ERIO takes part in policy seminar on migration, integration, social inclusion and anti-discrimination
On March 1-2, 2007, ERIO’s Executive Director gave a speech at the policy seminar "Realizing Integration" organized by the European Network Against Racism, which took place in Brussels. The purpose of the seminar was to explore the intersections between the anti-discrimination, social inclusion and integration agendas from the perspective of migration, recognizing that these concepts are intrinsically linked. It highlighted practices and lessons learnt from civil society, local and national governments, and the European Union with regard to the integration of migrants. Four workshops were introduced to the seminar including Consultation with civil society, Participation, The Human Rights Approach and Mainstreaming Equality.
Mr. Ivan Ivanov spoke about Mainstreaming of Roma in European Policy- lessons and challenges. In his speech he stated that:
"The term mainstreaming has been frequently misunderstood as avoiding specifically targeted groups. Quite the contrary, mainstreaming should involve ensuring that all policies are proofed in advance and regularly assessed in progress to ensure that their impacts reach identified, marginalized groups to a level adequate to need.
The European Institutions should work to foster policy approaches at the EU
level as well as at the level of the Member States, ensuring that policies reach Roma
and other persons perceived as Gypsies.
As Commissioner Spidla stated at the Tampere Conference in Finland, and later at the EU German Presidency meeting in Berlin, Roma need more effective polices to be integrated into their societies and he urged each government to take necessary measures to protect them from discrimination and social exclusion.
The EU should also ensure that all policy stakeholders understand the concept of mainstreaming and act adequately to the level of need to ensure that all policies include Roma mainstreaming components. There is a pressing need to evaluate the impact of EU and national projects and programs targeting Roma. Since what matters is change on the ground; changes in attitudes, actions and policies need to be addressed in a way that is both credible and useful in term of informing
further policy developments……..".
