investigation office closed the investigation for forced sterilization in 2003, it was appealed with prosecutors' office which later dismissed the appeal, claiming victims have no right to appeal such decision. The case was appealed with the highest instance in Slovakia, the Constitutional Court, which in 2005 returned the case back to the prosecutors' office. The prosecutor immediately closed the investigation again, stating no crime was committed. This decision was again challenged before the Constitutional Court.
In the 13 December 2006 decision, the Slovak Constitutional Court declared the investigation as ineffective, ruled that its conclusions were not based on adequate clarification of facts and that there were procedural violations. Thus, the Constitutional Court declared a violation of victim's procedural rights under Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights and ordered the Slovak Prosecution Office to act in the case again. The Constitutional Court specifically stated that this not necessarily meant that Applicants suffered forced sterilization but only that their procedural rights were violated and there was no proper investigation. Parallel to the domestic procedure an application to the European Court of Human Rights was also filed whose decision is pending.
German Holocaust ban idea meeting resistance
EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini has spoken in favour of a German proposal to criminalise denial of the Holocaust across the 27-member bloc - but the fiercest resistance against such a move comes from Frattini's own country, Italy.
By Helena Spongenberg http://euobserver.com/9/23366
Czech hospital must apologise to Romany woman for sterilization
The management of the Vitkovice Hospital in Ostrava, Czech Republic, has to apologise to 24-year-old Roma woman Helena Ferencikova who sued the hospital for unwanted sterilisation, the High Court in Olomouc ruled today. The court confirmed thus the verdict of a lower instance court that Ferencikova should receive an apology, but not financial compensation.
Ferencikova welcomed the verdict: "I`m glad they decided like this, that they won`t continue in this practice. Money is not important. Nobody will give me children. I`m young and I believe that I would have had more children," she said. Ferencikova was sterilised six years ago when she gave second birth at the age of 19. Hospital doctors said that the woman already had her second cesarium-section and another delivery would mean a risk for her life. They argued that she was offered sterilisation and she agreed.
Judge Jaroslav Hykl said that the hospital acted against the law because it proposed sterilisation to Ferencikova only during her second labour, without any prior information or consultations. Ferencikova said she had not known what she had been signing because of labour pains. Ferencikova will not be compensated as she filed her complaint against the hospital after more than three years and it thus comes under the stature of limitations.
A dozen of Roma women who attended the court proceedings today said that they were in the same situation as Ferencikova. They told CTK they did not have enough money to file their own complaints. Ferencikova`s has been the first such case in the Czech Republic. Three other complaints have been filed, but the cases have not yet been dealt with.
Source: CTK
Roma in Turkey A short summary about Turkish Roma and Travellers with a historical background by Ali Mezarcioglu.
Full text under: http://www.cingeneyiz.org/turkey.htm
Roma to urge greater UN involvement in rights protection
Warsaw - Roma and Sinti representatives intend to urge the United Nations to take a greater role in protecting the rights of their respective ethnic groups, in a meeting with new United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York next week, a Polish Roma organisation confirmed Thursday. Roma and Sinti leaders plan to urge the creation of a special UN representative for Roma and Sinti affairs. An estimated 10 to 12 million Roma and Sinti currently live in Europe, making them the continent's largest ethnic minority. The delegation visiting the UN is to be led by Romani Rose, Chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma. Roman Kwiatkowski, president of the Polish Roma Association will also attend, along with Roma survivors of several Second World War Nazi death camps. Historians estimate that roughly half a million Roma living in Europe prior to the Second World War fell victim to Nazi Germany's plan of genocide. While in New York next week, Member of the two organisations are expected to preside over the opening of an exhibition at United Nations headquarters entitled 'The Holocaust against the Roma and Sinti and present-day racism in Europe.' Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Eurobarometer: 77% of Europeans think that being a Roma is a disadvantage in society
On 7 June - 12 July 2006 TNS Opinion & Social on behalf of the European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, carried out a survey wave 65.4 of the EUROBAROMETER about discrimination and inequality in Europe. The SPECIAL EUROBAROMETER N°263 is part of wave 65.4 and covers the population aged 15 years and over in the twenty-five Member States of the European Union and in the two acceding countries. The methodology used is that of the Standard Eurobarometer surveys of the Directorate General Communication ("Public Opinion and Media Monitoring" Unit). In the report findings the six legally prohibited forms of discrimination in the EU are examined: discrimination on the basis of sex, ethnic origin, religion or beliefs, age, disability and sexual orientation.
