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ENAR Weekly Mail 351 15 February 2013 NEWS FROM ENAR ENAR call for tender: Fundraiser(s) ENAR is seeking to hire fundraisers on consultancy basis to support the Network in diversifying its funding streams. The fundraisers are part of a small team managing contacts with existing and potential funders. They report to the Director and interact mostly with the Deputy Director Finance, HR and Admin, the Deputy Director Policy and the Networking Officer. Deadline for applications: 24 February 2013. Read more ENAR IN THE NEWS Euronews TV, On the Frontline, Right wing, right here, right now, 13 February Russia Today TV, Human chain blocks Dresden neo-Nazi march on firebombing's anniversary, 13 February NEWS FROM THE ENAR NETWORK This is your space! Don’t hesitate to send an email to [email protected] to inform us of your events, activities and publications and have them published in ENAR’s Weekly Mail! Protest letter by ENAR Bulgaria and ENAR regarding neo-Nazi ‘Lukov March’ on 16 February ENAR Bulgaria sent a protest letter, supported by ENAR Europe, to Sofia and Bulgarian authorities condemning the racist and extremist ‘Lukov March’ and calling on the municipality of Sofia to forbid the demonstration that is to be held on Saturday 16 February 2013 in Sofia. Read more International course about man/woman equality and Forum-Theatre by Giolli Coop The course/training entitled "A dramaturgy for men/women equality and to fight discrimination through Forum-Theater" aims to co-build a dramaturgy of 2-3 Forum plays concerning women discrimination and violence that could be used by every participant in her/his specific context. Moreover they want to better understand the complexity of this work and to share the key point and contents to be cared. This objective will be carried out through several activities (short classes, experience comparisons, theatre exercises, improvisations, group works and discussions, performance…) which allow participants both to learn and to bring their experiences in this event. Deadline for applications to national lifelong learning programme agency: 30 April 2013. Date and venue: 11-16 November 2013, Casaltone (Italy). Read more ENAR Weekly Mail 351 - 15 February 2013 1 Forum "Migration & Development" in Austria The Africa Networking Platform (AVP), the Südwind Agentur and the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC) are organising a Forum “Migration & Development" to establish a better understanding between development organisations and Diaspora communities and to promote collaboration in the field of migration & development. The Forum comprises of an International Conference "Developing Development" and a Partnership Fair "Bridging the Gap". Date and venue: 14-15 March 2013, Vienna (Austria). Read more PROGRESSIVE STORIES ON DIVERSITY Dresden protesters block neo-Nazis Some 10,000 citizens have formed a cordon inside Dresden to prevent neo-Nazis from misusing an anniversary of the Allied bombing of the German city during World War II. A march by neo-Nazis was stopped by police. Dresden held commemorative events on 13 February for past war-time bombing victims in Dresden, England's Coventry and Japan's Hiroshima as some 800 neo-Nazis tried to begin a march near Dresden's main railway station. Police squads stopped them after a few hundred meters, close to where counter-demonstrators had set up one of three blockades in Dresden's historic inner city. Since 2009, anti-racist activists have outnumbered neo-Nazis who previously had used Dresden's bombing anniversary to stage large "funeral" marches to recall the demise of Hitler's "Third Reich." Read more Amsterdam dumps the 'A' word Amsterdam city council is to stop using the words 'allochtoon' and 'autochtoon' to differentiate between locals and immigrants. The idea originated from Labour party councillors but has now been given the support of the city's executive board. Labour says the use of the word allochtoon primarily used to describe people with a non-western background - is divisive and strengthens a feeling of 'them and us'. 'We are all Amsterdammers, and from now on we will talk about Moroccan Amsterdammers or Turkish Amsterdammers,' a spokesman for city executive Andrée van Es said. According to the Van Dale dictionary, allochtoon means migrant, foreigner or alien. The third generation of Turkish and Moroccan immigrants are still known as allochtoon despite being born and brought up in Holland. Read more NEWS FROM EUROPE Greek hospital director removed after allowing Golden Dawn to check personal nurses The director of a public hospital in Tripoli, the Peloponnese, has been removed from her position after allowing members of Golden Dawn to enter the premises and check the details of private nurses. Health Minister Andreas Lykourentzos ordered Eleni Sourouni to leave her post after complaints that members of the far-right party