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The Milestones in Our Fight Against Anti-Gypsyism #Europetogether

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The Milestones in Our Fight Against Anti-Gypsyism #Europetogether S&D_The milestones in our fight against anti-Gypsyism #EuropeTogether THE MILESTONES IN AOURGAINST ANTI-GYP FIGHTSYISM 01 TABLE OF CONTENTS 02 S&D_The milestones in our fight against anti-Gypsyism 06 / PREFACE 08 / FOREWORDS 14 / LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS 22 / NEXT STEPS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ANTI-GYPSYISM 26 / OUR 10 DEMANDS 28 / THE RECOGNITION AND COMMEMORA- TION OF THE ROMA HOLOCAUST 32 / OUR ANNUAL ROMA WEEK 34 / OUR ROMA-RELATED EVENTS 36 / THE S&D ROMA TRAINEESHIP PROGRAMME 40 / EXPERTS ON THE FIGHT AGAINST ANTI–GYPSYISM 46 / EASY–TO–READ VERSION 49 / PROLOGUE 50 / ABBREVIATIONS 51 / CREDITS 03 " "I Unia si kerdi opral o respekto karing o manushipen, i slobodia, i demokracia, o jekhipe, i kris thaj i pakiv palal e manushikane chachimata, vi palal e chachimata e manushenge andar e minoritetura. Kadala simbolura si sajekh savorre themenge and-e jekh komuniteto kaj o pluralismo, i bi-diskriminacia, i tolerancia, o chachipe, o jekhetanipe thaj jekhipe mashkar e dzuvlja thaj e mursh si e maj importanto." Article 2 of the Lisbon Treaty in Romani language 04 S&D_The milestones in our fight against anti-Gypsyism " “The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the Member States in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail.” Article 2 of the Lisbon Treaty 05 “Europe had a duty to be an example of democracy and respect for human rights.” PREFACE We, the Socialists and Democrats Group (S&D)1 , the second biggest political group in the European Parliament (EP), have been fighting for a European society where concepts such as equality, non- discrimination, and solidarity are made a reality. 06 S&D_The milestones in our fight against anti-Gypsyism We are fighting for a European society with the European Council in this in which fundamental human rights do area, and our collaboration with not only exist on paper. A European the European Commission for society in which democracy is secured. an enhanced continuation of the A Europe in which the UN Sustainable EU Framework for National Roma Development Goals are reached, Integration Strategies after 2020. thereby creating a sustainable, happy We have been able to achieve this and healthy society. progress thanks to the support of civil society. We believe that all the people are born equal and human rights are We also provide an overview of inalienable. However, most of the our non-legislative efforts, such as Roma living in the European Union the commemoration of the Roma (EU) are still being deprived of their Holocaust, the annual Roma Week rights. Therefore, we have committed initiated by Soraya Post, our major ourselves to fight for the realisation events and our Roma traineeship of the values compiled in our Treaties programme. and to ensure that the achievements of our EU project are enjoyed by all its Finally, we present expert opinions citizens, equally. on the importance of fighting anti-Gypsyism, introducing a small In 2014, we chose our member, number of committed individuals who Soraya Post MEP, to be our Roma champion for an equal Europe on a spokesperson and following her daily basis. initiative, we launched our fight against anti-Gypsyism, the root We would like to express our gratitude cause of the discrimination and towards the politicians who are taking marginalisation that Roma people have their human rights responsibilities suffered in Europe for centuries. We, seriously. To the NGOs that raise their as a Group, stood behind Soraya Post voices against injustice and are key for to achieve two historic resolutions a secure democracy, and to all citizens on anti-Gypsyism, adopted in 2015 working towards a more sustainable and 2017, that have paved the way Europe. towards a Europe where there is full emancipation of the Roma, where It is only with our joint commitment they can be equal citizens with equal that we can create a Europe that we rights, allowing them to fulfil their true are proud of. In the words of Simone potential. Veil, the first female president of the European Parliament: In this booklet, we highlight the milestones in our fight against "Europe had a duty to be an anti-Gypsyism presenting our two example of democracy and respect resolutions, our work within the for human rights."2 European Parliament to reform its Rules of Procedure, our cooperation 1 http://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/mission-vision-values 2 A quote from Simone Veil. 07 FOREWORDS 08 S&D_The milestones in our fight against anti-Gypsyism Soraya Post In 2012, the EU received the Nobel Thus, when I