Events

25. 10. 2010

Decade of Roma Inclusion - 19th meeting of the International Steering Committee

On 30 September - 1 October, 2010 the 19th meeting of the International Steering Committee of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, the top decision-making and coordination body of the Decade, was held in the framework of the Czech presidency. The Committee reached a joint conclusion in which it expressed its concern about deterioration in the situation of Roma in Europe.

 

In the final statement of the Committee it is stated that the social exclusion and in some cases human rights violations make Roma the poorest and most vulnerable people of our civilization circle. The committee in its final statement calls upon all European countries to reinforce the core mission of the Decade of Roma Inclusion, to intensify cooperation and to ensure synergies between European countries.

Furthermore, the Committee calls upon the European countries to uphold their obligation to the protection and realization of fundamental rights and refrain from measures and statements that discriminate against Roma community. The Czech Republic, as the presiding country, was instructed to extend invitation to join the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 to all European countries. The Czech Republic, as the presiding country, was also commissioned to present the final statement of the Decade at the conference on Roma integration which will be held on 20 October 2010 in Strasbourg with the participation of ministers of foreign affairs of the Council of Europe member states.

Further topics of the meeting of the International Steering Committee were: cost-benefit analyses of Roma inclusion, the situation of Roma people in Europe, Roma people and media and internal affairs of the Decade of Roma Inclusion. Among other things, the meeting triggered necessary debate on the future of the Decade of Roma Inclusion after 2015.

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