ENAR Weekly Mail 25

16 December 2005

 

·      Czech Republic:: Chamber of Deputies approves anti-discrimination bill

The Czech Chamber of Deputies on 7 December approved a new anti-discrimination law that is supposed to ensure the equal treatment of people regardless of their race, gender, age or sexual orientation. Read more (English only)

 

·      France: A media story on ordinary racism

By endlessly repeating a specific vocabulary related to the “youth of the suburbs”, the media have reawakened in us – society – old hatreds, such as those vis-à-vis the poor, the young and the stranger. To read more (French only)

 

·      Greece in breach of European Convention on Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights found the Greek state responsible for the inhuman and degrading treatment two Romani man suffered at the hands of police, as well as the subsequent failure to conduct an effective official investigation, in violation of Article 3 (prohibition of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment). The Court also found a violation of the procedural guarantee against racial discrimination contained in Article 14 (discrimination), taken together with Article 3.

Read more (English only)

 

·      Muslims in Europe: The EU’s new agenda on integration and radicalisation

The integration of Muslims in Europe is essential – not an option – insisted speakers at a recent Policy Dialogue. Security concerns following the terrorist attacks on Madrid and London have led to increased harassment of young Muslims, fuelling anger and frustration in Muslim communities and risking, in turn, radicalisation. But integration and security issues must be decoupled. The Commission’s recent communications on this issue have helped draw attention to the challenges facing European governments as they struggle to build communities where diversity is viewed as an asset and a source of strength, rather than a weakness. Read more (English only)

 

·      Delivering the Social Inclusion Agenda - From Promise to Reality

On 24-26 November 2005, EAPN (European Anti-Poverty Network) held its 16th General Assembly (GA) in Liverpool. The key note theme was: “Delivering the Social Inclusion Agenda”. At the end of the GA, delegates adopted a final declaration, in which they expressed their anger about the recent policy drift that weakens a balanced EU Lisbon strategy. Read the final declaration (available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Hungarian).

 

·      Transnational project: Setting minimum social standards across Europe

This project will consider the desirability and feasibility of setting minimum social standards across Europe. Project partners will examine the impact of existing standards at national and regional level and consider the challenges in generalising this learning to EU level. The Standards considered will include income, access to services and utilities and other factors contributing to living life with dignity. EAPN Ireland is the lead partner of this project. The other partners are from a range of sectors including NGOs, Ministries and State Agencies. For more information

 

 

·      10 December - Human Rights Day: PACE committee calls on member states to favour fairness over speed in asylum procedures

In a statement adopted on 9 December during its meeting in Paris, the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) expressed its deep concern over the way in which accelerated asylum procedures are developing in Europe. Read the statement: in English // in French

 

 

·      UNHCR launches new web page on EU asylum law

A new web page titled “UNHCR comments on European Union asylum law and policy” contains a collection of all UNHCR’s observation on EC law and EU policy development on asylum, refugee protection and also includes comments on proposals and adopted texts initiatives and programmes of the European Council, the European Parliament and the Commission. Finally it includes links to the Refworld collection (data base of documents in relation to UNHCR work on the field).
Access the website: in English // in French

 

·      Gender lens on gypsies

She calls herself “a full-time Roma smart-ass”; not an easy job, she says. Enisa Eminova, a Macedonian Roma, is a consultant to the Roma Women's Initiative - founded in 1999 by the New York based Open Society Institute's Network Women's Programme. The Roma Women's Initiative works to develop, link and catalyse a core group of committed Roma women's leaders in an effort to improve the human rights of Roma women in Central and Eastern Europe. Read more (English only)

 

·      First Roma and Travellers Forum to be held at Council of Europe (CoE)

The CoE hosted the first ever session of the European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF) from 13-15 December, bringing together Roma representatives from 42 of the Council’s 46 member states. The meeting aimed to be a first step to integrating the estimated 12 million Roma who live in Europe. Read the opening speech by Terry Davis, Secretary General of the CoE: in English // in French.

Read more about the ERTF: in English // in French or go to the ERTF website.

 

·      Serbia’s Roma, Closer Than You Think

Research from Serbia digs up more questions than answers about how Roma and others get along – and that is to be welcomed. A review by Margaret Hagan of the publication “Roma and Others, Others and Roma: Social Distance” (“'Ivan Hadjiyski” Institute for Social Values and Structures, Sofia, 2004). Read more (English only)

 

 

·      Network News on globalisation and poverty

The November-December issue of the EAPN newsletter Network News deals with some of the most critical aspects of the debates about current economic global forces and their impact on Social Europe. In the analyses published, neo-liberal globalisation is identified as resulting in increased inequality both within and between countries, and increased vulnerability of people to social risks, such as unemployment, lack of access to services, discrimination and social exclusion. Download the newsletter (available in English, French, Spanish and Italian, and soon also in four additional languages)

 

·      Policy measures to ensure access to decent housing for migrants and ethnic minorities

The aim of this study was to analyse and identify the most effective policy measures to ensure access to decent housing for immigrants. It stresses the specific features and similarities of approaches adopted with regard to this group compared with the more general situation of persons suffering poverty and social exclusion as well as any discrimination suffered in terms of access to housing. The study also considers trends that can be identified concerning the situation of persons born to first-generation immigrants compared with that of immigrants who have lived in a country for longer. Download the study (140 pages, English only)

 

 

·      Integration and active citizenship – generating the inclusion of immigrant communities (in Ireland)

Date & venue: 27 January 2007, National Library, Dublin

Organisers: ENAR Ireland

Purpose: To generate dialogue on the issue of integration and citizenship in promoting the integration and inclusion of immigrant communities. In particular the role of anti-racism in enabling integration and active citizenship will be considered. For more information or registration, contact Siobhan O' Donoghue, siobhan@mrci.ie

 

·      UNITED Conference: get active, be united: youth sharing visions for equality

Date & venue: 24-29 March 2006, Sofia (BG)

Europe is experiencing a newly renovated rising of discrimination on all grounds. Racism, islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia are not only wide spread within society, but they are especially affecting the lives of young people. Old and new forms of migration are bringing into society a wide range of possibilities for encounters and intercultural understanding, but they are most of the time misperceived and misused in the public space as scapegoats. Stereotyping and prejudices are strongly embedded in lifestyle, speech, and social strategies of young people Europe-wide. At the same time, there are many young activists across the continent who could not accept this situation and took a stand against discrimination. The UNITED Conference will give young activists the chance to gain expertise and food for thoughts on a selection of themes, which includes minority groups, institutional racism and the conditions of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

Organisations can nominate a representative to the conference by e-mailing the registration form to UNITED (deadline 29 January 2006).

Information and the e-nomination form can be found on http://www.unitedagainstracism.org under “upcoming conferences”. (English only)

 

 

·      Call for nominations for UNHCR’s Nansen Awards

UNHCR is calling for nominations for the 2006 Nansen Refugee Awards, awarded annually to individuals or organizations that have distinguished themselves in work on behalf of refugees. The Award consists of a commemorative medal and a prize of US$ 100,000, intended to enable the recipient to pursue refugee protection or assistance projects drawn up in consultation with UNHCR. The deadline for submitting nominations is set for 15 February 2006. Nominations and requests for information should be addressed to the Secretary of the Nansen Refugee Award Committee, UNHCR, PO Box 2500, 1211 Geneva 2 Depot, Switzerland (tel: +41 22 7397799, Fax: +41 22 7397367, email: nansen@unhcr.org)