The survey highlights that a large proportion of Europeans are of the opinion that discrimination is widespread in their country. Discrimination based on ethnic origin is felt to be the most widespread. A broad majority of European citizens believe that being disabled (79%), being over 50 (69%) or having a different ethnic origin (62%) is a disadvantage in their society.
With regard to the Roma, who collectively form the largest ethnic minority in the enlarged EU, 77% of Europeans think that being a Roma is a disadvantage in society. These proportions vary quite significantly among the countries surveyed. Nine out of ten Swedish respondents hold the view that being a Roma is a disadvantage in their society, compared to around 6 out of 10 respondents in the two acceding countries, namely Bulgaria and Romania. Secondly, at the socio-demographic level the data shows that the age at which people completed their full-time education slightly influences how they judge the position of Roma in their society. The longer people stayed in full-time education, the more likely they are to feel that being a Roma tends to be a disadvantage. However, regardless of how long people stayed in school, very few believe that being a Roma is an advantage in their society (5.3. The position of Roma, pages 42-43).
Finally, the survey highlights that awareness of the existence of anti-discrimination laws remains quite low in the European Union. Disability is the only type of discrimination which more than half of the European public knows is prohibited by law when hiring employees. And only one third of European Union citizens (32%) know their rights should they become a victim of discrimination or harassment.
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on the current situation in Kosovo
A debate on the current situation in Kosovo on 24 January 2007, Wednesday, with the participation of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on the future status process for Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, as one of the highlights of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Winter Session (Strasbourg, 22-26 January 2007), has resulted in the adoption of a resolution on current situation in Kosovo (Recommendation 1780 and 1533, 2007). In the document the Assembly reiterates that the historical role of the Council of Europe in improving a good governance, strengthening democracy and the rule of law, raising human rights standards and improving the protection of national minorities in Europe should be played as regards Kosovo. The Assembly believes that the Council of Europe should give special support to Serbia and to increase the information activities in or addressed to Serbia, as well as the activities relating to history teaching, human rights education, youth and inter-cultural dialogue. Consequently, the Assembly asks the Committee of Ministers to ensure that the Council of Europe, in cooperation with other international actors, plays a key role in putting in place measures to ensure the protection of the human rights of all persons in Kosovo. The most of recommended in this document measures relate to minorities: the voluntary return in safety and dignity of refugees and displaced persons and their sustainable reintegration; the protection of national minorities; the use of minority languages; inter-cultural dialogue and cultural heritage. At the end of a debate on the current situation in Kosovo, the PACE said that "a negotiated and mutually accepted solution to Kosovo's status is the best guarantee that the outcome will not be disputed in the future". However, the adopted text underlines that if long-term deadlock leads to continuing insecurity and instability, "an internationally-imposed solution" may have to be envisaged as a last and extreme resort. Whatever solution is found, it must ensure that minorities are specially protected and that human rights principles are upheld. http://assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta07/EREC1780.htm http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta07/ERES1533.htm
Comparative Analysis of National Measures to Combat Discrimination Outside Employment and Occupation
The Comparative Analysis of National Measures to Combat Discrimination Outside Employment and Occupation published in December 2006 is the mapping study on existing national legislative measures - and their impact in - tackling discrimination outside the field of employment and occupation on the grounds of sex, religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation. The study was carried out by Human European Consultancy Migration Policy Group (Netherlands, Belgium) within the framework of the European Commission`s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities activities.
The European Roma Information Office (ERIO) has submitted recommendations to the German Presidency, where it calls for undertaking urgent measures for the improvement of the living conditions of Roma communities and the full respect of their rights in the Member States, Candidate Countries and Kosovo. In particular, ERIO calls on the German EU-Presidency to promote equal opportunities for the Roma in education and employment, and to address the particular needs of Roma refugees, Roma in Candidate Countries and in Kosovo.
