discrimination Archives

The right to education of minorities

The right to education of minorities: overview of States’ measures reported in the 10th Consultation on the 1960 Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education

Diversity in education should be seen as an asset as it has a great role to play for better cohesion, cultural diversity, economic benefit and inclusive societies. While their inclusion in society is key, persons belonging to minorities are often at risk of having their human rights violated and experiencing multiple discriminations.

As highlighted in the Vision Statement of the Secretary General during the Transforming Education Summit in 2022, the most vulnerable and marginalized – including persons belonging to minorities, are being left behind. As social tensions rise, minorities become more and more excluded from society because of persistent discrimination and exclusion – including exclusion from education.

However, access to inclusive and equitable quality education within a lifelong learning perspective is central to their effective and full inclusion in society. The target 4.5 of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 explicitly calls on States to ‘ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations, which includes minorities.

This document is part of a series of thematic reports on the implementation of the right to education, prepared by UNESCO based on the findings of the Tenth Consultation on the implementation of the 1960 Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education conducted in 2020-2021. It is intended to serve as a practical tool for both information sharing and advocacy.

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Roma and Travellers in Six Countries

Category: Roma and Travellers | Types of resource: Survey Results | Year: 2020 | Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights |

Roma and Travellers living in western EU countries are less often in the limelight than those living in central, eastern and southern EU countries. While they represent a smaller proportion of the population in the west, they also face problems with social exclusion, marginalisation and discrimination.

This report presents findings from the survey conducted by FRA in 2019 covering Roma and Travellers populations in Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The survey included interviews with almost 4,700 Roma and Travellers, collecting information on more than 8,200 individuals living in their households. The findings present a bleak, but familiar, picture of discrimination and deprivation fuelled by anti-Gypsyism. Almost half of the Roma and Travellers surveyed felt discriminated against and experienced hate-motivated harassment, in the year before the survey.

The survey results presented here show the urgent need for the post-2020 Strategic EU Framework for Roma Equality, Inclusion and Participation to accelerate Roma inclusion efforts that can break the vicious cycle of social exclusion, discrimination and poverty that contributes to such disturbing results.

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Roma Early Childhood Inclusion + Bulgaria Report (2020)

The Republic of Bulgaria has endeavoured, over the last three decades, to address the stark injustices evident in the socioeconomic situation of the majority of its Roma citizens and as evidenced in the country’s National Roma Integration Strategy 2012–2020. These efforts have accelerated since 2007, when Bulgaria became a full member of the European Union (EU). At present, Bulgaria is making important steps towards creating a national framework for early childhood development, a goal that remains high on the national agenda, and towards developing a more integrated approach to support parents and children in the early years. This RECI+ Report carries the explicit intention of providing Bulgarian authorities and civil society with a timely and informed account of the situation of Bulgarian Roma children during early childhood, and, in so doing, supporting government and other relevant actors to ensure equal and unhindered access to inclusive and integrated quality education, health, and social care for young Roma children and their families.

Read the policy brief in English here.

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A Good Practice Guide for improving outcomes for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children in education

This report outlines good practice in the education of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) school children in the UK. It interviews schools, provides case studies, and includes an overview of the findings from Traveller Movement’s three year education and advocacy project. Without a shadow of a doubt much more needs to be done to improve the attainment and educational outcomes for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils in the UK.

Researchers highlight seven case studies where children and their families were assisted by the advocacy team. The presenting issues include: racist bullying; unmet Special Educational Needs; school exclusion; admissions and transport; discrimination; attendance and; elective home education. Each case evidences a high level of need by families, the complex and bureaucratic nature of school systems, and the level of advocacy required to address each issue. What was also apparent from analysing the casework was the level of prejudice and discrimination exhibited by schools, many of whom were unaware that GRT are distinct ethnic groups. The Traveller Movement also interviewed schools with high GRT populations and good attainment to ask what they were doing to ensure GRT children reached their full potential.

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Inclusion from the start: guidelines on inclusive early childhood care and education for Roma children

The publication is the fruit of joint collaboration between the Council of Europe and UNESCO, which are committed to supporting the well-being and flourishing of Roma children and their right to education and development from birth. It is a concrete follow-up to the recommendations arising from an expert meeting on “Toward quality education for Roma children: transition from early childhood to primary education” organised in 2007 by the two bodies. It is hoped that the Guidelines will incite greater attention to, and above all, appropriate actions for, young Roma children by providing clear policy and programmatic pointers to conceiving an inclusive early childhood care and education system.

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Dosta! Toolkit against anti-Gypsyism

Types of resource: Tool | Year: 2016 and older | Author: Council of Europe | Region: European region |

The Dosta! campaign toolkit was conceived to help you understand what the campaign is about and how you can use it to combat anti-Gypsyism by taking concrete actions at the local level. The toolkit includes a video kit that you, or media professionals, can use free of charge while reporting on Roma.

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Roma Early Childhood Inclusion+ Slovakia Report (2017)

The Roma Early Childhood Inclusion (RECI)+ Slovakia Report (2017) maps the current state of the system of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Slovakia. In particular it identifies and analyses the obstacles of access to quality preschool education for Slovakian Romani children. It underlines the undeniable importance and long-

term positive impact of quality early care and preschool education, especially for children who come from socially and economically disadvantaged environments. The low investment in ECEC places Slovakia far below the Europe 2020 target on kindergartens participation for children aged 4 to 6, in fact in Slovakia the issue of Roma children segregation in the education system is quite alarming (e.g. ethnically homogeneous Roma classes, Roma schools, separate floors, separate play yard). In Slovakia, the inappropriate preparation of teachers terms of working with children from diverse socio-cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic backgrounds hampers Romani children inclusion in early care programs and compromises their growth and education.

Read the report in Slovak here.

Read the policy brief in English here.

Read the policy brief in Slovak here.