Swedish EU Presidency - Fundamental Rights Conference 2009: Making Rights a Reality for All

82 per cent of respondents to the FRA’s EU-MIDIS survey who were discriminated against in the past 12 months did not report these cases anywhere. Only 16 per cent of all respondents knew of any organisation that can support people who have been discriminated against. (EU-MIDIS survey of 23,500 members of ethnic minority and immigrant groups)

Nyamko Sabuni, Swedish Minister for Integration and Gender Equality, will open the Fundamental Rights Conference 2009, organised by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) in cooperation with the Swedish Presidency of the EU.

The Conference is the European Union's key event on International Human Rights Day and aims to promote action to better protect people from violations of their rights. It further aims to support the social inclusion of marginalised groups, with the situation of the Roma as a prominent topic. Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg, FRA Director Morten Kjaerum and others, will address the Conference.

The theme of the conference will be “Making rights a reality for all”. The conference will discuss the place of rights, such as the right to non-discrimination, in times of economic crisis. A high-level panel debate will consider whether rights that are described as ‘fundamental’ can ever be deemed a luxury.

More than 200 representatives from EU Member State governments, EU institutions, intergovernmental organizations, local authorities, civil society, social partners, and national human rights bodies will participate in the conference.

The entire conference will be open to the press. The Plenary Session will take place in English and French.

For media accreditation, please contact media@....

Please include your name, e-mail, media organisation and press credentials.

The conference will take place on 10-11 December 2009 at the Stockholm City Conference Centre, Barnhusgatan 12-14.

 

 

ECMI Call for Applications

The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) invites applications for
three positions as Senior Research Associate within the field of
"Minority Studies". Minority Studies at ECMI cover research on national
and ethnic minority issues in Europe.

The positions

We are currently restructuring our research and advisory services, and
the new colleagues will have the opportunity to be an integral part of
designing ECMI's portfolio for the next strategic period. They will each
head up a research and competence unit in the following thematic areas:

Justice & Governance
Conflict & Security
Culture & Diversity

Responsibilities include conducting applied research as well as
knowledge dissemination and transfer within the thematic area.
Co-operation with the other thematic areas in multi-disciplinary
research projects as well as with ECMI's non-resident research network
is also part of the responsibilities. The new colleagues are also
expected to take a lead in developing the thematic areas further and for
this reason we ask applicants to describe in max. 500 words how they see
their own research plans and their publication record in relation to
their potential contributions to and visionary development of one of the
three research areas. Other responsibilities include networking with
both relevant academic institutions and national/international
organizations and media active in the area of minority politics as well
as project management and supervision of younger members of research
staff.

Candidates for the three positions are required to document as a minimum
a PhD-degree in relevant disciplines. Experience from post-doc positions
or similar is an asset. Prior knowledge from the field of Minority
Studies is an advantage. Good research skills, the ability to work in a
team, documented networking skills as well as good communication skills
in written and spoken English are necessary. Experience with consultancy
contracts and training of public servants is welcome. Knowledge of
German is an asset.

Contracts are offered for three years with renewal options. ECMI is a
German-Danish intergovernmental foundation and the remuneration follows
the German TVoD system. Candidates without German language skills are
expected to acquire these within a year or two. The successful candidate
is expected to take up residence in or near Flensburg. ECMI is an equal
opportunities institution and strives to achieve parity between women
and men thus explicitly welcoming applications from women as well as
from candidates of any social, racial or ethnic background. ECMI is a
non-smoking environment.

About us

ECMI is an international cross-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary
research and competence institution working directly with governments,
civil society and international organisations in Europe. ECMI aims to
provide governments and the public debate with relevant information and
analysis as well as to influence the European agenda-setting in the area
of minority politics. In collaboration with our field offices in Georgia
and Kosovo and in co-operation with academic institutions, ECMI conducts
applied research, training and advisory services in the area of
minority-majority relations. ECMI also co-operates with local
universities and ECMI research staff teaches relevant courses. See
further www.ecmi.de.

