European Roma Rights Centre
Encyclopedia
The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) is an international public interest law organisation engaging in a range of activities aimed at combating anti-Romani racism
and human rights
abuse of Roma. The approach of the ERRC involves, in particular, strategic litigation, international advocacy, research and policy
development, and training of Romani activists. The ERRC is a member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
and has consultative status with the Council of Europe
, as well as with the Economic and Social Council
of the United Nations
. The organisation was created in 1996 and is based in Budapest
, Hungary
.
The ERRC produced the report “Roma in an Enlarged European Union
” which is one of the most influential policy documents on Roma to date, published by the Directorate General of Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission
. The ERRC has influenced the European Union enlargement by pressuring candidate countries to comply with the Copenhagen criteria
and ensuring that the Roma situation is a priority issue. The ERRC often reports to UN Committees such as the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) or the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) about the situation of Roma. The ERRC has both illuminated the Roma issue to the public and help with policy development, yet one of its most important functions is that is educates Roma activists about what courses of action they themselves have open and can take. The ERRC is also training Roma rights activists, which will be a great help in furthering the fight against discrimination.
ERRC had won cases against France, Greece, Italy and (twice) Bulgaria before the European Committee of Social Rights; besides, ERRC lawyers have represented the applicants in numerous cases before the European Court of Human Rights, including D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic
and Oršuš and Others v. Croatia
.
The Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service
is a partner institution of the ERRC.
ERRC is a co-recipient of the 2009 Gruber Prize for Justice. The Gruber Foundation Justice Prize is presented to individuals or organizations for contributions that have advanced the cause of justice as delivered through the legal system. The award is intended to acknowledge individual efforts, as well as to encourage further advancements in the field and progress toward bringing about a fundamentally just world.
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
abuse of Roma. The approach of the ERRC involves, in particular, strategic litigation, international advocacy, research and policy
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
development, and training of Romani activists. The ERRC is a member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights was a self-governing group of non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations that act to protect human rights throughout Europe, North America and Central Asia...
and has consultative status with the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
, as well as with the Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. The organisation was created in 1996 and is based in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
The ERRC produced the report “Roma in an Enlarged European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
” which is one of the most influential policy documents on Roma to date, published by the Directorate General of Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
. The ERRC has influenced the European Union enlargement by pressuring candidate countries to comply with the Copenhagen criteria
Copenhagen criteria
The Copenhagen criteria are the rules that define whether a country is eligible to join the European Union. The criteria require that a state has the institutions to preserve democratic governance and human rights, has a functioning market economy, and accepts the obligations and intent of the EU...
and ensuring that the Roma situation is a priority issue. The ERRC often reports to UN Committees such as the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) or the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) about the situation of Roma. The ERRC has both illuminated the Roma issue to the public and help with policy development, yet one of its most important functions is that is educates Roma activists about what courses of action they themselves have open and can take. The ERRC is also training Roma rights activists, which will be a great help in furthering the fight against discrimination.
ERRC had won cases against France, Greece, Italy and (twice) Bulgaria before the European Committee of Social Rights; besides, ERRC lawyers have represented the applicants in numerous cases before the European Court of Human Rights, including D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic
D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic
D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic was a case decided by the European Court of Human Rights concerning discrimination of Romani children in the education system of the Czech Republic.-Facts and proceedings:...
and Oršuš and Others v. Croatia
Oršuš and Others v. Croatia
Oršuš and Others v. Croatia was a case heard before the European Court of Human Rights, concerning activities of Roma-only classes in some schools of Croatia, which were held legal by the Constitutional Court of Croatia in 2007 by a decision no...
.
The Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service
Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service
The Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service is an alternative to Austria's compulsory national military service / alternative service founded in 1992. Since 1998 it is part of the Austrian Service Abroad...
is a partner institution of the ERRC.
ERRC is a co-recipient of the 2009 Gruber Prize for Justice. The Gruber Foundation Justice Prize is presented to individuals or organizations for contributions that have advanced the cause of justice as delivered through the legal system. The award is intended to acknowledge individual efforts, as well as to encourage further advancements in the field and progress toward bringing about a fundamentally just world.
See also
- Roma in Mitrovica CampsRoma in Mitrovica CampsAbout 500-700 Roma people currently live in three UN-created refugee camps in Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovo. The camps are based around disused heavy metals mines which have fallen out of use since the end of the Kosovo War of 1999...
- R (European Roma Rights Centre) v Immigration Officer at Prague AirportR (European Roma Rights Centre) v Immigration Officer at Prague AirportR v Immigration Officer at Prague Airport [2004] is a UK labour law case concerning-Facts:Romas were 400 times more likely than others to be refused entry to the UK under a policy of British immigration officials to ‘pre clear’ passengers boarding flights within Immigration Rules...