Exactly 10 years ago, the European Court of Human Rights had issued a landmark judgement, ruling that the segregation of Roma children in education constitutes discrimination. The Central Council of German Sinti and Roma points to the call of numerous international organisation (UN OHCHR, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency FRA, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions ENNHRI, and the European Network of Equality Bodies Equinet) for inclusive education and the end of this structural discrimination.
Reports of the European Commission show that although the participation in education has generally increased in recent years, the segregation of Roma children has simultaneously increased as well. On these grounds, the European Commission has already launched infringement proceedings against the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, as the governments of these countries do not fulfil their obligation to provide all children with equal access to education.
In recognition of their long-time fight for the right to education, the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma awarded the Roma children of Ostrava the “Special Prize of the European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma” in 2010.
