ENAR Weekly Mail 74
22 December 2006
NEWS FROM ENAR
 The ENAR team wishes you a merry Christmas and happy New Year 2007!
We would also like to inform you that ENAR offices will be closed from 25
December 2006 to 1 January 2007.

ENAR seminar: “Realising Integration: migration, integration, social
inclusion and anti discrimination”
On 1 and 2 March 20007 ENAR will organise in Brussels a policy seminar entitled
“Realising Integration: migration, integration, social inclusion and anti
discrimination”. The purpose of the seminar is to explore the intersections between
the racism, anti discrimination, social inclusion and integration agendas from the
perspective of migration, recognising that these concepts are intrinsically linked. Do
not forget to flag these dates in your agendas.
Practical information on the seminar is available on the ENAR website.
 ENAR Memorandum for the German Presidency
ENAR is issuing a memorandum outlining some practical suggestions for the
Presidency to take into consideration when implementing its priorities in the fields of
anti-discrimination and anti-racism. The German Presidency has a key role to play in
furthering progress towards a Europe free from racism and discrimination. Much
progress has been made since the last German Presidency, not least the emergence of
a comprehensive European framework to combat discrimination. However, racism
remains a persistent and evolving problem across the European Union. The progress
that has been made must not lead to complacency; racism, discrimination and social
exclusion are realities that undermine the enjoyment of fundamental rights of
everyone. Read more
 New ENAR Communication and Press Officer
Georgina Siklossy joined the ENAR team on 15 December as Communication and
Press Officer. She previously worked as EP and Communications Officer at BEUC,
the European Consumers’ Organisation. She is of Austrian and British nationality and
speaks English, French and German. Georgina can be contacted at [email protected] and as from January her email address will be [email protected].
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NEWS FROM ENAR NATIONAL COORDINATIONS
 ENAR-Finland high-level meeting in Helsinki
On 18 December ENAR-Finland organised a high level meeting in Helsinki during
which an ENAR delegation, composed of ENAR’s Vice-President Tarafa Baghajati,
ENAR Director Pascale Charhon, ENAR-Finland Chair Ali Qassim and ENARFinland Vice-Chair Hamed Shafae, met with the Minister of Labour, the minority
Ombudsman, and members of the Finnish parliament’s human rights group. The
meeting enabled ENAR to review the work of the Finnish Presidency and to advocate
support of anti-racist NGOs in Finland in their fight against discrimination. Read
more in our press release on ENAR’s website.

Round Tables on the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All in
Belgium and Spain
On Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 December, the last Round Tables on the 2007
European Year of Equal Opportunities for All took place in Belgium and Spain. The
17 Round Tables that took place thanks to the huge commitment of many ENAR
members throughout Europe certainly represent the biggest effort of broad scale
awareness-raising by and for civil society anti-discrimination NGOs in relation to the
Year 2007 and its challenges. The Round Tables have often created a space for NGO
representatives working on the various+ discrimination grounds (race, ethnicity,
convictions, age, sex, disability and sexual orientation), National Implementing
Bodies and representatives of other official authorities to get to know each other,
exchange and reflect about the implementation of this ambitious project. ENAR and
its members are proud to have achieved such a high level of participation and are
looking forward to the multiple opportunities for further collaboration and
partnerships in 2007 and beyond that have been initiated during the Round Tables.
NEWS FROM OTHER NETWORKS
 Social Platform responds to Commission’s progress report on Lisbon
The Social Platform responded to the Commission’s progress report on the Lisbon
strategy on 15 December by expressing its concern regarding Mr Barroso’s
enthusiastic evaluation of the renewed Lisbon. It believes that there is an urgent need
for a 'social reality check’ to demonstrate to citizens whether the strategy is delivering
on the full range of challenges the EU faces in relation to poverty, demographic
changes, migration, and the impact of globalisation. Read more
 European Women’s Lobby “Who cares?” campaign and petition
The EWL electronic petition calls for action at national and European level to
advance equality between women and men through the provision of affordable,
accessible and high quality care services in the European Union. The Petition is
available for signing until International Women's Day (8th March 2007). Read more
NEWS FROM EUROPE