started my work in the Human Rights Activist, Peace Prize for having "contributed European Parliament, my first goal MEP from the Swedish to the advancement of peace and was to achieve the official recognition Feminist Initiative, reconciliation, democracy, and human of the existence of anti-Gypsyism, to Roma Spokesperson of rights in Europe." get its definition adopted, and then to the S&D group officially recognise the Roma Holocaust; Have we, as a society, really deserved all of which we achieved in 2015 with this prize? Are we really dedicated to the adoption of the resolution on the safeguarding the enjoyment of human occasion of International Roma Day - anti- Only when rights for everybody in Europe? As for Gypsyism in Europe and EU recognition of I got aware of reconciliation: have we done or have the memorial day of the Roma genocide we shown the will to do enough to during World War II. my rights and create trust within our societies? I don’t could enjoy think so. As a next step, I drafted my report on the Fundamental rights aspects of Roma them as a Almost 70 years ago, with the birth of integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism, citizen, the idea of European integration, the which was adopted by the European aim was to bring peace to Europe, to Parliament at the end of October could I also create freedom and prosperity for its 2017 with an overwhelming majority. enjoy the citizens. The way most of the Roma live In this report, we listed demands and in Europe today cannot be called free recommendations on what to do in obligations or prosperous. They are denied their each and every possible area. We also which come basic human rights in every way. highlighted that the most important from being issue is to remedy the root cause, anti- I often say that I was born condemned. Gypsyism, and to create trust between part of a That I have been deprived of my the majority society and the Roma. society. human rights since the day I was born, and that I have been looked down on I am happy that I have managed to raise and judged in all areas of my life as a the awareness of all the mainstream second-class citizen. political groups in the European Parliament about the unacceptable Anti-Gypsyism thrives in all walks of situation of the Roma, and that they have life – from education to employment, supported me in my fight against anti- from access to information to access Gypsyism. to justice, from our cradles to our graves, in the denial of our history and I, as a politician and as a Roma citizen, the deprivation of our future. It is not believe that it is the responsibility of all about poverty, it is about the denial the governments in the member states of our human rights. Roma citizens in to take equal care of all their citizens many parts of Europe live under a form and to safeguard non-discrimination for of apartheid. everybody. 3 https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2012/ 09 Claude Moraes This is a highly important publication by However, as Soraya Post and the other MEP, Chair of the European Soraya Post MEP, the S&D Group Roma key experts have set out, it is even Parliament Civil Liberties, spokesperson, which brings together more so vital to improve the situation Justice and Home Affairs key experts to renew and refresh of Roma communities, as thus far only Committee, and our approach to the Roma and Sinti some of the key measures have been former S&D LIBE situation across the EU. It addresses somewhat successful. We must use all spokesperson anti-Gypsyism and forms of racism our tools at our disposal within the EU directed against Roma and Sinti, which institutions, and at national, regional have continued to prevail against one and local level. In addition to our work From the of the key minorities in Europe today. with NGOs and activists. However, The importance of this publication what is required to bring all of these horrors of the centres around ten key ‘demands’ elements together is a holistic approach Second World and a narrative which explains underlined by clear political leadership. both the continuing challenges and War and the achievements in relation to the struggle From the horrors of the Second World Holocaust, the against anti-Gypsyism in all its forms. War and the Holocaust, the Roma and Sinti communities in Europe have faced, Roma and Sinti During my time at the European and continue to face, discrimination, communities Parliament and as an NGO activist, I which needs to be tackled. What have seen the conflict within this issue. is essential, however, and what is in Europe On the one hand, there is the idea that supported by my political group and have faced, the EU is a union of values and having the experts who are writing in this and continue core principles.
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