Summary

The present report provides an overview of the human rights situation of Roma worldwide, applying a minority rights-based approach to the protection and promotion of the rights of Roma, including the protection of their existence; the prevention of violence against Roma; the protection and promotion of Roma identity; the guarantee of the rights to non-discrimination and equality, including combating racism, anti-Gypsyism and structural discrimination; and the guarantee of the right of Roma to effective participation in public life, especially with regard to decisions affecting them. Drawing on the responses to a questionnaire, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues provides an overview of trends in State practice, highlighting positive developments as well as challenges.

A key recommendation was that more attention should be paid to the specific challenges faced by Roma living outside Europe. The Special Rapporteur concluded that the invisibility of Roma outside Europe remains a challenge, and that more should be done to highlight their situation and raise their profile with policymakers, while also helping to empower the communities. A workshop was convened in Brasilia, Brazil, to enhance understanding of the specific human rights challenges facing Roma communities across the Americas. Representatives of Roma communities from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru participated in the meeting. A report (A/HRC/31/CRP.2), available in English and Spanish, provides an overview of the issues raised during the workshop and notes some of the overarching themes. It also presents a number of conclusions and makes recommendations based on the information received.

Side Event - Combatting Discrimination as a Root Cause of Roma Marginalisation

During the 29th session of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur held, in collaboration with the Council of Europe, the European Union and the OSCE, a Side Event to complement the report on Roma. The event, which took place on 16 June 2015 from 11h00 - 13h00 in Room XXIII at the Palais de Nations, aimed to convene a constructive dialogue with Member States, international and regional organisations, UN specialised agencies and monitoring mechanisms, European Union institutions, Roma and pro-Roma civil society organisations, Roma experts and other relevant stakeholders on effective measures to combat anti-Gypsyism and discrimination against Roma as a root cause of their marginalisation and exclusion in all spheres of life. 

As part of the Side Event, the Special Rapporteur projected an exhibition, Romarising, a project by photographer Chad Evans Wyatt that curated images of Roma academics and professionals from around the world that confronts the often stereotypical images of Roma that are wide-spread.