Briefing: The Participation of Romani CRISS and the Centre for Legal Resources to the Human Rights Council at the UN

The Participation of Romani CRISS and the Centre for Legal Resources to the Human Rights Council at the UN

 

The Roma Centre for Social Intervention and Studies – Romani CRISS and the Centre for Legal Resources continue to monitor and raise awareness on the human rights situation in Romania before the UN. The two organizations have participated at the 23rd session of the Human Rights Council at the UN where the report on the Universal Periodic Review of Romania was adopted, interacting with the state delegations and making oral statements within the debates.

In its opening remarks within the 24th meeting, on June 6th 2013, [1] when the report on Romania was considered and then adopted, the Romanian state allocated a considerable part of its intervention to the materials distributed by the Centre for Legal Resources at the time of the Universal Periodic Review – the working group phase from January 2013. [2] Through the materials distributed at that time, the Centre for Legal Resources reacted to the report presented by Romania within the working group [3] bringing information, among others, on the real situation of  Roma vulnerable communities from Baia Mare, separated through a wall or forcefully evicted and relocated, by the municipality, to buildings which endanger their health, and of those from Cluj-Napoca, more precisely the Roma communities from Pata Rât, who live next to the city waste collection site. [4] Also, CLR reacted [5] to the incorrect rendering in the final working group report of a recommendation from France on adequate standards for a human rights institution such as the National Council for Combating Discrimination (NCCD), mentioning in this reaction the lack of sanction from the NCCD for the then Minister of Foreign Affairs Baconschi for the statements he had made in February, 2010, according to whom: “we have some physiological, natural problems of criminality” with the Romanian Roma communities from France. [6]

Within the 23rd session of the Human Rights Council, Romani CRISS and the Centre for Legal Resources have had the opportunity to make oral statements within the meeting where Romania’s situation was discussed on June 6th, 2013 [7] as well as within the general debate on the Universal periodic Review from June 10th 2013. [8] Within this last intervention, the two organizations have reacted to the statements of the Romanian state from June 6th, 2013.

The Centre for Legal Resources has also had a position which it distributed within the session, on the non-acceptance by Romania of a recommendation made by Ireland on the implementation of an expanded programme for Roma housing. [9]

The Romanian state has accepted 131 of the recommendations received from UN member states and rejected 26.

Among the issues covered by the recommendations accepted by Romania, one can find:

–          facilitate the greater integration and participation in society of people with disabilities and, in particular, implement a more expansive sheltered housing strategy with measurable targets that will achieve a substantial reduction in the number of people with disabilities currently in institutional care;

–          respect for the rights of persons with disability;

–          actions to combat discrimination against LGBT persons;

–          implement the anti-discrimination strategy and legislation;

–          combat discrimination against Roma in various fields of life;

–          systematic collection and publication of statistical data on hate crimes;

–          establish a legal framework guaranteeing the right to adequate housing;

–          combat racist and xenophobic political discourse and in general racist stereotypes and incitement to hatred;

–          introduce the principle of anti-discrimination into school curricula and teaching practices at all levels of its education system;

–          set measurable objectives and allocate the necessary resources to ensure the effective implementation of the national Roma inclusion strategy. [10] [11]

Romani CRISS and the Centre for Legal Resources will continue to monitor and report in the context of the Universal periodic Review Mechanism on the implementation of the recommendations accepted by Romania.

The Universal Periodic Review is a relatively new UN mechanism (from 2008) which consists of the evaluation of the human rights practices in each member state, once every four years and a half. The states have to report, before each evaluation, on the implementation of accepted recommendations, and they are encouraged to also send to the Council and intermediary implementation report. [12]


Notes:

[1] Opening Remarks, HE. Ms. Maria Ciobanu, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations, 24th Meeting, Item 6, Universal Periodic Review, Consideration of the outcome of Romania, available at:https://extranet.ohchr.org/sites/hrc/HRCSessions/RegularSessions/23rdSession/OralStatements/Romania_RO_24.pdf(anyone can register on the HRC Extranet website at:http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/HRCRegistration.aspx )and Webcast recording, Romania, UPR Report Consideration – 24th meeting, 23rd Regular Session of Human Rights Council, 6th Jun, 2013, Reports on the UPR of Romania A/HRC/23/5, A/HRC/23/5/Add 1 available at: http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/watch/romania-upr-report-condsideration-24th-meeting-23rd-regular-session-of-human-rights-council/2437472944001

[2] Centre for legal Resources, Press statement. The participation of the Centre for Legal Resources to the Universal Periodic Review – UPR of Romania at the UN,01.02.2013, available at: https://www.crj.ro/en/the-participation-of-the-centre-for-legal-resources-to-the-universal-periodic-review-upr-of-romania-at-the-un/

[3] Human Rights Council, National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Council Resolution 16/21, Romania,3 December 2012, A/HRC/WG.6/15/ROU/1, available at:http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/ROSession15.aspx

[4] Centre for Legal Resources, ROMANIA – BIG LIES, SMALL ACHIEVEMENTS, 22.01.2013, available within the article here: https://www.crj.ro/en/the-participation-of-the-centre-for-legal-resources-to-the-universal-periodic-review-upr-of-romania-at-the-un/

[5] Centre for Legal Resources, ROMANIA – BIG LIES, SMALL ACHIEVEMENTS, LOST RECOMMENDATION, 25.01.2013, available within the article here: https://www.crj.ro/en/the-participation-of-the-centre-for-legal-resources-to-the-universal-periodic-review-upr-of-romania-at-the-un/

[6] Press Release, Diplomatic speech with racist content – Anti-discrimination organizations ask the minister Baconschi to resign, 16.02.2010, available at: https://www.crj.ro/EN/Diplomatic-speech-with-racist-content-Antidiscrimination-organizations-ask-the-minister-Baconschi-to-resign-/

[7] Romani CRISS and Centre for Legal Resources, Oral statement before the 23rd session of the UN Human Rights Council regarding the Universal periodic Review of Romania, 06.06.2013.

[8] Romani CRISS and Centre for Legal Resources, Statement at the General Debate on the UPR process (Item 6) at the Human rights Council 23rd session, 10.06.2013

[9] Centre for Legal Resources, ROMANIA:MORE LIES, STILL NO ACHIEVEMENTS, 06.06.2013

[10] Human Rights Council, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Romania, A/HRC/23/5, 21.03.2013, available at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/ROSession15.aspx

[11] Human Rights Council, Report of the Working Group on the Universal periodic Review, Romania, Addendum, Views on conclusions and-or recommendations, voluntary commitments and presented by the state under review, 28.05.2013, A/HRC/23/5/Add.1, available at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/ROSession15.aspx

[12] Additional information on the Universal Periodic Review mechanism can be found at: http://www.upr-info.org/

Note: All links have been accessed on: 13.06.2013