Czech PM meets with CoE Human Rights Commissioner on inclusion

Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas believes inclusive education as an instrument for incorporating vulnerable groups into society is one of the key tools of Czech minority policy. Nečas familiarized Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks with the Czech Government’s position on this issue today. Muižnieks, who is originally from Latvia, is on a regular visit to the Czech Republic as one of the European Union Member States.

Nečas introduced the Commissioner to Czech Government policy in the area of human rights and its priorities on minority inclusion. He emphasized that the aim of his Government is to create preconditions for the long-term, successful inclusion and full-fledged development of all minorities, including particularly vulnerable groups such as persons living with disabilities and Romani people. The Government’s main policy tool is an emphasis on the creation of equal opportunities for all citizens of the Czech Republic irrespective of their disadvantage.

Nečas said that in the area of education, the Government is primarily focusing on how to prepare disadvantaged Romani children to start their mandatory school attendance through an early childhood care program and strengthening their participation in preschool education, and he presented the National Action Plan for Inclusive Education and other materials to the Commissioner. A press release from the Office of the Czech Government reported that the Commissioner expressed appreciation for the Czech Government’s efforts.

Yesterday the Government also coincidentally took under advisement a report on the state of the Romani minority in the Czech Republic for last year. According to the report, state expenditures on Romani integration fell last year to CZK 85 million, CZK 1.5 million less than in 2010. The report said social exclusion is a serious problem for a significant proportion of the Romani minority which could also threaten the cohesion of Czech society.

According to a report by the European Association for the Defense of Human Rights, which was presented this week in Prague by the Czech Helsinki Committee, Romani people face violence in all European countries including the Czech Republic, not only from extremist groups and individuals, but often directly from municipalities and other authorities. Hatred against members of this minority is reportedly increasing and being fed by many media outlets and politicians. The report says states are not doing enough to address these problems and are not spending enough money on them.

The Czech Government is also currently considering redistributing the management of its human rights agenda, which currently falls under the Office of the Government. Romani issues, for example, would be reassigned to the Czech Labor and Social Affairs ministry, while national minority issues would be assigned to the Czech Foreign Ministry.