Publications

Weekly Mail n° 220

 
12 March 2010

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  • Last call: ENAR is launching a logo competition

ENAR is launching a public competition to renew its logo. Anyone aged 18 years or older who has inspiration in logo design and creation is invited to submit their most innovative designs, embodying the idea of diversity/interculturalism and of a network. The winner of the logo competition will receive a prize of a value of €300. The entries must be submitted by 19 March 2010. Read more

  • Send a letter to your national government on the Europe 2020 Strategy!

ENAR has prepared a model letter on the Europe 2020 Strategy for ENAR members to use in their advocacy activities towards national governments. The broad objectives and targets of the European strategy for the next 10 years should be adopted at the next European Council on 25-26 March, so it is urgent to make sure national governments will support the poverty target proposed by the Commission (putting 20 million people out of poverty by 2020) and to ask them to prioritise a Europe free from discrimination across the whole strategy, and in particular in the “smart growth” and “inclusive growth” agendas. Read more

  • MRAX conference on Islamophobia
The Movement against Racism, Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia (MRAX), member of ENAR Belgium, is organising a reflection evening, in the framework of its meeting cycle on Islamophobia, on 18 March 2010 in Brussels. This meeting aims to debate on the following question: has anti-Muslim racism become universal? Read more (in French)
 
 
  • EAPN calls on member states to support Commission’s proposal for a target to reduce poverty in the EU

In a press release issued on 4 March, EAPN called on all EU member states to make a historic step forward in EU cooperation by defending the Commission's proposals for a explicit target to reduce poverty in the EU when they meet at the Spring Council onthe 25‐26 March. “After failing to deliver any reduction in poverty levels in the EU over the last 10 years the setting of a target to lift 20 million European’s out of poverty, as one of the 5 key targets for the EU over the next 10 years, is essential to bring political commitment and attention to this problem”said Fintan Farrell, EAPN Director. Read more

AGE Council has decided that AGE - The European Older People’s Platform should become AGE Platform Europe.It was also decided to launch a new logo and a new website. In order to facilitate and enhance AGE’s visibility, the logo and name have been made shorter and the structure of the website has been revamped, so as to better reflect AGE’s structure, work and priorities, to be more user-friendly and facilitate the search of information. Read more

  • Amnesty International: Violence against women remains invisible in the European Union
Ahead of the EU Employment & Social Affairs Council on International Women’s Day on 8 March, Amnesty International welcomed the EU Spanish Presidency´s initiative to promote the adoption of measures to fight gender-based violence within the borders of the EU, among them the creation of the European Monitoring Centre on Gender-Based Violence. Nevertheless, they called for the Presidency not to limit the Observatory´s mandate solely to cases of violence at the hands of partners or former partners but rather to allow it to look at all forms of violence suffered by women and girls as a result of their gender, including trafficking, sexual violence, female genital mutilation, violence by a current or former partner, forced marriage, and others. Read more
 
 
  • Jobless migrant women want more e-skills
Female immigrants in the EU want more technical assistance and IT training, according to an American study which says a lack of e-skills is putting migrant women behind their male counterparts. The study, which paints a bleak picture of immigrant women's job prospects in European countries, concludes that women are not getting the computer skills they need for the workplace. Only 3% have their formal qualifications recognised in their host countries, the study found. Asked what governments and NGOs could do to improve their job prospects, over a third of women wanted more help looking for jobs and more computer skills training. Read more

A far-right contender to become Austria's head of state was forced to denounce the Nazis this week, promising to uphold a national ban on denying the Holocaust after previously insisting that it was a matter of free speech. Amid growing uproar over a tabloid campaign to make her president, Barbara Rosenkranz, a deputy leader of the far-right Freedom party, surprised the Austrian elite last week by announcing she would challenge the incumbent, Heinz Fischer, for the Austrian presidency next month. Rosenkranz has repeatedly criticised Austria's laws criminalising denial of the Holocaust. Following an outcry and criticism from her main backer, the mass-circulation Kronen Zeitung newspaper, she publicly signed a statement pledging never to contest the country's anti-Nazi legislation. Read more

  • Islamophobia on tour: Wilders comes to Britain

When the far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders came to the UK to promote his brand of Islamophobia last year, he made it only as far as Heathrow before being unceremoniously turned away and flown back to his native country. Last week, after a wait of more than a year, he returned to screen his anti-Islamic film in the House of Lords, but unlike his earlier visit, which provoked a storm of debate about the right to free speech, this time few people seemed to notice. He was invited to Britain by Lord Pearson, the leader of the UK Independence Party, and the cross-bencher Baroness Cox, who said they did not subscribe to Mr Wilders's views but felt it was important he was given the chance to air them. Read more

