National Traveller & Roma Integration Strategies. Social Inclusion Forum 2014

Transcription

1 National Traveller & Roma Integration Strategies Social Inclusion Forum 2014 Ronnie Fay 1 st April 2014

2 Presentation Outline 1. Context of NTRIS Overview of Situation of Travellers & Roma: in Europe & Ireland 2. What is NTRIS 3. Critique of NTRIS EU Pavee Point

3 Former CoE Commissioner on Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg 2012 In many European countries the Roma population is still denied basic human rights and made victims of flagrant racism. The Roma remain far behind others in society in terms of educational attainment, employment, housing and health standards, and they have virtually no political representation

4 Roma The term Roma used at the Council of Europe refers to Roma, Sinti, Kale and related groups in Europe, including Travellers and the Eastern groups (Dom and Lom), and covers the wide diversity of the groups concerned, including persons who identify themselves as Gypsies.

5 Roma-Some Facts Roma originated in India Estimated million Roma live in Europe 36,000 Irish Travellers (AITHS, 2010) Estimated 5000 Roma in Ireland Roma in Ireland come from different countries- Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland

6 Roma History From 16 th -19 th Century anti-gypsy laws existed in Western and Central Europe In Romania, Roma were slaves until late 1800s After this, Roma were banned from wearing distinctive clothing, from speaking Romani etc. It is estimated that up to 500,000 Roma were killed in the Holocaust

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8 Roma in Europe Research by the FRA in 2012 found that in 11 EU countries: One out of three Roma are unemployed About 90% of the Roma live in poverty About half of the Roma said that they have experienced discrimination in the past 12 months European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (2012) The Situation of Roma in 11 EU Member States Survey Results at a Glance

9 Roma Discrimination in Europe Roma and the Holocaust Coercive Sterilisations Copyright James Fraher Violence against Roma Anti-Roma speeches Segregated Education A boy reacts as he stands next riot policemen while an excavator demolishes a relative's shack in the shanty town settlement of "El Gallinero", in the outskirts of Madrid June 18, (REUTERS/Susana Vera)

10 Irish Travellers Key Facts Experience of Racism & Discrimination 14% in Employment (Census 2011) Accommodation Problems: Nomadism Criminalised; Traveller Specific Accommodation Few Transient Sites Private Rented & Standard Housing; Overcrowding & Insecurity of Tenure;

11 Education 55% of Travellers had completed their education by the age of 15 In Ireland, 90% of students complete second level education In budget 2011, 86.6% of Traveller specific education supports were cut

12 Travellers in Third Level Education Less than 1% of Travellers go on to third level education 2009/ Travellers 2010/ Travellers 2011/ Travellers Higher Education Key facts and Figures 2011/ % of Travellers felt that they were discriminated against in school (AITHS)

13 Traveller Health Low Life Expectancy High Rates of Mortality & Morbidity Suicide Rates 6 Times National Average AITHS: Comprehensive Evidence of Health Inequalities No Action Plan NTHAC not allowed meet since October 2012

14 AITHS Traveller Deaths expected deaths 134 excess deaths 188 observed deaths

15 Traveller Infant Mortality rate Pavee Point

16 Mortality rate of Traveller women Pavee Point

17 Mortality Rate of Traveller Men Pavee Point

18 Travelling with Austerity Report highlighted devastating and disproportionate impact of funding cuts on Travellers Interagency activities -100% Traveller education -86.6% Traveller accommodation -85% Equality -76.3% National Traveller Orgs -63.3% FAS Special Initiative for Travellers -50% National Traveller Partnership -32.1% Traveller SPY youth projects -29.8% Health -5.4% Government spending in total is down 4.3% for this period

19 This is a striking picture. One can think of no other section of the community which has suffered such a high level of disinvestment, compounded by the failure of the state to spend even the limited resources that are available. Brian Harvey: Travelling with Austerity

20 Attitudes of Settled People to Travellers 60.1% would not welcome a Traveller as a member of the family 72.3% support Travellers to live their own way of life decently down 20.7% since % reject Travellers on the basis of their way of life 18.2% would deny Irish Citizenship to Travellers Source: Emancipation of the Travelling People 2010 Micheál Mac Gréil, S.J., NUI Maynooth

21 Racism against Travellers & Roma Arson Attack on House Allocated to Traveller Family Ballyshannon, Donegal February 2013: The situation is Niall; I think there should be an isolated community of them some place. Give them houses and keep them all together. The amount of support coming out of mass yesterday morning was absolutely unbelievable. They were chasing all over me to shake my hand I wish to God there was an election tomorrow morning. Sean McEniff Fianna Fáil Councillor, Donegal. "they can be sent to Spike Island for all I care". Eugene Dolan Fine Gael Councillor, Donegal. 21

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24 French authorities forcibly evicted more than Romani migrants in 2013, more than double the total for 2012.

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26 The forced eviction of Coastei Street, Cluj-Napoca in December people were evicted.

27 ies were moved to a rubbish dump. In 2013, a Romanian court ruled that th legal. The evicted families continue to live in polluted, overcrowded and rous conditions.

28 The European Roma Rights Centre reports that violence against Roma communities is rising across Europe. The attacks they have documented include police violence, arson attacks, mob violence and anti-roma demonstrations.

