“Across Europe, 80% of Roma remain at risk of poverty”, said Mélanie Lepoultier (Independent Liberal and Democratic Group (ILDG), French), Deputy Permanent Rapporteur on Human Rights of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in a statement published on Monday 7 April, on the eve of International Roma Day.
The rapporteur points out that, with 6 million people, “Roma and Travellers are Europe’s largest, youngest and fastest-growing minority.”
It is also one that continues to suffer from “systematic and structural discrimination”.
More than 50% of Roma young people are not in education, employment or training.
“Political participation, public health, employment, housing and education all fall within the remit of local and regional government”, explains Mélanie Lepoultier, who calls on these authorities to “do more in these areas to guarantee inclusion and equal opportunities”.
“Today, we must reaffirm our commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of the Roma and Travellers community”, she concluded. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)