08/04/2024 Equality and Non-Discrimination
On the occasion of International Roma Day (8 April 2024), Fourat Ben Chikha (Belgium, SOC), PACE General Rapporteur on combating racism and intolerance, made the following statement:
“As we mark International Roma Day, I would like to highlight a positive development and welcome the adoption by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe of a new Recommendation to the 46 member states on equality for Roma and Traveller women and girls.
This text is more relevant and necessary than ever, considering the harsh forms of intersectional discrimination that Roma and Traveller women and girls face, with limited access to education, employment, healthcare and social services, and a higher risk of violence. As a result of such discrimination, they are disproportionately affected by poverty and vulnerable to exploitation, human trafficking and forced marriages.
Efforts to address these challenges must be intersectional and inclusive, taking into account the multiple layers of discrimination that Roma and Traveller women and girls experience. The new recommendation is an important step in this direction, as its wide range of indications ultimately aim to empower women, paving the way for their participation in all spheres of life in equality and dignity.
I call on fellow parliamentarians in Council of Europe member states to play their important role in the implementation of the Recommendation, in particular as concerns the adoption of adequate legislative frameworks, as required by this newly adopted text.”