Promoting access to justice and social inclusion for Roma, Gypsies and Travellers

A project funded by the European Commission Community Action Programme to Combat Discrimination 2004 – 2006.

The final report for the Traveller and Roma Action for the Implementation of Legal and Equality Rights (TRAILER) project, which took place between 2004- 2006, is now available on-line, on the website of European Dialogue,www.europeandialogue.org. 

The report provides information about the main achievements of the project which was brought together by the British based NGO European Dialogue and Roma/anti-racist NGOs from Bulgaria, Ireland, Romania, Slovakia and the UK in order to promote effective access for Roma, Romany Gypsies and Traveller to their rights under national anti-discrimination legislation based on (or compliant with) the EU equality directives.

The project aimed to promote awareness and self-help amongst Roma, Romany Gypsies and Travellers, to enable them to have a greater voice in local decision- making, and to make the legal framework more meaningful and accessible. To succeed in that, the project ran trainings for NGOs, activists, lawyers, prosecutors, judges and service-providers on anti-discrimination legislation; monitored and documented incidents of discrimination; undertook cases to test the effectiveness of the new legislation; produced know your rights leaflets, practice manuals, human rights reports, and a case law database on Roma/Traveller and discrimination (also available on European Dialogue’s website); and held transnational study visits to exchange experiences among the five participating countries.

The report lists recommendations based upon the experience of the project, for action by States across Europe for promoting access of Roma, Romany Gypsies and Travellers to their rights under national anti-discrimination legislation.