2021 International Roma Contact Group

On 31 March, ODIHR’s Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues (CPRSI) will hold its recurrent International Roma Contact Group (IRCG) meeting. This is meant to provide a forum for discussion and reflection among, Roma in elected office, Roma civil society representatives, activists, decision-makers and executive structures on the key issues and challenges currently affecting Roma in Europe.

Objective

The IRCG’s desired output would be to put forward a set of recommendations for priority action areas which would be addressed to the OSCE, its participating States, and other inter-governmental organizations working on Roma inclusion. It would also include a joint message comprised of their collective analysis on current challenges faced by Roma.

Meeting

The meeting sessions will focus on identifying the efforts and activities needed to address the key topics agreed. Participants will share their suggestions on good practices and positive experiences encountered in national institutions or international organizations. This will help advocate for relevant policy-making going forward.

In addition, participants will discuss and put forward suggestions on possible ways for the OSCE institutions and structures to contribute to address the identified issues according to their mandates and expertise, including about possible cooperation with the CPRSI.

Background

The event is part of ODIHR’s work on implementing the OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area and its provisions to “seek to consolidate the International Roma Contact Group […] established in October 2000 at the initiative of the ODIHR’s Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues”.