Initiative To Fight
Discrimination Against Roma
Feb. 01 2005
Leaders from Central Europe are gathering in Sofia
on February 2, 2005 to launch the Decade of Roma Inclusion—the most sweeping
effort to improve the status of Roma, Europe's most vulnerable minority.
Participants include Prime Ministers from eight
Central and Southeast European countries, as well as World Bank President James
Wolfensohn and Open Society Institute (OSI) Chairman George Soros. OSI and the
World Bank are the two principal sponsoring organizations of the initiative.
The Decade of Roma Inclusion represents the first
cooperative international effort to change the lives of Roma, many of whom live
in devastating poverty in the heart of Europe. Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech
Republic, Hungary, FYR Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovakia
are the founding countries of the Decade, which will span 2005-2015.
“It is one of the great moral issues facing Europe
today. If we do nothing, we will see continued disaffection and suffering. If we
succeed, the Decade offers an opportunity to turn the tide of history and
harness the political will to include the Roma as full citizens in European
societies,” said World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn.
To accelerate social inclusion and improve the
economic status of Roma, each country will set goals for improvements in four
identified priority areas—education, employment, health, and housing. The Decade
will also provide a follow-up framework to monitor progress in ending the severe
discrimination and poverty faced by Roma communities in the region.
“The Decade signals a sea change in Roma policy.
But it is just the beginning. Problems will not be solved overnight and we must
be prepared to fight social exclusion and discrimination over the course of the
Decade. The Decade itself is an inclusive exercise and we welcome other
countries, including EU member states, to join,” said George Soros, Chairman of
the Open Society Institute.
The Decade planning is guided by an International
Steering Committee, made up of representatives of governments, Roma from each
country, and international organizations. It is owned by the governments that
signed on to it. Funding of the Decade action plans involves the reallocation of
existing resources in national budgets and aligning these plans with funding
instruments of multinational, international, and bilateral donors.
In addition to the governments of the participating
countries, the World Bank, and the Open Society Institute, the Decade of Roma
Inclusion is supported by the European Commission, the United Nations
Development Program, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
the Council of Europe, the Council of Europe Development Bank, and most
importantly, Romani leadership.
Copyright Harold Doan and Associates Ltd.
2004-2005
Vali
EuroAtlantic Club: http://www.europe.org.ro/euroatlantic_club/
***
Birou de traduceri autorizate. Oana Gheorghiu - tel/fax: 252.8681 / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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