Roma Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Issues Examined

Објавено во Law in action од NRC во Monday, 13 November 2006 во 7:52

Roma Rights Organisations Provide Input to UN Treaty Body Review on Concerns in Macedonia

Budapest, Kumanovo, Geneva, 13 November 2006. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today reviews Macedonia’s compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). In advance of today’s hearing, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and the National Roma Centrum (NRC) submitted written comments highlighting Roma rights concerns in Macedonia in areas of relevance to the Covenant. The ERRC/NRC report highlighted concerns in the following areas: (more…)

Report to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Објавено во Law in action and Reports од NRC во Monday, 13 November 2006 во 7:00

19 September 2006

WRITTEN COMMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN RIGHTS CENTRE AND THE NATIONAL ROMA CENTRUM CONCERNING THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS AT ITS 37TH SESSION

  1. OVERVIEW
    1. The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and the National Roma Centrum (NRC) respectfully submit written comments concerning the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (hereafter “Macedonia”) for consideration by the United National Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (the “Committee”) at its 37th Session to be held 6-24 November 2006 in Geneva. This report is submitted as additional information for the Committee in its review of Macedonia’s Initial Report (hereafter “State Report”), submitted under Articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant in July 2005.
    2. During the period 2005-2006, the organisations submitting these comments have been involved in a major project supported by the European Union’s CARDS programme involving, among other things, human rights documentation and training, as well as legal defence for Romani victims of discrimination and other forms of human rights abuse. Materials gathered in the course of this project have provided a substantial basis for the present submission. The ERRC and persons involved in the NRC have been documenting human rights issues facing Roma in Macedonia on a continuous basis since 1997.
    3. The Constitution of Macedonia, and the amendments which were adopted as a result of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (hereafter “Framework Agreement”) in 2001, provides general protection against discrimination and guarantees that citizens have the right freely to determine their political status and freely to pursue their economic, social, and cultural development. Roma are recognized as an ethnic minority under the Macedonian Constitution. The Constitution guarantees the protection of the ethnic, cultural, linguistic identity of all communities. Despite Macedonia’s commitments under international treaties, such as the ICESCR, as well as Constitutional and other legal provisions guaranteeing equality, Roma in Macedonia live on the margins of the society, often in extreme poverty, an face significant barriers in accessing key economic and social rights, such as employment, social welfare, housing, health care and education.
    4. Roma in Macedonia suffer widespread discrimination as a result of their ethnic origin. Romani women further suffer “double disadvantage” as a result of their ethnicity and their gender. The few mentions of measures to address the situation of Roma in the State report, despite abundant indications that Roma comprise the most vulnerable group in Macedonia, is indicative of the lack of interest and dearth of sufficient will on the part of Macedonian authorities to address the problems of Roma at a level adequate to need.
    5. In recent years, the Macedonian government has taken some positive steps towards addressing the overall situation of this extremely marginalized community. On 31 January 2005, the Macedonian government adopted the National Strategy for Roma in Macedonia, which constitutes the government’s plan for fostering integration of, and improving the overall situation of, the Romani community in Macedonia. In February 2005, the Macedonian government also joined the multi-country initiative Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, within which additional action plans for improving the access of Roma to adequate education, housing, health care and employment were adopted in November 2005.
    6. However, Romani and other interested organisations and parties in Macedonia often criticise these measures for reasons including: i) the absence of tangible targets and actions in said plans which might render them effective; and ii) the lack of real political will to implement those measures which do exist and to improve the situation of Roma.
    7. Ongoing research and other activities in Macedonia by the ERRC and NRC in recent years indicate that discrimination against Roma in key areas of ICESCR competence have been and remain a key concern in Macedonia. These matters are particularly worrying in light of the fact that the Macedonian government has, to date, failed to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law framework through which Roma might seek to secure their rights and/or challenge abuses when these occur.
    8. This report does not constitute a comprehensive assessment of all issues facing Roma in Macedonia. It does, however, describe some key areas of concern for Roma related to rights enshrined in the ICESCR. The ERRC and NEC hope that this report will assist the Committee in arriving at a more complete assessment of Convention matters and provide suggestions as to possible recommendations to the Macedonian Government by the Committee. (more…)