  • German anti-Nazi campaigners call for crisis meeting to fight far-right crime

The German anti-Nazi campaign “Show your Face” this week demanded concerted action to curb the rising influence of neo-Nazi ideology, notably among young Germans. “We need a national effort that goes beyond mere words of concern whenever another case of rightwing violence occurs,” said Uwe-Karsten Heye, the head of the campaign. Heye added that rightwing organizations, such as the National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD), are increasingly targeting the younger generation. Heye also criticized plans by the conservative-liberal government in Berlin to cut funding for anti-Nazi projects, including the “Show your Face” campaign. Read more

  • The French equality body soon under the control of a new body?
The French government is reflecting on the possibility of annexing or even integrating the French equality body (Halde) to the future position of ‘rights defender’ created by the 2008 constitutional revision. French President Nicolas Sarkozy would like the Parliament to reintegrate the Halde into this new function when it examines the law which will create the position. He does not approve of the growing influence of the Halde, who has not hesitated to go against companies and to call the government to order on discriminatory provisions. Sarkozy does not like the personality of the president of the Halde, Louis Schweitzer, and this certainly does not work in favour of the Equality Body’s independence. Read more (in French)
 
 

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) meeting took place on 8 and 9 March and focused on employment and social policy issues. Ministers laid the groundwork for the spring meeting of the European Council based on the Commission's communication regarding the “EU 2020” strategy, reports drawn up by the Spanish Presidency and contributions from the Employment and Social Policy Committees.The ministers discussed objectives for employment, equality and social inclusion, and the role of the EPSCO Council in the governance of the future European strategy. Read more

  • European Commission strengthens its commitment to equality between women and men

Ahead of International Women's Day, the European Commission strengthened and deepened its commitment to equality between women and men with a Women's Charter. This political declaration sets out five key areas for action and commits the Commission to building a gender perspective into all its policies for the next five years while taking specific measures to promote equality. The Charter will be followed by a new strategy for gender equality to be adopted by the Commission in mid-2010. Read more

  • European Commission Roma conference closes on a pragmatic and optimistic note

The conference "EU projects in favour of the Roma community" hosted in Brussels by the European Commission took place this week. It aimed at disseminating the results of various EU programmes which fund projects related to Roma people, as well as creating a space for debate between policy makers, representatives of the civil society, project promoters and the public at large. Read more

“Prohibition of the burqa and the niqab would not liberate oppressed women, but might instead lead to their further alienation in European societies”, said Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Viewpoint published on 8 March on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. The Commissioner stresses that those who argue for a general ban of the burqa and the niqab have not managed to show that these garments undermine democracy, public safety, order or morals. Nor has it been possible to prove that these women in general are victims of more gender repression than others. Read more
 
 
  • UN rights council to slam 'Islamophobic' Swiss minaret ban
Switzerland's "Islamophobic" ban on the construction of new minarets is to be condemned by the UN Human Rights Council, according to a draft resolution. The draft text, put forward by Muslim and African states for consultation by the 47-member council, "strongly condemns the ban on construction of minarets of mosques and other recent discriminatory measures." Such measures are "manifestations of Islamophobia that stand in sharp contradiction to international human rights obligations concerning freedoms of religion, belief, conscience and expression." The draft resolution is to be put to the Council for adoption before the end of its plenary session which runs until 26 March. Read more 
 

ROMA ISSUES

  • EU Spanish Presidency insists on making “full use” of structural funds to help the Roma community

The Spanish Presidency will insist on making “full use” of structural funds to promote the integration of the Gypsy community to achieve an “integral promotion of the Romani communities based on improvements in their housing and their environment”, said the Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union, Diego López Garrido, on 9 March. During his appearance before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Garrido also referred to the need for local authorities and Gypsy organisations to become “actively” involved in this process. Read more

Amnesty International has called on the Italian authorities to review a controversial housing plan that has resulted in the forced eviction of hundreds of Roma and paves the way for thousands more over the coming months. In a new briefing paper, “The Wrong Answer - Italy's "Nomad Plan" violates the housing rights of Roma in Rome”, Amnesty International has warned that the programme, which began in July 2009, violates the human rights of thousands of Roma. Read more

  • ERRC opposes ethnic boarding schools in Slovakia

On 10 March the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) sent a letter of concern to the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico, condemning his 8 March statement that ethnic boarding schools are the sole solution to the lack of development in Romani communities in the country. In its letter, the ERRC recalled that discrimination against Romani school children is well documented and widespread across Europe, including Slovakia, and stressed that segregation of Romani children in special schools was held illegal by the European Court of Human Rights. The ERRC called on the Slovak Government to adopt sustainable measures and reforms to the educational system that facilitate the integration of Romani children into mainstream schools and that promote inclusive education with quality outcomes for all children. Read more

  • “A Roma Journey" from the European Library

"A Roma Journey,"a new virtual exhibition from theEuropean Library, providesa variety ofcontent about the rich cultural heritage of Roma across Europe. The exhibition includes a unique collection of full-text books, rare manuscripts, photographs, paintings, sound recordings and videos. Rarities on offer include traditional songs and tales, letters exploring the experiences of a Roma family in Scandinavia, and the first ever Romani-Serbian-German dictionary, which was written in a concentration camp during World War II. Read more

