Open Society Fund Praha

In 2016 the Czech tabloid daily Blesk launched a media campaign against inclusive education. Editor Radek Lain is pictured here. The front cover of the 21 February 2016 issue of Blesk reads "STOP HARMFUL INCLUSION". (PHOTO: Blesk.cz)
Czech foundation says tabloid is bolstering media hysteria about school reforms
23.2.2016 18:15 According to a survey performed for the tabloid daily Blesk in the Czech Republic by the SANEP agency, a large proportion of people are concerned about and disagree with upcoming changes that mean children with special educational needs will be educated together with other children in the same schools. According to Blesk, more than 90 % of a representative sample of more than 2 000 people believe the change will worsen the level of education in the country, while less than 10 % believe it will improve education. full story
Czech parent group in favor of inclusion says the state's approach is the biggest obstacle
29.1.2016 20:26 In the Czech Republic, the Alliance of Parents for Inclusion (Aliance Rodiče za inkluzi) has been striving for more than a year to bolster the role played by parents in the process of including children with disabilities into mainstream schools so they can be accepted by schools as their partners. These parents are requiring that the state do all it can to fulfill their children's lawful right to a quality education and are drawing attention to the current systemic deficiencies preventing the development of inclusive education. full story
Czech Republic: Open Society Fund explains its financial cooperation with owner of tabloid Extra.cz
27.5.2015 8:13 The Open Society Fund Prague (OSF Prague) has announced a scholarship fund to support Romani college students in collaboration with Jan Barta, the owner of the tabloid publication Extra.cz. News server Romea.cz has asked OSF Prague whether they consider it problematic to collaborate with the owner of a tabloid whose Editor-in-Chief, Pavel Novotný, makes no secret of the fact that he manipulates "Romani topics" to increase readership. full story
International civil society welcomes EU action against Czech Republic over Roma educational segregation
Brussels/Budapest/London, 26.9.2014 22:11, (ROMEA) International civil society organizations have applauded Brussels' announcement that it is initiating infringement proceedings against the Czech Republic over its discrimination against Romani children in their access to education. The Open Society Foundations in London, the European Roma Rights Centre in Budapest, and the European Roma Information Office in Brussels all welcomed the decision. full story
Czech foundation supports work in places where anti-Romani marches have taken place
Prague, 12.6.2014 1:12, (ROMEA) The Open Society Fund Prague has distributed CZK 400 000 (EUR 15 500) to organizations working in places where right-wing extremists have been holding anti-Romani marches. Of the 18 requests for funding received, the expert commission has so far selected four winning projects for its "Together Without Prejudice" (Společně bez předsudků) grant call. full story
Czech Republic: US firms offer internships to Romani students
Prague, 2.4.2014 19:54, (ROMEA) The Open Society Fund Prague, in collaboration with the Embassy of the United States of America and the American Chamber of Commerce in Prague, are offering young Romani people internships of several months' duration with successful American firms doing business in the Czech Republic. The internships are intended for Romani students enrolled in either on-campus or distance studies at colleges and high schools, as well as for college and high school graduates up to age 30. full story
Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion and ROMEA offer to work with media for more objective reporting about Romani people
Prague, 11.4.2013 17:22, (ROMEA) On the occasion of International Romani Day this Monday 8 April, the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion and the ROMEA civic association held a round table on the topic of Portraying Romani People in the Media at the Journalists’ Syndicate under the auspices of Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková. The Agency presented the results of its extensive analysis of the Czech media there. full storyCzech Republic: Romani students meet with CoE Human Rights Commissioner
Prague, 16.11.2012 16:00, (ROMEA) A round table was held in Prague this week between those involved in the D.H. case, Romani student representatives, First Deputy Education Minister Jiří Nantl, and Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks. Video of the press conference held after the round table is available at http://www.romea.cz/cz/video/konference-seminare/sestrih-tiskove-konference-po-kulatem-stolu-ucastniku-pripadu-d-h-a-romskych-studentu (in Czech only). full storyOSF: Czech Government has not ended discrimination of Romani children
Prague, 5.11.2012 17:09, (ROMEA) On 13 November 2007 the European Court of Human Rights issued its judgment in the case of "D.H. and Others versus the Czech Republic", in which 18 Romani children from Ostrava sued the Czech Republic over their having been assigned to attend "special school" on the basis of their origin. The judgment upheld their complaint and sanctioned the Czech Republic for discriminating against Romani children by disproportionately enrolling such children into the "special schools" (now called the "practical primary schools") which are designed for children who have been diagnosed as "lightly mentally disabled". full story