We offer an international and multilingual working environment with
varied tasks and opportunities for travel. Our management structure is
flat with a high degree of independence in senior research positions and
opportunity to influence the work of the institution. We value openness,
dialogue and team-spirit and focus on excellence, flexibility and mutual
respect. ECMI is located in Flensburg, at the German-Danish border - a
provincial town where two cultures live side-by-side and the quality of
living is good (www.flensburg.de). In addition to clean sea air, plenty
of out-door and water sports activities, Flensburg offers low living
costs and good schools in both the German and the Danish school systems.
Flensburg is also within four hours travel of eleven good universities.

Applications

In addition to the research and vision statement requested, interested
applicants are asked to submit a CV, a publications list specifying
publications in English that are considered to be particularly relevant
for the position. Short-listed candidates may be asked to provide copies
of publications. Applications for more than one thematic area will not
be accepted. Application material should be marked "SRA" followed by the
name of the relevant thematic area. It may be sent electronically to Ms.
Gisa Marehn (marehn@...) no later than 4 January 2010. Interviews
with short-listed candidates are planned for end January or early
February 2010. For further information about the positions, contact Dr.
Tove H. Malloy (malloy@...). For information about living in
Flensburg, contact Ms. Maj-Britt Risbjerg Hansen (Hansen@...).

Dear all,

The registration for the international conference on 'Romani Mobilities in Europe: multidisciplinary perspectives', to be held in Oxford on 14-15 January 2010 is now open. There is a limited number of places available and they will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

 

Deadline for registration is 18 December 2009.

You can register online at the following link:
https://www.oxforduniversitystores.co.uk/catalogue/products.asp?compid=1&deptid=96&catID=423&hasClicked=1


Registration fee is: £140
A reduced fee is available for students and Romani organisations: £80

The registration fee covers delegate pack, lunches (14 and 15 January), conference buffet dinner (14 January), and refreshments each day.

About the conference
The conference aims to bring together Romani and non-Romani scholars, students, activists and practitioners to discuss the multiple dimensions and impacts of Romani mobilities in Europe.

The key themes of the conference are:
- Variety and directions of contemporary Romani mobilities into, out of, and within the EU, in the broader political, social, historical and cultural context;
- historical perspectives on policy and practice aimed at governing Romani mobilities;
- the concept, practice and limits of freedom of movement in the EU in relation to the Roma case;
- the relationship between different legal statuses and patterns and directions of Romani mobility;
- Romani politics in the enlarged EU and the process of Europeanisation of the Roma issue;
- the relationship between indigenous and long-established Romani communities and newly arrived Romani migrants;
- continuities and discontinuities in public discourses and social policies for Roma, Gypsies and Travellers in the EU;
- issues of settlement and resettlement in the context of widespread anti-Gypsyism;
- the impacts of migration on identity and cultural production.

The conference is organised by the Refugee Studies Centre and made possible by a grant from the John Fell Oxford University Press Fund and the support of ERSTE Foundation.

For any queries concerning the registration, please contact: rsc-outreach@...

For further information on the conference:
http://romanimobilities.wordpress.com/
http://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk

Best wishes,

Nando Sigona
Research Officer
Refugee Studies Centre
Oxford Department of International Development (ODID)
University of Oxford

3 Mansfield Road
OX1 3TB Oxford
United Kingdom

Tel: +44(0)1865281703
Fax: +44(0)1865281730

Email: nando.sigona@...

Web: RSC www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/Sigona.html

Dear all!

please sign up for the upcoming DARE Conference in Glasgow on 4–6 March 2010 on the issue of Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion through HRE/EDC in Adult learning.

Registration Deadline is December 10, 2009.

All info you can find on: http://dare-network.blogspot.com/2009/11/conference-tackling-poverty-and-social.html

Get the registration form on: http://dare-network.eu/downloads/Glasgow_Conference_Registration_Form.doc

Travel and accommodation costs for DARE project members can be reimbursed. For DARE network members these costs can be reimbursed only if they contribute actively to the conference in form of a case study/best practice presentation or a country report. We strongly encourage all others to apply at their national agencies for individual mobility grants under the EU programmes GRUNDTVIG or COMENIUS, as this conference will be listed in the GRUNDTVIG training database.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Regards

Tanveer Parnez

Director of National Development

 

BEMIS

38 Queen St

Glasgow

G1 3DX

Tel: 0141 5488047

E-mail: tanveer.parnez@...