  • Third round of Roma health scholarships announced in Romania
The Open Society Institute and the Roma Education Fund have announced the third year of a groundbreaking health and pharmacy scholarship programme for Roma medical students and health professionals in Romania. The programme provides scholarship recipientswith mentoring support and advocacy training as well as the possibility to receive additional funding for studyingforeign languages study or attending professional conferences. The deadline for applications is 30 May 2010. Read more
 
 
  • Council of European publication: “Intercultural cities - Towards a model for intercultural integration”

“Intercultural cities” introduces a new model of local governance and policy in the age of diversity: the model of intercultural integration. This volume explains what intercultural integration means in practice: how it affects policies, governance and citizenship, public discourse, media relations, public services and the urban environment. It reviews the processes that facilitate the development of intercultural strategies and presents a wide range of examples, including the intercultural profiles of 11 cities across Europe. Read more

  • CEPS policy brief on the promotion of human security in EU security policies

This Policy Brief by the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) calls for a comprehensive understanding of the internal/external security landscape from an EU perspective. The expansion of activities and policies that favour a closed Union, with the extensive investment in counter-terrorism, has the potential of becoming counterproductive for the safety of EU citizens. The EU’s common foreign and security policy should instead focus on adopting an approach that is firmly in line with the principles of human security. Read more

  • EWL publication on protecting all women from discrimination

The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) has recently issued a publication entitled “Protecting all women from discrimination: Steps to take at European and national level”. This publication addresses key priorities of EWL’s work on anti-discrimination and has been designed as a practical tool for all actors involved in policy-making, particularly those who are working to promote gender equality and anti-discrimination. This includes decision-makers, equality bodies, NGOs and legal practitioners working at European, national and regional levels. Read more

  • EPC publication: “Europe 2020: better - but still not good enough”
The European Commission has launched its Europe 2020 Strategy to prepare the EU economy for the next decade. This European Policy Centre Commentary by Fabian Zuleeg assesses the Strategy’s strengths and weaknesses. On the positive side it makes concrete proposals, gives seven flagship initiatives and includes education within its scope. On the negative side its rational for the targets set is unclear, it is too dependent on Member State political will, does not integrate public finance and reform and has weak delivery mechanisms. Read more
 
 

  • Conference on challenging ethnic profiling in Europe

The Open Society Institute is organising a forum entitled “Challenging ethnic profiling in Europe” on 17 March 2010 at its New York office. Rosalind Williams will discuss her personal experience challenging racial profiling in Europe. Rachel Neild of the Open Society Justice Initiative will talk more broadly about the prevalence of ethnic profiling throughout the European Union, and its ineffectiveness. Neild will discuss the steps being taken to document and eradicate ethnic profiling, including innovative projects being carried out in cooperation with Spanish police. Read more

  • International conference on “Development through Football”

Two months away from the first FIFA World Cup finals on the African continent, the “Development through Football - Sustaining the potential of the first African World Cup” conference, taking place on 23-24 April 2010 in Vienna (Austria), will draw the attention of the public to the potential contribution of football in addressing poverty and promoting development initiatives. The conference will bring together football governing bodies, public authorities, coaches and players with NGO experts, researchers and campaigners in the area of Sport-for-Development. The aim is to exchange good practice and to critically assess the role of sport as a resource for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Read more

  • PICUM workshop on women, migration, marginality, and violence
The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) is holding a workshop on ‘Women, migration, marginality, and violence: What is needed for empowerment?’ on 23 April 2010 in Madrid, Spain. Addressing the situation facing undocumented migrant women residing in Europe, PICUM will host a discussion on the policies and practices that tend to push female migrants into the margins and limit their autonomy, enabling civil society actors from across Europe to share experiences and strategies for empowerment. Read more
 
 

  • ILGA-Europe is looking for a new Policy & Programmes Officer

ILGA-Europe is looking for a motivated individual as a new Policy & Programmes Officer. He/she will be responsible for providing policy, lobbying and capacity building services to support ILGA-Europe's advocacy of LGBT rights at the European level. In particular the post holder will work with our member organisations to implement and influence European level policies in the areas of equality and non-discrimination outside employment - with a particular focus on access to services, education and health. The deadline for applications is 5 April 2010. Read more

  • OSI vacancy for Roma Health Project Programme Coordinator

The Open Society Institute (OSI) seeks qualified candidates for the position of Program Coordinator in its Roma Health Project. The mission of the Roma Health Project is to advance the health and human rights of Romaby building the capacity of Roma civil society leaders and organizations, and advocating for accountability and a strong civil society role in the design, implementation and monitoring of policies and practices that most impact on the health of Roma. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2010. Read more

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