Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders in Ukraine: How to strengthen their responsive capacity?
Meeting
- Date:
- Location:
- Meeting Room 1, Belweder, Sofitel Hotel, Warsaw
- Organized by:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
- Source:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- Fields of work:
- Human rights, Roma and Sinti, Tolerance and non-discrimination
About the event
As part of the 2026 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, ODIHR is organizing a side event on supporting Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders in Ukraine.
The ongoing war following the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine has created additional challenges for activists working to protect Roma rights. The event will bring together Roma rights advocates to share their experiences, discuss the risks they face and identify the support they need to sustain their work.
Participants will explore activists’ efforts to combat discrimination against Roma and seek effective remedies for human rights violations. They will also consider practical ways in which public authorities, civil society and international partners can support these efforts.
The discussion will draw on ODIHR’s training and mentoring programmes for Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders, delivered within the Programme on Support for and Engagement in Ukraine. These initiatives cover human rights monitoring, advocacy, gender empowerment, digital safety and security, and well-being, with follow-up support to help participants apply their skills in practice.
Speakers
Opening remarks
Tea Jaliashvili, First Deputy Director, ODIHR
Presentations and discussion
- Anna Burdeina, Director, International Charitable Foundation “World Without Borders”
- Zinaida Prokopenko, Advocacy Adviser, Voice of Romni
- Yanina Fyudr, Researcher and Specialist on Roma Employment
Moderator
Iryna Sukhinina, Project Officer, ODIHR
Participation and contact
The side event is open to registered participants of the 2026 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.
Working languages: English and Ukrainian.
For questions about this side event, please write to Natalia Duminica, ODIHR Associate Programme Officer, Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues, at Natalia.Duminica@odihr.pl.
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