URL: www.bemis.org.uk

Swedish EU Presidency - Cooperation strengthens rights of LGBT people and Roma

19/11/2009 - Everyone has a responsibility to fight discrimination, but how can different actors in society get better at working together? This was one of the main questions at the Equality Summit, the Presidency conference on discrimination. Examples of cooperation between trade unions, non-governmental organisations and government agencies to protect and promote the rights of Roma and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at European level, in Sweden and in Malta were highlighted as good practice.

The main theme of this year’s Equality Summit was “cooperation for equality” and one of the four workshops at the conference took a deeper look at the subject. Representatives of a range of trade unions and NGOs at national and European level, human rights institutes, public agencies and governments shared their experience of various types of cooperation and discussed the associated benefits and challenges.

(...)

Cooperation model for marginalised groups

John Stauffer from the Swedish anti-discrimination agency, the Equality Ombudsman, concluded the workshop by talking about a model that the Equality Ombudsman uses for cooperation with marginalised groups in Swedish society, such as the Roma.

The model has three main components: increasing knowledge about rights within the group; creating confidence in the Equality Ombudsman and its work for the rights of the group; and improving the work of the Equality Ombudsman, for example by increasing knowledge about how discrimination against the group is manifested.

“It’s a reciprocal process in which the principal method is dialogue with representatives of the group. It’s based on regular meetings at which we share knowledge, experience and information with one another.”

John Stauffer told the participants that the cooperation has resulted in the agency increasing its knowledge, enabling it more easily to identify cases that indicate structural problems involving discrimination and enabling more cases to be won in court as the arguments available and knowledge base have improved. The dialogue has also provided input for a documentary report on discrimination against Roma in Sweden that is currently being finalised.

“The cooperation has also led to us receiving more complaints. A few years ago we had very few complaints from the Roma. These days we have 40 to 50 complaints per year,” John Stauffer pointed out.

Cooperation necessary but involves challenges

The workshop highlighted all the benefits associated with increased cooperation between different actors in society but also took up some of the challenges involved.

“Cooperation takes time to build up, you have to be patient and can’t expect very rapid change. Also, long-term cooperation requires constant nurturing, like an equality Tamagotchi,” joked workshop moderator Karolina Vrethem, presenting the workshop’s conclusions in a plenary session.

Read more on http://www.se2009.eu/en/meetings_news/2009/11/19/cooperation_strengthens_rights_of_lgbt_people_and_roma

Organised Gang Bringing Roma Beggars?  

Dear All,

We are happy to launch the 2010 call for applications for the European Commission Internship for Young Roma Graduates. The internship will start on March 1, 2010 and end on July 31, 2010. Please find attached the call for applications, application form and CV template.

Please note the required application documents:

• Application in English or French
• Copies of all the university degrees/diplomas obtained and declared in the application (for candidates who have completed their degree course but who have not yet received an official degree certificate, a formal official statement from the university confirming the degree result is sufficient)
• Europass CV. You can download the Europass CV template at: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/vernav/Europasss+Documents/Europass+CV/navigate.action
• Certificates and/or declarations for all work experience declared in the application and CV
• Reference/recommendation letters about work experience in Roma civil society declared in the application and CV

The deadline for submitting applications is December 5, 2009.

Please send your application (using the attached application form) by e-mail, regular mail or via fax by December 5, 2009.

Brussels Internship Program
Roma Initiatives
Open Society Institute
Oktober 6 u.12.
H-1051 Budapest Hungary

E-mail: roma@...

Fax: +361 327-3841

We would very much appreciate if you spread forward this information to potential candidates and interested persons.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

Kindest regards,

Violeta Naydenova

Program Coordinator
Roma Initiatives
Open Society Institute

E-mail: vnaydenova@...
Tel.: +36 1 327 38 55
Fax: +36 1 327 38 41

Swedish EU Presidency - EU meeting on work to combat discrimination

On 16–17 November, a third annual high-level meeting on equality – the ‘Equality Summit’ – is being held in Stockholm. Minister for Integration and Gender Equality Nyamko Sabuni will host the meeting, and Commissioner Vladimir Spidla will also be taking part.