29 Roma in Ireland

30 Issues for Roma in Ireland Many Roma in Ireland cannot get employment Many Roma are not entitled to any social protection No medical cards Children living in poverty Families being told to go home People being voluntarily repatriated

31 Habitual Residence Condition The Five Factors Length and Continuity of residence in Ireland or in any other particular country Length and purpose of any absence from Ireland Nature and pattern of employment Applicant's main centre of interest Future intentions of applicant

32 Headlines About Roma Roma cash seized as six held in begging crackdown (Irish Independent 20 Oct 2011) Judge questions begging industry as man convicted (Irish Examiner13 Jan Man given suspended sentence and fined 200) More than 500 arrested in Dublin under begging law (Irish Times 31 Oct 2011)

33 Quote from Irish Times For us to try to change that culture here would be like trying to change people in Dublin from drinking Guinness; it s their culture and they do not see anything wrong with it. Insp Patrick McMenamin of Pearse Street Garda station

34 Judiciary "I assume from his appearance that he's from the Roma community who came here to do what all of them tend to do, to use the streets to beg, Justice Patrick McCartan, March 2013 (Dublin Circuit Criminal Court)

35 Nobody has indicated it to me, but I suspect he comes from a certain ethnic background that would give him even more form given the type of behaviour in which some of them engage. As I ve described it before, they are like Neanderthal men living in the long grass, abiding by the laws of the jungle. Judge Seamus Hughes in Athlone District Court Sept. 5 th 2012

36 At a sitting of Tuam District Court, Judge Geoffrey Browne is reported describing burglars as Knackers and encouraging homeowners to use maximum force against them. January 2013

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38 What are the National Roma Integration Strategies? Response to human rights violations against Roma EU Framework to 2020 for addressing Roma inequality in: education health accommodation employment.

39 Each Member state submit a plan by December 2011 [National Strategies should] Be designed, implemented and monitored in close cooperation and continuous dialogue with Roma civil society, regional and local authorities. From: An EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020, p.9 Ireland Plan Submitted in January 2012

40 The Irish Plan Ireland (Department of Justice and Equality) has developed a National Traveller Roma Integration Strategy. This document mainly sets out the strategies already in place for the Travellers in the areas of Education, Accommodation, Healthcare and Employment. The document contains no goals, targets, indicators or related timeframes, funding mechanisms or monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. No consultation or active participation of Travellers and Roma has taken place. Roma are largely excluded from this document.

41 NTRIS Provided Opportunity to: 1. Review existing strategies in relation to Travellers 2. Develop new strategies in areas where there are currently gaps 3. Develop new strategies for Roma

42 What has the European Commission said about Ireland's National Traveller Roma Integration Strategy? The May 2012 assessment of Ireland s strategy pointed to the need for a calendar, targets, indicators and budget. It stated that measures to improve the consultation and political engagement of Roma and Travellers would be needed. (Commission Staff Working Document, 2012). The June 2013 assessment was very critical of Ireland. Ireland met 4 out of 22 criteria set out by the European Commission.

43 European Commission Assessment: Ireland, Pavee

44 European Commission Assessment: Ireland, Pavee

45 How can Ireland's National Traveller Roma Integration Strategy make a difference in the lives of Travellers and Roma in Ireland? 1. Establish of a cross-departmental steering group (by DoJE) with an independent Chair and Traveller and Roma civil society representation to revise the existing National Traveller Roma Integration Strategy 2. Ensure the strategy has achievable national goals with targets for Traveller and Roma integration. These goals should address, as a minimum, the four EU Roma pillars relating to access to education, employment, healthcare and housing 3. Ensure the strategy explicitly addresses racism towards Roma and Travellers and includes measures to address gender inequality and multiple discrimination faced by women 4. Ensure the strategy includes time frames, funding mechanisms and strong inclusive monitoring and evaluation methods 5. Ensure the involvement of Travellers and Roma in the development and implementation of the National Traveller Roma Integration Strategy

46 National Traveller and Roma Unit A National Traveller and Roma Unit be established Dedicated responsibility for Traveller and Roma policy Authority to drive service provision is required-address implementation weaknesses This fits with the requirement under the EU Framework on National Strategies that Governments appoint national contact points to manage, monitor and report the implementation of their national Roma integration strategy. The Unit should bring together all those with responsibility for Traveller or Roma related policies and services

47 National Traveller and Roma Unit Reflects commitment in Programme for Government: We will improve co-ordination and integration to delivery of services to the Traveller community across all Government departments, using available resources more effectively to deliver on principles of social inclusion. (PFG p.42)

48 NTMAC report to Minister JELR Addressing the difficulties faced by Travellers is a complicated policy issue that cuts across a large number of Departments and agencies. One central point must take responsibility in terms of coordination between government Departments to ensure more effective implementation and delivery of policy objectives (Dec. 2009)

49 Proposing that Traveller infrastructure/policy oversight mechanisms be extended to include Roma Reflects how UN, OSCE, CoE, EU all address T/R issues in an integrated way

50 In December 2013, the Council of the European Union adopted a Recommendation on Effective Roma Integration Measures in the Member States, which is the first EU legal instrument for Roma inclusion.

51 Common Basic Principles on Roma Inclusion constructive, pragmatic and non-discriminatory policies explicit but not exclusive targeting inter-cultural approach aiming for the mainstream awareness of the gender dimension transfer of evidence-based policies use of EU instruments involvement of regional and local authorities involvement of civil society active participation of Roma/Travellers

52 What can you do? Challenge stereotypes

53 Organise a film screening of A People Uncounted The Untold Story of the Roma. Contact info@pavee.ie to get the film sent out to you

54 International Roma Day Tuesday 8 April 4pm in Pavee Point Opened by Dil Wickremhasinghe Music by Matej Makulova and Vlato Gunar

55 RSVP to

56 Thank You!

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