Holocaust denier to be released
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An Austrian court ruled on Wednesday that UK historian David Irving - jailed for
denying the Holocaust - should be released on probation. Irving was convicted in
February in a case that sparked international debate about the limits of freedom of
speech. In 1989 he spoke in Austria denying the existence of gas chambers at
Auschwitz, though he later said he was "mistaken". Read more
 Turkish writer cleared of insult
Turkish author Ipek Calislar was acquitted on Tuesday of insulting modern Turkey's
founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Prosecutors said Ms Calislar had insulted Ataturk
when she said, in a biography of his wife Latife, that he had once fled disguised as a
woman. She faced up to four years in prison under Turkey's tough law against
denigrating "Turkishness". The European Union has pressed Turkey to reform the
law, which it views as a bar on freedom of expression. Read more
 Irish High Court rules against marriage of lesbian couple
A judge in Ireland has ruled that a lesbian couple who met in Boston and were
married in Canada cannot be considered married in Ireland, because the Irish
Constitution limits marriage to a union between a man and a woman. In a 138-page
ruling released last Thursday, Judge Elizabeth Dunne of the High Court rejected the
case of Ann Louise Gilligan and Katherine Zappone, who married in Vancouver in
2003. Read more
 Germany expects record hate crimes in 2006
Germany's 2006 may be a record year for neo-Nazi crimes that have surged in recent
months. The German government reported 10,154 far-right crimes from January
through the end of October 2006, the Tagesspiegel newspaper reported last week. The
number exceeds the intermediate results of previous years by 20 percent and is the
highest since 2001, when the German government reformed criminal codes to include
hate crimes. Read more
EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC) & OTHER EU INSTITUTIONS
 Migration policy on the agenda of the European Council
EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment to developing a common European
migration policy at the European Council in Brussels on 14-15 December. A set of
practical steps were agreed to offer a balanced and coordinated response to the
challenges of illegal immigration, external border management and integration of
legal migrants. They also agreed to reinforce the EU partnership with countries of
origin and transit of migration. Read more
 EP approves four billion Euros for migration issues
The European Parliament approved on 14 December a financial package worth over
four billion Euros covering the period between 2007 and 2013 to ensure effectiveness
and solidarity in the management of migratory flows. These funds, over € 300 million
in 2007 alone, will be spent on wide ranging migration issues including fighting
irregular immigration, enhancing dialogue with third countries, addressing the root
causes of migration, tapping the potential of migration and respecting citizens and
migrants' fundamental rights. Read more
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 New information film on Community Action programme
A new, 10-minute audiovisual presentation of the Community Action Programme has
been published on the European Commission’s anti-discrimination website. The video
– available in English, French and German – gives an overview of the aims and
activities of the programme over the last five years, and highlights some of the key
organisations that have played an active role. Read more
UNITED NATIONS
UNHCR’s recommendations to the EU German Presidency
In a public document presented to the German government last week, UNHCR makes
a series of recommendations on key refugee protection issues. In particular, UNHCR
encourages the Presidency to lead a wide-ranging discussion on the steps needed to
complete the establishment of a Common European Asylum System by 2010. In
UNHCR's view, a considerable amount of work is still necessary to ensure that
refugees receive protection in a consistent manner across the European Union's soonto-be 27 member states. Read more

 UN adopts treaty on the rights of the disabled
The UN General Assembly adopted on 13 December a landmark disability
convention, the first human rights treaty of the twenty-first century and one that
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said represents the "dawn of a new
era" for around 650 million people worldwide living with disabilities. Read more
ROMA ISSUES

Macedonian government urged to take concrete steps to improve the
situation of Roma
The European Roma Rights Centre and the National Roma Centrum welcomed the
Concluding Observations of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights on Macedonia’s compliance with the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 15 December. In its Concluding
Observations, the Committee expressed concern about widespread discrimination
against Roma in access to employment, social assistance, health care, education,
personal documents and citizenship, as well as the substandard and insecure housing
situation of Roma. Read more
 Expected Long-term Budgetary Benefits to Roma Education in Hungary
A new Roma Education Fund flagship study on the benefits of investing in Roma
education in Hungary has been released in Budapest last Thursday. The Roma
Education Fund Study conducted by Gabor Kertesi and Gabor Kezdi using Hungarian
data illustrates just how much governments could gain in future budgetary revenues
by investing now in measures that would bring Roma education outcomes on par with
the non-Roma population. Read more
 Report on monitoring education for Roma
The Open Society Institute's Education Support Program has issued a new report:
“Monitoring Education for Roma: A Statistical Baseline for Central, Eastern, and
South Eastern Europe”. In response to the lack of accurate information on Roma in
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Central, Eastern, and South Eastern Europe and in the interests of promoting
education justice for Roma, the Open Society Institute presents in this report the best
available data on Roma education in Central, Eastern, and South Eastern Europe.
Read more