checked whether migrants hired by patients’ families to work as personal nurses had residence papers and were issuing receipts for their services. Read more Discrimination law fells only two in 20 years in Sweden Only two people have managed to bring an employer to justice for ethnic discrimination at work, despite the introduction of a Swedish law in 1994 aimed at helping those who fell victim to prejudice. Hundreds of employers have been reported in Sweden on the grounds of workplace discrimination, yet the complaints seem to be falling on deaf ears. Between 2006 and 2011, there ENAR Weekly Mail 351 - 15 February 2013 2 were 72 cases reported from within the industrial sector alone, however none of these made it to the Labour Court. Only eight of the cases resulted in a negotiated settlement. Read more YouTube neo-Nazis: the far right updates its online image in Germany Right-wing extremists in Germany are copying the methods of the leftist protest culture. Wearing masks like those of activists with the group "Anonymous," they are organizing flash mobs and posting rousing videos online to attract young new supporters. "The dangerous thing about it is the symbolic seizure of power on the street," says Johannes Radke, who co-wrote a book called "New Nazis" with Toralf Staud. "The Nazis use it to send a clear message: There are many of us, we are militant and we can turn up everywhere and at any time." Members of the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) and its youth organization, the Young National Democrats (JN), are now enthusiastically discussing ways to use image and activism more effectively. Read more UK Tories warned not to discriminate against Romanians and Bulgarians The Liberal Democrats are warning their Tory coalition partners against acting in a discriminatory manner as ministers draw up plans to impose welfare restrictions when Romanians and Bulgarians are given full travel rights across the EU next year. As MEPs from the two countries claimed they were being treated as "second-class Europeans", Lib Dems said Britain must act within EU law which says that Romanians and Bulgarians must be treated like all EU citizens from next year. Britain's hard stance is understood to have played a role in persuading Romanian and Bulgarian MEPs to write to José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, to complain about discrimination. Read more Football fans' racist taunts reflect resurgent anti-Semitism, anti-Roma feeling in Hungary Hungary will play probably its most important football match of 2013, an event that should have unified the nation instead highlighting its deep divisions, in a silent stadium of empty seats. Fifa ruled this month that Hungary must play its crucial World Cup qualifier against fierce rivals Romania next month behind closed doors, as punishment for what football’s governing body called “abhorrent” anti-Semitic chanting by Hungary supporters during a friendly against Israel last August. Hungary’s football association is to appeal against the decision, and the far-right political party Jobbik intends to hold a rally outside the stadium during the March 22nd fixture to show support for the national team and protest against the ban. Read more Minority Chancellor a 'problem' for many German voters A large majority of Germans have no problem with their Asian vice-chancellor, a new survey suggests. Yet for many voters an ethnic minority or gay national leader would be a step too far. The vast majority of Germans have no issue with Vice Chancellor and Free Democrat Party (FDP) leader Phillip Rösler's ethnic Vietnamese background, a survey by YouGov suggested. However, for many voters the idea of being ruled by a German chancellor of foreign extraction would be a step too far, figures suggest. Twenty nine percent said they would not like it if the top spot was given to an ethnic non-German, compared with 11 percent who would welcome it and 46 percent who said they did not mind either way. Voters would be similarly skeptical about a gay leader, the survey suggested. Read more UK anti-Semitism up again in 2012 Anti-Jewish incidents in the United Kingdom rose slightly last year, making 2012 the third worst year on record. The Community Security Trust, which handles security-related matters for the British Jewish community, said in its latest report that there 640 attacks against Jews had been ENAR Weekly Mail 351 - 15 February 2013 3 reported in 2012, up from 608 in 2011 and representing an increase of five per cent. There had been 60 violent assaults against Jews in 2012, with two of them being qualified as "extreme violence". Social media sites, the CST said, were the fastest-growing source of anti-Semitism. The organization recorded 80 such incidents last year, compared to 12 in 2011. Read more David Cameron: Justice for all – unless you're an immigrant The prime minister revealed that access to justice was another of