News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

ERTF: Czech Republic failing Roma under the European Social Charter

05 March 2014
1 minute read

The European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF) announced today that it has filed a collective complaint against the Czech Republic with the European Committee of Social Rights, which is responsible for ensuring that States comply with the provisions of the European Social Charter.

The complaint is one of the first ever lodged before the Committee against the Czech Republic addressing discrimination against members of the Romani minority.

The ERTF alleges that Romani people disproportionately suffer from systematic violations of their rights to housing and education in the Czech Republic.

The complaint documents how private parties and public authorities disproportionately subject Romani tenants to improperly conducted evictions and discriminate against them in their access to housing. Widespread spatial segregation of disadvantaged Roma results from these practices and makes it more difficult for them to access health care and other goods and services.

The ERTF believes the Czech Republic is not doing enough to combat this discrimination or its impacts, which include landlords charging Romani tenants rents that are well above market rates for housing that is hazardous. The flawed design of the state housing subsidies program makes this possible and allows unscrupulous property owners to defraud not only their Romani tenants, but all Czech taxpayers.

Help us share the news about Romas
Trending now icon