See the full recommendations: http://www.erionet.org/files/Recommendations_German_EUPresidency_pr.pdf
Slovak Constitutional Court's decision on Sterilizations of Roma women
In December 2006, the Slovak Constitutional Court decided a complaint filed by Center of Civil and Human Rights (Poradna) based in Kosice, on behalf of three forcibly sterilized Romani women whose cases were investigated by the law enforcement agencies.
The law enforcement agencies closed the investigation two times, in 2003 and in 2005. After the investigation office closed the investigation for forced sterilization in 2003, it was appealed with prosecutors' office which later dismissed the appeal, claiming victims have no right to appeal such decision. The case was appealed with the highest instance in Slovakia, the Constitutional Court, which in 2005 returned the case back to the prosecutors' office. The prosecutor immediately closed the investigation again, stating no crime was committed. This decision was again challenged before the Constitutional Court.
In the 13 December 2006 decision, the Slovak Constitutional Court declared the investigation as ineffective, ruled that its conclusions were not based on adequate clarification of facts and that there were procedural violations. Thus, the Constitutional Court declared a violation of victim's procedural rights under Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights and ordered the Slovak Prosecution Office to act in the case again. The Constitutional Court specifically stated that this not necessarily meant that Applicants suffered forced sterilization but only that their procedural rights were violated and there was no proper investigation. Parallel to the domestic procedure an application to the European Court of Human Rights was also filed whose decision is pending.
German Holocaust ban idea meeting resistance
EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini has spoken in favour of a German proposal to criminalise denial of the Holocaust across the 27-member bloc - but the fiercest resistance against such a move comes from Frattini's own country, Italy.
By Helena Spongenberg http://euobserver.com/9/23366
Czech hospital must apologise to Romany woman for sterilization
The management of the Vitkovice Hospital in Ostrava, Czech Republic, has to apologise to 24-year-old Roma woman Helena Ferencikova who sued the hospital for unwanted sterilisation, the High Court in Olomouc ruled today. The court confirmed thus the verdict of a lower instance court that Ferencikova should receive an apology, but not financial compensation.
Ferencikova welcomed the verdict: "I`m glad they decided like this, that they won`t continue in this practice. Money is not important. Nobody will give me children. I`m young and I believe that I would have had more children," she said. Ferencikova was sterilised six years ago when she gave second birth at the age of 19. Hospital doctors said that the woman already had her second cesarium-section and another delivery would mean a risk for her life. They argued that she was offered sterilisation and she agreed.
Judge Jaroslav Hykl said that the hospital acted against the law because it proposed sterilisation to Ferencikova only during her second labour, without any prior information or consultations. Ferencikova said she had not known what she had been signing because of labour pains. Ferencikova will not be compensated as she filed her complaint against the hospital after more than three years and it thus comes under the stature of limitations.
A dozen of Roma women who attended the court proceedings today said that they were in the same situation as Ferencikova. They told CTK they did not have enough money to file their own complaints. Ferencikova`s has been the first such case in the Czech Republic. Three other complaints have been filed, but the cases have not yet been dealt with.
Source: CTK
Roma in Turkey A short summary about Turkish Roma and Travellers with a historical background by Ali Mezarcioglu.
Full text under: http://www.cingeneyiz.org/turkey.htm
Roma to urge greater UN involvement in rights protection
Warsaw - Roma and Sinti representatives intend to urge the United Nations to take a greater role in protecting the rights of their respective ethnic groups, in a meeting with new United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York next week, a Polish Roma organisation confirmed Thursday. Roma and Sinti leaders plan to urge the creation of a special UN representative for Roma and Sinti affairs. An estimated 10 to 12 million Roma and Sinti currently live in Europe, making them the continent's largest ethnic minority. The delegation visiting the UN is to be led by Romani Rose, Chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma. Roman Kwiatkowski, president of the Polish Roma Association will also attend, along with Roma survivors of several Second World War Nazi death camps. Historians estimate that roughly half a million Roma living in Europe prior to the Second World War fell victim to Nazi Germany's plan of genocide. While in New York next week, Member of the two organisations are expected to preside over the opening of an exhibition at United Nations headquarters entitled 'The Holocaust against the Roma and Sinti and present-day racism in Europe.' Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Eurobarometer: 77% of Europeans think that being a Roma is a disadvantage in society
On 7 June - 12 July 2006 TNS Opinion & Social on behalf of the European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, carried out a survey wave 65.4 of the EUROBAROMETER about discrimination and inequality in Europe. The SPECIAL EUROBAROMETER N°263 is part of wave 65.4 and covers the population aged 15 years and over in the twenty-five Member States of the European Union and in the two acceding countries. The methodology used is that of the Standard Eurobarometer surveys of the Directorate General Communication ("Public Opinion and Media Monitoring" Unit). In the report findings the six legally prohibited forms of discrimination in the EU are examined: discrimination on the basis of sex, ethnic origin, religion or beliefs, age, disability and sexual orientation.
