Roma Rights 1, 2002: Extreme Poverty

07 May 2002

When in 1996 the ERRC first began work, among our first observations about the interaction of Roma and the wider society was the following: most governments in Europe – where they addressed issues facing Roma at all – treated the Romani issue as a “social issue”. Our early research efforts told us that this approach was not adequate. We heard in this language governments denying racism. We heard governments telling Roma – and the world – that once they have resolved issues related to poverty, the problems of Roma would be solved. We revolted against this approach because of what we saw and heard around us: hate speech, humiliating treatment at the hands of local authorities and the police, discriminatory burdens. In adopting a focus on racism and racial discrimination, we have frequently been at odds with some members of the Romani leadership who, like their governments, have told us that “the problem of the Roma is that they are poor.”

• Extreme Poverty, Human Rights and Roma (Claude Cahn)  

• Who is this Krisztina Rostás? (One Romani Woman Testifies About Extreme Poverty in Hungary) 

• Life in My Hometown: Romani Poverty in Craiova, Romania (Valeriu Nicolae) 

• The Poorest Teach Us the Indivisibility of Human Rights (Jean Tonglet) 

• Dimensions of Romani Poverty in Albania (Hermine De Soto and Ilir Gedeshi) 

• Poverty and Roma in Central and Eastern Europe: A View from the World Bank (Dena Ringold) 

• Statement by the Secretary General of the International Romani Union on the Situation of Roma in Greece (Hristo Kyuchukov) 

• Grassroots Strategies to Combat Extreme Poverty: (ERRC Talks with András Bíró Ivan Ivanov responds Jennifer Tanaka responds) 

• Towards Improving the Situation of Marginalised Roma in One Czech City (Kumar Vishwanathan) 

• Contemporary Political and Academic Descriptions of Poverty among Minority Groups (Larry Olomoofe) 

• Poverty among Roma in Northwestern Russia (Stephania Koulajeva) 

• Roma in Moldova: On the Edge of Existence  (Nicolae Radita) 

• Germany's Policies toward Sinti and Roma: Living Apartheid? (Alphia Abdikeeva) 

• Belgium * Bosnia and Herzegovina * Bulgaria * Croatia * Czech Republic * Greece * Hungary * Italy * Kosovo * Lithuania * Macedonia * Moldova * Romania * Russia * Serbia and Montenegro * Slovakia * Spain * United Kingdom * Ukraine 

• ERRC Submits Written Comments Concerning Roma Rights Issues in Hungary to the UN Human Rights Committee 

• Housing Rights and Forced Evictions in Serbia (Branimir Pleše) 

• Grants Awarded 

• Informacia Andai Stipendia (Grant Guidelines in Romani) 

• Recipients of ERRC Scholarships for Romani Students of Law and Public Administration

• Maskarthemutno Pakto pala e Ekonomikake, Sociale thaj Kulturake Cacipe (Romani Language Translation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) 

• An Outbreak of Anthropology in Italy: A New Government Publication Describes Roma as  (Piero Colacicchi) 

• Roma and Politics: Where is the Real Power of the Romani Movement? 

• Roma Rights Then and Now: One Woman's Journey (Veronika Leila Szente Goldston) 

• Chronicle