The continuing struggle of Roma communities across the
world – New report by UN expert on minorities
GENEVA (16 June 2015) – The United Nations Special
Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsák, today called for greater
international and national attention to the plight of Roma communities around
the world, who are frequently economically, politically and socially
marginalized, and experience severe forms of discrimination.
“While the reasons for the marginalization of Roma are
complex, an overarching factor is the deeply embedded social and structural
discrimination Roma face worldwide, including anti-Gypsyism,” Ms. Izsak told
the UN Human Rights Council during the
presentation of her latest report*.
“I urge States to place Roma rights at the heart of all
strategies and policies related to human and minority rights, social inclusion
and development, with explicit targets for Roma communities,” the rights expert
said.
In her report, the Special Rapporteur cautioned that many
of the current programmes designed to assist Roma tend to focus on short-term,
issue-specific projects that fail to adopt an integrated approach that
addresses Roma communities disadvantage at many levels.
Ms. Izsak urged all policy-makers to think outside the
‘poverty’ model, and “incorporate all aspects of minority rights into
strategies that address Roma disadvantage, including the protection and
promotion of Roma identity, language and culture, the guarantee of dignity and
equality, and effective political and economic participation.”
The report, which presents data from various regions
highlighting the discrimination and marginalisation that Roma face across the
globe, underscores the lack of attention to the situation of Roma outside
Europe, and notes the ongoing invisibility of many of these communities.
“I remain deeply alarmed about the lack of Roma
representation in local, national and international decision-making bodies,
especially in institutions explicitly established to protect and promote their
rights,” Ms. Izsak said.
“Creating conditions for the effective participation of
Roma in all aspects of the life of the State, including in decision-making
bodies, should be considered by States as an integral aspect of good governance
and a key priority in efforts to ensure equality and non-discrimination,” she
added.
In her report, the expert also condemns the widespread
use of stereotypes of Roma in the media. “Negative depictions of Roma, whether
by the formal media, on social media, or in political discourse is not only a
denigration of Roma identity, but impacts negatively on Roma community members’
sense of inclusion in the national psyche,” she said.
“The media should promote non-stereotypical portrayals of
Roma, including through providing greater visibility to Roma
self-representation, history and culture,” the Special Rapporteur said,
emphasizing the potential that traditional and new media have to promote
intercultural dialogue between Roma and non-Roma communities.
(*) Check the ‘Comprehensive study of the human rights
situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of
anti-Gypsyism’ (A/HRC/29/24):
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session29/Pages/ListReports.aspx
ENDS
Ms. Rita Izsák (Hungary) was appointed as Independent
Expert on minority issues by the Human Rights Council in June 2011 and
subsequently her mandate was renewed as Special Rapporteur on minority issues
in March 2014. She is tasked by the UN Human Rights Council, to promote the
implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to
National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, among other
things.
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest
body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name
of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that
address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of
the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not
UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from
any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
Check the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/Minorities.aspx
For further information and media inquiries, please
contact Jacqui Zalcberg (+41 22 917 9271 / jzalcberg@ohchr.org) or write to
minorityissues@ohchr.org
For media inquiries related to other UN independent
experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917
9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)
UN Human Rights, follow us on social media:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/UNrightswire
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/UNOHCHR
Storify:
http://storify.com/UNrightswire
Check the Universal Human Rights Index:
http://uhri.ohchr.org/en
Nema komentara:
Objavi komentar