Real changes through implementing global human rights standards at the
grassroots level
First ever supported by the UN Office of the High Commisioner for Human Rights
community led training towards local Roma community was implemented by the
Bulgarian Roma grass-root NGO “Roma - Together”. Read more
REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS
 EUMC Report on Discrimination and Islamophobia in the EU
The report "Muslims in the European Union: Discrimination and Islamophobia",
published by the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC)
on Monday, presents available data on discrimination affecting Muslims in
employment, education and housing. Manifestations of Islamophobia range from
verbal threats through to physical attacks on people and property. The report stresses
that the extent and nature of discrimination and Islamophobic incidents against
European Muslims remain under-documented and under-reported. Read more
 Commission leaflet on European Year of Equal Opportunities for All
A new flyer providing general information on the 2007 European Year of Equal
Opportunities for All is now available. It includes some statistics on the current
equality situation in the EU, and provides practical information on the Year’s
activities. In the coming weeks it will be published in 22 EU languages, including
Romanian and Bulgarian. Read more

Commission for Racial Equality publishes an anthology “30: At the Turning
of the Tide”
The year 2006 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the creation of the Commission for
Racial Equality. On the eve of the creation of a new organisation to promote all forms
of equality – the Commission for Equality and Human Rights – this anthology brings
together many different voices to reflect on the transformation of Britain over the last
30 years. Thirty distinguished contributors, one for each year of the CRE's life,
discuss the changes that have taken place in society, politics, literature, the arts, the
law, science and more, and consider the future that today's children are likely to
inherit. Read more
CONFERENCES & EVENTS
 CEJI religious diversity and anti-discrimination training
CEJI, A Jewish contribution to an inclusive Europe, and part of ENAR’s European
coordination, have re-scheduled their Sofia religious diversity and anti-discrimination
training programme. It will take place from 18 to 23 March 2007 in Sofia, Bulgaria,
instead of 21-26 January 2007. Read more

Social Platform meeting on multiple discrimination
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Following a call for tender from the European Commission, the Danish Institute for
Human Rights has just started a one year study on Multiple Discrimination in the
European Union aiming at identifying good practices and preparing recommendations
to the different actors experiencing or working with discrimination. Since the study is
dependent on close collaboration and knowledge exchange with relevant stakeholders
such as NGOs, the Danish Institute is keen on meeting Social Platform members in
order to benefit from their work, knowledge and experience. A meeting will therefore
take place with the Danish Institute at the Social Platform on Wednesday 17 January
from 14.00 to 16.00. For more information, contact Pierre Baussand
([email protected]). Read more
 Seminar on empowerment of immigrant women in the EU
The European Women's Lobby will hold a seminar in January 2007 on the
empowerment and integration of immigrant women in the EU. For more information,
contact Clarisse Delorme ([email protected]) at EWL secretariat.
VACANCIES
 European Commission internships for young Roma university graduates
The European Commission, in co-operation with the Open Society Institute, is
offering 5 five-month periods of internships for young Roma university graduates
from all new member states (excluding Cyprus and Malta), Bulgaria and Romania as
of 1 March 2007. The internship aims to give Roma interns a general idea of the
objectives and problems of European integration; to provide them with practical
knowledge of the working of Commission departments; to enable them to acquire
personal experience through contacts made in the course of their everyday work; to
enable them to put into practice the knowledge they have acquired during their studies
or professional careers. The deadline for applications is 21 January 2007. Read more
 European Women's Lobby is recruiting a Secretary General
Reporting to the President and Executive Committee, the candidate will be
responsible for advocating effectively for EWL, increasing their reputation and
influence within the EU and globally. He/she will provide leadership and management
to the team of 10 highly motivated and committed staff, and drive the strategic
development of EWL, supporting the Executive and the Board in setting strategic
direction, responding to new challenges and opportunities, and in monitoring and
evaluating the organization's performance. Closing date for applications is: 8 January
2007. Read more
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