The survey highlights that a large proportion of Europeans are of the opinion that discrimination is widespread in their country. Discrimination based on ethnic origin is felt to be the most widespread. A broad majority of European citizens believe that being disabled (79%), being over 50 (69%) or having a different ethnic origin (62%) is a disadvantage in their society.
With regard to the Roma, who collectively form the largest ethnic minority in the enlarged EU, 77% of Europeans think that being a Roma is a disadvantage in society. These proportions vary quite significantly among the countries surveyed. Nine out of ten Swedish respondents hold the view that being a Roma is a disadvantage in their society, compared to around 6 out of 10 respondents in the two acceding countries, namely Bulgaria and Romania. Secondly, at the socio-demographic level the data shows that the age at which people completed their full-time education slightly influences how they judge the position of Roma in their society. The longer people stayed in full-time education, the more likely they are to feel that being a Roma tends to be a disadvantage. However, regardless of how long people stayed in school, very few believe that being a Roma is an advantage in their society (5.3. The position of Roma, pages 42-43).
Finally, the survey highlights that awareness of the existence of anti-discrimination laws remains quite low in the European Union. Disability is the only type of discrimination which more than half of the European public knows is prohibited by law when hiring employees. And only one third of European Union citizens (32%) know their rights should they become a victim of discrimination or harassment.
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on the current situation in Kosovo
A debate on the current situation in Kosovo on 24 January 2007, Wednesday, with the participation of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on the future status process for Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, as one of the highlights of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Winter Session (Strasbourg, 22-26 January 2007), has resulted in the adoption of a resolution on current situation in Kosovo (Recommendation 1780 and 1533, 2007). In the document the Assembly reiterates that the historical role of the Council of Europe in improving a good governance, strengthening democracy and the rule of law, raising human rights standards and improving the protection of national minorities in Europe should be played as regards Kosovo. The Assembly believes that the Council of Europe should give special support to Serbia and to increase the information activities in or addressed to Serbia, as well as the activities relating to history teaching, human rights education, youth and inter-cultural dialogue. Consequently, the Assembly asks the Committee of Ministers to ensure that the Council of Europe, in cooperation with other international actors, plays a key role in putting in place measures to ensure the protection of the human rights of all persons in Kosovo. The most of recommended in this document measures relate to minorities: the voluntary return in safety and dignity of refugees and displaced persons and their sustainable reintegration; the protection of national minorities; the use of minority languages; inter-cultural dialogue and cultural heritage. At the end of a debate on the current situation in Kosovo, the PACE said that "a negotiated and mutually accepted solution to Kosovo's status is the best guarantee that the outcome will not be disputed in the future". However, the adopted text underlines that if long-term deadlock leads to continuing insecurity and instability, "an internationally-imposed solution" may have to be envisaged as a last and extreme resort. Whatever solution is found, it must ensure that minorities are specially protected and that human rights principles are upheld. http://assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta07/EREC1780.htm http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta07/ERES1533.htm
Comparative Analysis of National Measures to Combat Discrimination Outside Employment and Occupation
The Comparative Analysis of National Measures to Combat Discrimination Outside Employment and Occupation published in December 2006 is the mapping study on existing national legislative measures - and their impact in - tackling discrimination outside the field of employment and occupation on the grounds of sex, religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation. The study was carried out by Human European Consultancy Migration Policy Group (Netherlands, Belgium) within the framework of the European Commission`s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities activities.