Four very interesting workshops will be held, focusing on how to work successfully on equality in both public and private organisations, and in the legislative process, and how various actors can cooperate. In addition, there will be a workshop on the role of the media in equality and anti-discrimination in an era marked by diversity. LGBT and Roma issues will also be discussed in depth during the conference.

The Equality Summit is part of an ongoing cycle of work to promote equal rights and equal opportunities for everyone in the EU. About 300 participants are expected to attend the conference representing EU Member States and candidate countries, EEA countries, EU institutions, international organisations, the social partners, the media and civil society.

The main theme of the meeting is cooperation for equal rights for all and cooperation opportunities between various actors and in various forms – cooperation for equality.

One of the aims is for this year’s Equality Summit to be innovative in its discussion methods and interactivity, and for it to be an important forum to discuss cooperation to promote equal rights and equal opportunities.

Link: http://www.isria.com/pages/11_November_2009_71.php

 

Contact: Mr. Ivan Ivanov, ERIO Executive Director.
E-mail: ivan.ivanov@...
Tel. +32-2-7333462

Dear colleagues,

 

please, send the title of your Roma or Roma-related media entity (newspaper, magazine, radio, television channel)

with directories (e-mail, website, telephone) to the following address romale@...

 

This information will be posted on http://euyouthspeak.org/roma/?cat=10964 in order to help us to find one another faster.

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Mr. Valery Novoselsky,
Editor, Roma Virtual Network.
http://www.valery-novoselsky.org/romavirtualnetwork.html

 

 

 

 

Officials Consider Earlier Eviction of Rejected Asylum Seekers

Hindus condemn dismantling of Roma camps in Helsinki

29/10/2009 - Hindus have strongly criticized City of Helsinki for reported dismantling of two Roma camps during the last two days without providing them alternate accommodation.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was simply inhuman to force the Roma in harsh conditions outdoors.

The Roma camps, reportedly in existence since August, were broken up in Kalasatama and Kyläsaari areas of the capital. There are reportedly similar camps/shacks within the Helsinki city limits occupied by Finnish derelicts and homeless alcoholics. Jussi Pajunen is the mayor of Helsinki.

Meanwhile, United Nations sometime back listed Finland as one of the countries which discriminate against Roma people.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, in a statement at the 12th session of Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 15, said: “Regarding access to housing, direct and indirect discrimination against Roma, Sinti and Travelers and/or forced evictions are known to have taken place in a number of countries, including Finland…”. She further said, “…more must be done to end such discrimination.”

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Finland to take care of its Roma population who reportedly faced apartheid conditions. Maltreatment of Roma, who mostly migrated from India many centuries back, was a dark stain on the face of Finland. How Finland, which prided itself for its human rights record, was tolerating such widespread prejudice against a segment of its own society, he asked.

Rajan Zed argued that Roma had been living in Finland since 1500s, took part alongside other Finns in all of the wars the country participated in, and their mother tongue was Finnish. What more Roma needed to do and how many more centuries they had to reside in Finland to prove that they were “real and equal” Finns like any other, he asked.

Hindu statesman pointed out that it was 2009 and many Finland restaurants, stores, and other licensed premises still reportedly refused them entry. Replying to a telephone survey sometime back, some employers reportedly admitted that they would not want to hire a Roma even if he/she had the qualifications for a job. Prejudicial treatment occurred even though the Finnish Penal Code, through an amendment adopted in 1995 [sections 11(8) and (9)], criminalized incitement to racial hatred and racial discrimination. The Criminal Code at Article 47(3) also provided for punishment of discrimination in employment.

Zed stressed that it was moral obligation of Finland to improve the plight of its Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who numbered around 12,000 and were the most disadvantaged.

Roma reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc., Rajan Zed pointed out.

Hindu statesman further said that it was like an undeclared apartheid. The abuse of Roma was outside even the European Union norms. Everybody openly saw the prejudice and various reports had clearly pointed out the brazen discrimination Roma faced in Finland, but the country just ignored it and appeared to lack the will to stop it.

Roma inclusion and integration programs needed to immediately take off the ground providing them with better health and education avenues, higher economic opportunities, sources of empowerment and participation, etc., Zed pointed out.

Rajan Zed stressed that Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, which represented about 80 percent of the Finns, should also come out in support of the cause of this distinct ethnic and cultural group of Roma, because religion taught us to help the helpless.

