02/06/2016
FSG
Fundacion Secretariado Gitano presented on June 2nd two reports on Discrimination and the Roma Community in years 2015 and 2016. The papers contain 348 documented discrimination cases which reflect the constant adversities faced by the Roma to gain access to work, house rental, apply to internships, gain access to enter clubs, and the unfair treatment received simply for being Roma. Two rejection incidents happened in the Andalusian villages of Castellar and Estepa must be brought out because they could constitute hate crimes against the Roma community.
Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) presented on June 2nd in the headquarters of the Secretary of Estate for Social Services and Equality of the Health Ministry,(MSSSI) its annual reports on discrimination and the Roma community 2015 and 2016. It is an initiative with both national and international broadcasting.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Rosa Urbón, Head of the Institute for Women and Equal Opportunities (MSSSI), Mª Dolores Ruíz, Deputy Director of the Social programmes led by the MSSSI, and Isidro Rodríguez, Head of the Fundación Secretariado Gitano.
As in previous years, the FSG presented the discrimination cases against the Roma community collected in its offices, throughout years 2014 and 2015. The aim was to make the antigypsyism more visible and to claim more attention from the administrations as well as the social agents on the matter. These situations prevent the full access of the Roma citizens to goods and services, employment or education in equal conditions, violating their rights.
The 2015 report collects 194 discrimination cases in fields like employment, housing, media or in the access to goods and services, with particular reference to the cases of attack to Romani families in Castellar (Jaén) and Estepa (Sevilla). In adittion, it comprises discrimination cases in Europe and a section dedicated to the achievements in the fight against discrimination.
The 2016 report gathers 154 discrimination cases and also a study analyzing the antigypsyism and the specific intolerance towards the Roma community as well as its impact in their daily life and in the exercise of their rights.
Along with the cases contained, the reports also include information regarding legislative progress in the fight against discrimination, recent jurisprudence and good practice. There is also a study conducted to analyze the causes and nature of the antigypsyism. It encloses articles written by three Romani researchers: Helios F. Garcés, Valeriu Nicolae and Ramón Flores.
During the report’s presentation, disaggregated data of the 348 registered cases were exposed, along with the FSG´s conclusions. Current affairs related to the topic were also discussed, such as the presentation of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) which contains a section dedicated to the antigypsyism; or the protocol recently signed by important IT companies (Microsoft, Twitter, Facebook, Google ) about hate offences in the net.
The attendance of Maria Elósegui, Spanish representative of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance ECRI in the Council of Europe, in alliance with different entities for the promotion and defense of the Roma community, helped to analyze antigypsyism focusing in the hate crime case which took place in Castellar. FSG act as civil part in this case and has submitted an application for amparo to the Constitutional Court.
The roundtable brought together the Vice president of the State Council of the Roma, Antonio Vázquez, the Head of FSG´s the equality department, Sara Giménez, and the Director of the Romani Culture Institute, Diego Fernández. As a conclusion, the inefficiency of the Spanish legal system regarding the protection of the Romani people was highlighted.
The Roma community suffers repeatedly this kind of episodes in which they see themselves ousted from their villages and even have their houses being burnt down by the neighbours (Martos, Mancha Real, Cortegana, etc.)
The closing was led by Rosa Mª Candela, representing the Sub-directorate for Equal Treat and No Discrimination of the MSSSI and Carolina Fernández, FSG´s Deputy director for Advocacy. The latter submitted an appeal for law compliance in order to protect the right to non discrimination of the Roma people.
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