a growing list of public services that ministers were trying to reorganise to restrict access for new immigrants to Britain. From April, the coalition government has already axed the right of foreigners to claim legal aid for immigration cases. David Cameron's latest comments have now raised speculation that ministers could mount a further assault on legal aid, targeting the existing rights of foreign nationals – from illegal immigrants to tourists – to get financial support if they are implicated in a court case while in the UK. Speaking just a day after the planning minister, Nick Boles, said he was nervous about the impact of immigration on public services and housing, Cameron said many parts of the system needed addressing as part of a ministerial push to reduce Britain's "pull factor" for incomers. Read more L'hébergement des demandeurs d'asile au bord de l'embolie La France accueille de plus en plus mal les demandeurs d'asile. Différence de traitement selon les régions, délais de procédures de plus en plus longs, conditions d'accueil insuffisantes, voire inexistantes, les étrangers venus chercher protection en France sont soumis à un "vrai parcours de combattant". Tel est le constat dressé par la Coordination française pour le droit d'asile (CFDA), qui réunit une vingtaine d'associations, dans un rapport. S'appuyant sur une enquête menée de juin à septembre 2012, dans trente et un départements, le collectif dénonce une dégradation des conditions de vie des demandeurs d'asile, et ce malgré de multiples réformes censées améliorer le droit d'asile. Pour en savoir plus Un jeune Flamand sur trois ne tolère pas les musulmans Selon une étude publiée par le quotidien flamand De Morgen, un jeune Flamand sur trois a une opinion négative au sujet des musulmans. Par ailleurs, l’étude qui a sondé des adolescents issus d’écoles d’Anvers et de Gand montre que 20% des jeunes Flamands considèrent que les musulmans ne devraient pas être autorisés à pratiquer leur foi en Belgique. Par ailleurs, un cinquième de ces jeunes est convaincu que beaucoup de musulmans sont des criminels. Cette étude menée par le professeur émérite Mark Elchardus pointe également l’intolérance des jeunes musulmans en milieux urbains vis-à-vis de la diversité. Ainsi, près de la moitié d’entre eux se sont dits en faveur de l’annulation du mariage homosexuel et un quart justifie la violence à l’encontre des gays. Pour en savoir plus EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS European Parliament and Commission hearing on EU citizenship This hearing, taking place on 19 February in Brussels is jointly organised by the European Commission and the European Parliament and will be one of the first events of the European Year of Citizens. The objective of the hearing will be to look at practical solutions aimed at removing the many obstacles EU citizens still encounter in their daily lives when exercising their EU rights, notably their right to free movement and their political rights. The hearing constitutes a timely opportunity to reflect on avenues to strengthen EU citizenship in the context of the European Year of Citizens 2013 and in view of the next EU Citizenship Report which the Commission will adopt in May 2013. Read more ENAR Weekly Mail 351 - 15 February 2013 4 CoE/EC conference on ‘Poverty and Inequality in Societies of Human Rights: the paradox of democracies’ In order to lay the foundations for a renewed anti-poverty strategy, the Council of Europe, in partnership with the European Commission, is holding a conference in Strasbourg on 21 and 22 February on the theme of “Poverty and Inequality in Societies of Human Rights: the paradox of democracies”. The conference is being held in order to: analyse the current situation and identify the obstacles impeding efforts to combat poverty and inequalities; make practical proposals for progress, taking account of the need to listen to every voice and to make better use of, and share, resources; exchange and share experience, knowledge and practices, paving the way for innovative action. Read more UNITED NATIONS High Commissioner pays tribute to civil rights activist Rosa Parks In her statement paying tribute to Rosa Parks on the 100th anniversary of her birth, UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay draws attention to the mechanisms established by the UN to combat racial discrimination and the progress that has been achieved globally: “Almost six decades later, countries worldwide have outlawed racism and there is universal agreement that racial segregation violates universal values.” However, Pillay has cautioned that, “Despite these efforts and successes, racism and racial discrimination persists. It leads to poverty, inequality, marginalization and stigmatization in societies around the world.” Read more Fighting incitement to crimes against humanity A multi-layered approach to countering hate speech that could incite genocide