Well-being of Children, Rights of Women among Czech Priorities

The Czech Republic’s year-long Presidency of the Decade of Roma Inclusion officially began on July 1, 2010, following a ceremonial transfer of the Presidency from Slovakia at the 18th International Steering Committee (ISC) Meeting in Bratislava on June 24-25 and an inauguration ceremony held by Prime Minister Jan Fischer in Prague on June 28.
 

Introducing the Czech government’s Presidency program at the ISC Meeting in Bratislava, Michael Kocab, the Czech Republic’s Commissioner for Human Rights and Coordinator for the Decade, said that governments, through deeds as well as words, need to make it more clear to their citizenry that Roma belong in European society.

Kocab said that the well-being and rights of Roma children will be a particular priority of the Czech Presidency. The rights of women will be another focus of his government, and Roma women will be invited to discuss their needs. Other priorities of the Czech Presidency are inclusive education, the implementation of integration policies at the local level, and images of Roma in the media.

Noting that Roma inclusion efforts have often been “about Roma without Roma,” Kocab announced that Karel Holomek, chairman of the Assocation of Roma in Moravia, will be an advisor and ambassador of the Czech Decade Presidency.

The first ISC Meeting of the Czech Presidency is tentatively scheduled for September 30 – October 1, 2010 in Prague.