Panel debate in the EU Roma Week 2019
Hosted by Cornelia Ernst MEP and Soraya Post MEP, the European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network, Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) and SDG Watch Europe, the event will be discussing important linkages between inclusion of Roma, combatting antigypsyism and the Sustainable Development Goals. The discussion will be part of the annual EU Roma Week in the European Parliament, where ERGO Network will launch its new report “Roma Included: Can the SDGs contribute to combatting antigypsyism?”.
As a truly global development agenda, the 2030 Agenda must be considered in all policies for EU member states as well as the enlargement region. Its 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the promise of governments to “leave no one behind” provide crucial opportunities for advancing the rights of Roma in Europe.
For (pro-) Roma advocates and the EU institutions it is therefore important to know how to make use of the 2030 Agenda when preparing the Post-2020 EU Roma Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies. The learnings of this event shall also serve (pro-) Roma organizations when participating in civil society efforts on the 2030 Agenda so that it includes the perspectives and needs of Roma.
At the same time, policy-makers and civil society face challenges when bringing European economic and social policies, such as Europe 2020 and the European Pillar of Social Rights, under the roof of the 2030 Agenda. The capacities of governments and civil society – in particular at local level – are already being stretched by parallel work on multiple frameworks. A discussion is therefore needed on how to better align these frameworks and their respective reporting and consultation mechanisms.
OBJECTIVES
1. Present core findings on the linkages between the 2030 Agenda and the Roma rights agenda in Europe and discuss strategies for (pro-) Roma organisations to engage with the Sustainable Development Goals on local, national, European and international level.
2. Enable exchange, learning and networking between Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the European Commission and civil society working in the respective contexts of sustainable development and the rights of Roma people.
3. Discuss how to connect the Sustainable Development Goals with EU policies of relevance to Roma people such as a Post-2020 EU Roma Framework.
AGENDA
11.00-11.10
Welcome
Cornelia Ernst MEP GUE/NGL, Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Gabriela Hrabanova, Director, European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network Ingo Ritz, Director, Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP)
11.10-11.25
Presentation of the discussion paper “Roma included: Can the Sustainable Development Goals contribute to combatting antigypsyism?”
Stefan Meyer, International senior consultant, FRESNO Consulting
11.25-12.00
Panel I: Civil society organisations and the Sustainable Development Goals – Which challenges, which opportunities?
Paul Diwakar, former General Secretary of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights,
Delhi Florin Botonogu, Director, Policy Center for Roma and Minorities, ERGO Member
Debate
12.00-12.45
Panel II: Aligning EU policies related to Roma with the Agenda 2030
Irena Moozova, Director, Equality and Union Citizenship, DG Justice and Consumers (EC) Katarina Ivankovic Knezevic, Director, Employment, Social affairs and Inclusion, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EC) Debate
12.45-13.00
Concluding remarks
Daniel Radulescu, President, National Roma Agency, Romania
13.00-13.30
Light lunch