Roma and Travellers comprise the largest set of minority groups in Europe. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is working against this discrimination and towards the full integration of more than 12 million Roma and Travellers in its member states.

The Congress has launched several initiatives to combat prejudice against Roma. It has published the Human Rights Handbook for Local and Regional Authorities, which includes a chapter on Roma rights with a reminder of the legal framework and the role that local and regional authorities can play, as well as good practices implemented in several countries. The Congress also launched the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion, which aims to create national networks of mayors, as well as a Declaration against Anti-Gypsyism to give all local and regional elected representatives from the 47 Council of Europe member states the opportunity to take a public stand against discrimination towards Roma. Every two years, the Congress also awards the Dosta! Prize to municipalities that have implemented innovative initiatives for Roma integration.

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HUMAN RIGHTS HANDBOOK

The Congress published in 2019 "Human rights handbook for local and regional authorities". One of its three chapters aims to combat discrimination against Roma and Travellers. Examples presented include actions conducted by various local and regional authorities, councils and organisations. Some of the issues addressed in the Handbook are presented below. To view the whole content, download the Handbook in PDF format.

 Download : Human Rights Handbook Vol. I (Pdf)

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European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion
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Back John WARMISHAM: "Lack of nationality is at the heart of many of the problems facing Roma in Europe"

John WARMISHAM:

On 14 November 2018, Members of the Ad Hoc Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (CAHROM) met in Tirana to discuss solutions in regard to the lack of identity documents and statelessness that many Roma face.

Congress spokesperson on Roma and Traveller issues, John WARMISHAM (UK, SOC), informed CAHROM of his recent visit to Albania, where he met with mayors to propose the setting up of an Albanian network of mayors for Roma Inclusion, which is meant to be officially installed in 2019.

He presented the network as a tool, which will allow mayors to approach problems connected to the absence of citizenship, he noted: "Access to citizenship is the decisive factor in order to get out of a vicious circle consisting of lack of housing, unemployment, discrimination in education and unbearable poverty. Our governance systems do not foresee the status of statelessness. If you don’t have an ID card, you don’t have an identity" Mr WARMISHAM also underlined that living without ID card and citizenship contributes to social exclusion and paves the way for illegal camps on public grounds, lack of access to infrastructure and the constant risk of forced eviction.

John WARMISHAM congratulated different levels of governance for taking the initiative to reform the legal framework for social housing, with the help of the Council of Europe. A new social housing law, which was recently adopted by the Albanian parliament, will significantly contribute to enhance Roma Inclusion in Albania.

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Tirana, Albania 19 November 2018
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