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Description
Despite the interventions implemented over recent decades, Roma in Greece continue to experience multiple discriminations, while the current pandemic of coronavirus has brought to light again the dozens of problems that Roma are facing, in particular with regard to their living conditions and their health status. Yet, according to official data, only a small percentage of these are denounced to the relevant authorities. The project aims to establish the “Observatory for Advocacy and Protection of Human Rights of Roma” which will collect, elaborate and forward reports to competent bodies. The Observatory will contribute substantially in the protection of human rights of Roma community.
In particular, the project will implement the following activities:
- Establishment of the Observatory
- Training to Roma mediators
- Organisation of information and raising awareness events in Roma communities
- Recording, processing and forwarding reports to competent bodies
- Drafting reports, newsletters and a Guide on Human Rights
- Organisation of seminars to stakeholders, professionals, NGOs, journalists and students of Communication & Media Departments
- Evaluation of the project.
The composition of the partnership is based on the accumulation of the required experience for ensuring the successful implementation of the project. Equal Society and Ellan Passe will co-operate the Observatory; record, process and forward cases to competent bodies.
Moreover, Equal Society will:
- Train Roma mediators
- Draft reports, newsletters and the Guide on Human Rights
- Organize seminars to stakeholders, professionals, NGOs, journalists and students of Communication & Media Departments
- evaluate the project
Ellan Passe will:
- train mediators on how to record cases
- organize information/raising awareness events in the community
The Union of Greek Roma Mediators will:
- record cases in the field
- participate in the information/ raising awareness events, as well as in the seminars.
Summary of project results
Despite the interventions implemented over recent decades, Roma in Greece continued to face multiple forms of discrimination. The pandemic further highlighted the numerous challenges that the Roma community was confronting, especially concerning their living conditions and health status. However, official data revealed that only a small percentage of these issues were reported to the relevant authorities. The project aimed to establish the "Observatory for Advocacy and Protection of Human Rights of Roma," dedicated to collecting, elaborating, and forwarding reports to competent bodies.
Through the implementation of the ROM project, the project team successfully established the "Observatory for the Advocacy and Protection of Human Rights of Roma." This initiative played a pivotal role in strengthening advocacy for issues related to the human rights of Roma individuals. The project achieved several key objectives, including increasing public awareness of Roma human rights issues, documenting cases of human rights violations, and conducting educational and informational activities.
Within this framework, the project team actively collected, processed, and promoted reports regarding violations of human rights of Roma to competent authorities. This not only raised awareness but also mobilized stakeholders for their resolution. Simultaneously, the team engaged in informing and sensitizing various stakeholders, including representatives of Community Centers, municipalities, regions, ministries, educational institutions, mass media, private companies, and students of media departments. The focus was on the socio-economic situation of Roma, the prejudices and stereotypes they face in daily life, and incidents of human rights violations.
The project''s actions yielded significant results, including the establishment and operation of the Observatory for the Advocacy and Protection of Human Rights of Roma. The project also implemented one advocacy campaign and conducted 28 activities aimed at increasing information and raising awareness about Roma human rights, reaching 1298 people (including 1049 civil servants). Additionally, 706 violations of human rights of Roma were recorded in four regions (Attica, Thessaly, Western Greece, and Central Greece). Other achievements included the education of two Roma Women''s Associations on human rights issues, training 35 students of media departments on the challenges faced by Roma at both national and European levels, and providing computer learning to 25 mediators and members of Roma communities. Overall, the current initiative contributed to the defense of human rights by advocating for one of the most vulnerable social groups in Greece and Europe, the Roma on three levels:
a) The first level involved providing direct support to Roma communities in four regions in Greece (Attica, Western Greece, Thessaly, and Central Greece).
b) The second level focused on informing, sensitizing, and educating public officials about Roma human rights, the challenges they face in their daily lives, and phenomena of discrimination.
c) The third level aimed at educating students of media departments to raise their awareness of the challenges faced by the Roma in Greece and Europe. This included understanding how the media perpetuates stereotypes and prejudices.
In conclusion, the project successfully contributed to the defense and advocacy of human rights for the Roma, addressing the urgent need to confront the multiple discriminations experienced by Roma communities in Greece. The initiative also played a crucial role in bridging the gap between Roma communities and wider society.