exclusion

[EPT] Roma NRIS – Policy Framework – National Roma Integration Strategies (16 May 2013)

National Roma Integration Strategies (NRIS) Many of the estimated 10-12 million Roma in Europe face prejudice, intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion in their daily lives. They are marginalised and live in very poor socio-economic conditions. This EU Framework seeks to make a tangible difference to Roma people’s lives. It is the EU’s response to the current situation and does not replace Member States’ primary responsibility in this regard. With this EU (...)

Fundamental Rights to Promote Public Health

The Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) has organised the 6th Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP), its flagship event to meet with civil society representatives working on fundamental rights. The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) participated in the event for the first time, bringing the public health community’s voice in substantive discussions about Fundamental Rights. What about Fundamental Rights? Fundamental Rights are rights that are recognised and guaranteed by international (...)

European Year of Citizens: Are Roma people European citizens like any others?

The ’’citizenship gap’’ between Roma and non-Roma was taken up by a conference organised by the European Roma Information Office (ERIO) at the European Economic and Social Committee on 22 April 2013. The International Romani Day 8 April is a good day to remember what happened recently to members of the Roma community in Europe. In France alone, about 10,000 Roma were sent back to Romania and Bulgaria in 2009. The following year, at least another 8,300 Roma were (...)

[Save the date] EPHA 4th Annual Conference 4-5 September 2013, Brussels

On 4 and 5 September 2013 the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) will celebrate 20 years of helping shape Europe’s public health. EPHA is using this milestone as an opportunity to look at how we can foster an EU that is coherent in its decisions, in terms of fostering the health and well-being of people living in Europe. Brave New World: Inclusive Growth and Well-Being or Vested Interests and Lost Generations? SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Lithuanian (...)

UNICEF Innocenti Report Card: Child Well-being in Rich Countries.

The Report card considers five dimensions of children’s lives: material well-being, health and safety, education, behaviours and risks, and housing and environment. The report is a good example of indicators to be taken into account when developing and monitoring policies that have direct and indirect effect on child well-being, including cross-sectorally. The paper key findings can be summarised as follows: The Netherlands is the leader and the only country ranked among the top (...)

[Médecins du monde] Access to healthcare in Europe in times of crisis and rising xenophobia

On the 9th of April 2013, Doctors of the World International Network (Médecins du monde) presented its latest report, with some of the results of comparative data collected in 2012 in 14 cities across seven European countries. This report covers a sample of 8,412 patients, 19,302 consultations (including 10,968 medical consultations) and 11,921 diagnoses reported by their volunteer health professionals. In order to capture the context in which this data collection took place, a concise (...)

[Public Statement] International Romani Day - the curse of being Roma in Europe and getting proper healthcare

It is high time for the EU and national leaders to fix all what is wrong with the social factors that trap the Roma population in a vicious cycle of ill-health. Policy-makers can do a better job to make sure that Roma people across Europe do not have to endure an additional series of obstacles to become healthy and productive members of the societies in which they live. Six million Roma live in the EU (1), in what represents Europe’s largest ethnic group. The Roma are one of the most (...)

Children’s well-being: investing in a healthy future - a silent emergency in Europe

On 27 March, the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Daciana Octavia SÂRBU (S & D, RO) hosted a seminar on child health, nutrition and education policies. In her speech, EPHA Secretary General Monika Kosińska highlighted why is it important to put child well-being at the heart of EU policies. In her speech, MEP Daciana Octavia SÂRBU (S&D, RO) stressed that good and healthy nutrition have a crucial impact on children life expectancy and that the role of the parents in (...)

Preparation for the 6th Fundamental Rights Platform Meeting (24-26 April 2013, Vienna)

FRA Director, Morten Kjaerum, met civil society representatives to discuss how FRA and civil society can cooperate to protect fundamental rights in the EU. This meeting was in preparation for the upcoming 6th Fundamental Rights Platform Meeting, which will take place in Vienna (24-26 April) where EPHA will be represented. About the Fundamental Rights Agency The new Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) was launched in March 2007 by Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007. The European Fundamental (...)

Hungary accused of persecution of the poor

In Autumn 2010, the Hungarian Law on Constructions was amended to allow municipalities to ban homeless people from public spaces. The Hungarian Parliament imposed a $700 fine or jail upon those who repeatedly broke municipal laws regarding “residential habitation in public spaces.” Although this law was ruled unconstitutional by the Hungarian Constitutional Court, the Hungarian Prime Minister has announced that the government intends to prohibit street homelessness in the (...)