ODIHR and Roma and Sinti Issues
Roma and Sinti communities, In 1990, the OSCE recognized What we do often referred to as ‘Roma’, share the “particular problems of common cultural, linguistic and Roma […]” in the context of Based on the 2003 Action Plan ethnic ties, and constitute the the proliferation of racial and on Improving the Situation of largest ethnic minority in Europe. ethnic hatred, xenophobia and Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Found throughout the OSCE region, discrimination (Copenhagen, Area and subsequent Ministerial mainly in Central and South-Eastern 1990). The Contact Point for Council Decisions, ODIHR assists Europe, they have been persecuted Roma and Sinti Issues (CPRSI), participating States by: throughout history. They still face the first such office established many challenges in accessing their by an intergovernmental • Providing practical support on rights and services and remain organization, is a dedicated the implementation of OSCE under-represented in public and department in ODIHR that commitments to participating political life, with Roma women promotes the rights and States and civil society; often at particular risk of exclusion integration of Roma and Sinti • Monitoring progress on and exploitation. communities. implementation through regular reporting (status reports, assessment and study visits) and human dimension meetings; • Helping to shape policies to improve the situation of Roma and Sinti; • Serving as a clearing house for information, good practices and data on Roma and Sinti policies; and • Facilitating dialogue between governments, international organizations and civil society on Roma and Sinti issues. Photo: Piotr Markowski Focus areas Key ODIHR resources • Combating racism and and activists, including women discrimination: helping to and youth, to take part in OSCE address anti-Roma racism, events, allowing them to raise Implementation of discrimination and hate-motivated awareness about the issues the Action Plan on incidents and crime; developing they face; and developing Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti and delivering training for law national training programmes to within the OSCE Area - enforcement, to improve trust and foster dialogue, cooperation and Fourth Status Report
understanding between police community engagement. and Roma and Sinti; monitoring Anti-Roma Hate Crime Anti-Roma Hate • Empowering Roma and Crime Factsheet the human rights situation of Roma and Sinti communities Sinti women and youth: across the OSCE; and supporting documenting the needs of the work of national human rights Roma and Sinti women’s institutions and equality bodies. organizations and activists and developing responses; tools and Effective and Human Rights-Compliant Policing • Advancing equality and training for Roma women and in Roma and Sinti girls; and ODIHR’s Junior Expert Communities: OSCE/ social inclusion: promoting ODIHR Training for Law equal access to education, programme for Roma and Enforcement Officers housing, health care and civil Sinti youth. registration; policy advisory; Understanding Anti- supporting the integration of • Support in crisis and post- Roma Hate Crimes and Roma history, culture, and the crisis situations: monitoring Addressing the Security Needs of Roma and genocide of Roma and Sinti the human rights situation of Sinti Communities: A during the Holocaust in particular, displaced Roma in conflict Practical Guide
into educational materials; and zones; training Roma civil promoting the fair portrayal of society how to respond Integrating Roma and and advocate for redress; Sinti issues in the work Roma and Sinti by the media. INTEGRATING ROMA AND of National Human Rights fostering dialogue between SINTI ISSUES IN THE WORK OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS AND NATIONAL
Institutions and National EQUALITY BODIES GUIDELINES
• Increasing participation in civil society, governments and Equality Bodies — Guidelines public and political life: tailored the international community; Part 2 — Recruitment and continuing professional education reflecting Roma and Sinti concerns 1
training, including on electoral and strengthening cooperation with state authorities on human Guidelines for engagement, e.g., the ‘Nicolae Guidelines for Activists in Addressing Situations of Evictions of Roma Activists in rights-based approaches to the and Sinti
Gheorghe’ Roma Leadership Addressing needs of Roma. Situations of Academy; supporting civil society Evictions of Roma and Sinti
Opening Doors for Children: Prevention All ODIHR resources on Roma and Sinti Good practices in the OSCE Area of Childhood Statelessness - Good are available at: http://www.osce.org/odihr/roma Practices in the OSCE or contact ODIHR at roma@odihr.pl 1 Area
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
ul. Miodowa 10 00-251 Warsaw Poland Follow ODIHR Office: +48 22 520 06 00 office@odihr.pl