27.10.2009

Helsinki city council and the police broke up a small gipsy camp near Kalasatama underground station on Tuesday.

Superintendent Ismo Juvonen told the Finnish News Agency (STT) that the Romanian gipsies had packed up and vacated the area peacefully.

He added that about two dozen people appeared to have lived in the camp.

According to the police, few Romanian gipsies remained in the capital region.

"Based on fieldwork the feeling is that whereas there was talk of hundreds in the summer, there are dozens at the moment."

STT

Quote from the Debate at the Human Rights Council, 22 September 2009

CHRISTOPHER BERG (Sweden), speaking in a right of reply on behalf of the European Union, said with regards to the statement made by China, that the
delegation of China had pointed harsh criticism at the European Union in general and Sweden in particular. Persistent human rights violations, in particular against Roma and migrants, as well as in the fight against terrorism were mentioned. Nobody was perfect. The European Union was happy to have a dialogue on human rights with China, and appreciated delegations who raised issues under this item. The existence of access to justice, the respect for freedom of opinion and expression, the respect for freedom of assembly, fair and public trials, and, above all, accountability by the Government, were basic attributes for any State that seriously wanted to address any shortcomings in the human rights area.

Source: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EGUA-7W5RBY?OpenDocument&query=roma

The Roma Christian Social Democrats will hereby to vote YES for the Roma Rights, and like to give our fully support of this very important to the Roma situations in the Eu-Member state (in allt the world).

 

We like to support the ERTF-Charter, to do this very important to make suggestions and proposals as to how the problems of racism and Antiziganism/Antigypism indentified in each country might be overcome, SO HELP US GOD.

 

Devlesa,

 

Sincerly yours,

 

The Roma Christian Social Democrats in Sweden,

 

Lars Demetri, Chairman.

 

Stockholm

 

Dear All,

 

The Forum of European Roma Young People (FERYP) is calling for participants for its next study session: "Diversity with and Diversity in the Roma community".

The session will take place from 29 November to 6 December 2009 in the European Youth Centre Budapest.

 

Please note that the deadline for applications is 20 October 2009.

 

The applications should be submitted to: feryp2009@...

 

Alexandra RAYKOVA

President of FERYP

 

 

 

Pakjivalen Romalen,

 

O Evroputno Forumo e Trene Romenqo (FERYP) akharel participante p-i avutni studiaqi sesia: "Averipen e Romencar thaj Ververipen mashkar e Roma".

I sesia ka lel than kotar o 29 Novembra ji ko 6 Decembra and-o Evroputno Ternikano Centro ki Budapesta.

 

I maj paluni dta vas-o aplikacie si 20 Oktombra 2009.

O aplikacie musaj te bichalen pes ko: feryp2009@...

 

Oven saste,

 

Alexandra RAYKOVA

Presidento e FERYPesko

 

__________________________________

 

 

Queridas amigas y amigos,

 

El Foro Europeo de Jóvenes Roma (Forum of European Roma Young People) solicita participantes para su siguiente sesión de estudio: "Diversidad con y Diversidad en la Comunidad Roma".

 

La sesión tendrá lugar entre los días 29 de noviembre y 6 de diciembre de 2009 en el Centro Europeo de la Juventud de Budapest.

Por favor tened en cuenta que el plazo para la recepción de solicitudes es el 20 de octubre de 2009.

 

Las solicitudes deberán ser enviadas a la dirección de correo electrónico: feryp2009@...

 

Alexandra RAYKOVA

Presidenta de FERYP.

 

Ethnic Newsletter: Perth includes Romanies

 

Ethnic City - October, December 2009 Newsletter - WA Perth. 

 

Click Pagelink  http://www.rromaniconnect.org/Romanicommunity.html 

to read more news about Romanies in Perth in the Ethnic Communities Council

"New" newsletter and read about our upcoming exhibition.

 

Yvonne Slee

Ethnic Newsletter: Perth includes Romanies

 

Ethnic City - October, December 2009 Newsletter - WA Perth. 

 

Click Pagelink  http://www.rromaniconnect.org/Romanicommunity.html 

to read more news about Romanies in Perth in the Ethnic Communities Council

"New" newsletter and read about our upcoming exhibition.

 

Yvonne Slee