[Reader-list] Supporting Romani victims of forced sterilization

[zarine habeeb]

Dear all,

Please consider sending a post card/letter in support of the Romani victims of forced sterilization in Central and Eastern Europe. Please see below for details.

thank you,
Zarine 
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Romani Women Campaign around Forced Sterilisation Practices at the 2008 Women’s Worlds Congress in Spain

Information also in česky, español, magyarul.

3 July 2008, Budapest, Madrid, Ostrava, Prague: Today, a coalition comprised of the Ostrava-based Group of Women Harmed by Sterilisation, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and the Peacework Development Fund launch a global campaign seeking support for Romani women victimised by coerced sterilisation practices in Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. The campaign is supported by the Open Society Institute’s Public Health Program and the Heinrich Boll Stiftung Warsaw. 

The governments concerned have failed to react, through public apologies and compensation for the harms inflicted upon Romani women, to 5 years of targeted advocacy and lobbying by the victims and their advocates. Today, the survivors and their advocates turn to the global human rights movement to strengthen their efforts to secure justice, beginning with action around the 2008 Women’s Worlds Congress in Madrid, Spain, from 3-9 July, where the most pressing women’s rights matters from around the world will feature.

The campaign includes a panel discussion on coerced sterilisation practices in Central Europe by survivors and their advocates, as well as a letter-writing campaign targeting key officials in Czech Republic , Hungary and Slovakia , calling on the respective governments to recognise the extreme human rights violations perpetrated on their territory and to ensure apologies and compensation for the survivors.

Tell the governments concerned that it is time for action! Support the Romani survivors of coerced sterilisation in Czech Republic , Hungary and Slovakia by sending our postcard or letter, available on the ERRC website in English, Spanish, Czech, Hungarian and Slovak.

For updates on our work at the Madrid Congress, the pamphlet and the postcards/letters, please visit the ERRC website at: http://www.errc.org/cikk.php?cikk=2965. 

Tell us you sent the letter or postcard, or otherwise supported the campaign, and join our online list of supporters by writing us at: compensation.now at errc.org.

For further information or interviews, please contact:

Group of Women Harmed by Sterilisation:
    *Elena Gorolova (Czech, Romanes), elena.gorolova at seznam.cz

European Roma Rights Centre:
    * Anita Danka (Hungarian, English), Staff Attorney, anita.danka at errc.org
    *Ostalinda Maya (Spanish, English), Women’s Rights Consultant, ostalinda at gmail.com
    *Monika Pacziga (Hungarian, English), Women’s Rights Officer, monika.pacziga at errc.org  

Peacework Development Fund:
    *Gwendolyn Albert (Czech, English), Director of Women’s Initiatives Network, gwendolyn.albert at gmail.com

During the Congress, the representatives can be reached on the following mobile numbers: +34.627.212.118 or +36.20.398.8303 or +420.774.895.444. 

Otherwise, please contact the ERRC office at: +36.1.413.2200.

 


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The European Roma Rights Centre is an international public interest law organisation which monitors the human rights situation of Roma and provides legal defence in cases of human rights abuse. For more information about the European Roma Rights Centre, visit the ERRC on the web at http://www.errc.org 

To support the ERRC, please visit this link: http://www.errc.org/cikk.php?cikk=2735 

European Roma Rights Centre
1386 Budapest 62
P.O. Box 906/93
Hungary
Tel: +36.1.413.2200
Fax: +36.1.413.2201



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