and other crimes against humanity is needed, given the limits of legislation and the imperative to preserve freedom of expression, Adama Dieng, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, told a panel recently. For an effective multi-layered approach, Dieng said, legislation must be complemented with fighting the root causes of hate speech – racism and discrimination – through dialogue and other measures, as well as countering it with “positive speech,” from government as well as civil society, while improving national and international early warning of build-up of hate, for instance through the monitoring of new media. Read more NEWS FROM OTHER NETWORKS Economic crisis is not over - worst is still to come, claims Caritas Europa The prioritisation by the EU and its Member States of economic policies at the expense of social policies during the current crisis is having a devastating impact on people - especially in the five countries worst affected (Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain) - according to a new study published by Caritas Europa. The report finds that the failure of the EU and its Member States to provide concrete support on the scale required to assist those experiencing difficulties, to protect essential public services and create employment is likely to prolong the crisis. The report highlights the extremely negative impact of austerity policies on the lives of vulnerable people, and reveals that many others are being driven into poverty for the first time. Read more Social Platform: “Employment alone cannot fight poverty – active inclusion can” Intervening at the informal meeting of Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs in Dublin on February 7, Social Platform made clear that employment alone cannot fight poverty and that ENAR Weekly Mail 351 - 15 February 2013 5 implementation of the active inclusion strategy is required. The latter demands a strong investment in minimum income schemes and in social services to ensure people can effectively be included in society and have access to the labour market. Read more PUBLICATIONS New briefing on how the Charter of Fundamental Rights can be used The Open Society Foundations have produced a background paper explaining when and how the Charter of Fundamental Rights can be used by advocates at national and EU level. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union could become a powerful tool available to influence policy makers or serve as a basis for litigation. Individuals can use judicial and political mechanisms to hold EU institutions, and in certain circumstances member countries, to account when they fail to comply with the Charter. The Charter can also be used to pressure decision makers to bring policies and legislation under development in line with human rights standards. Read more Etude sur la discrimination en Belgique : analyse des positions sur le marché du travail selon le genre et la nationalité Ce rapport de recherche rédigé par Nouria Ouali et Pasquale Cennicola du centre METICES de l’ULB dresse une double photographie statistique de la situation des personnes étrangères sur le marché de l’emploi en Wallonie et dans les autres régions belges selon la nationalité et selon le genre. La prise en considération de ces deux dimensions, qui met en évidence le phénomène de cumul des inégalités, constitue l’une des originalités de la recherche. L’analyse des principaux indicateurs du marché du travail confirme des positions différenciées et hiérarchisées selon la nationalité. En comparaison aux travailleurs étrangers, les citoyens belges se distinguent, en effet, par de meilleurs taux d’activité et d’emploi. Pour en savoir plus EVENTS Two e-learning courses: Migration and Asylum and EU Migration and Asylum Law and Policies As part of the Human Rights Education Associates’ (HREA) new certificate programme on Migration & Asylum, the following two e-learning courses are upcoming: Migration and Asylum (Foundation Course) and EU Migration and Asylum Law and Policies from 27 February-9 April 2013. The courses are aimed at practitioners and professionals who want to gain knowledge in the field of migration and asylum. Registrations are open until 20 February. Read more Seminar: How to litigate before the European Court Of Human Rights practical guide to procedure This seminar aims to prepare the parties of a potential case before the Strasbourg Court on the practical aspects of its procedure. Key topics include: What national remedies must be sought before submitting an application to the Court in Strasbourg; What admissibility criteria have to be complied with; What an individual application should contain; What are the objectives of the written and the oral parts of the proceedings. Date and venues: 5-6 March 2013, Strasbourg (France). Read more ELENA Introductory Course on the International Protection of Refugees The purpose of this course is to look at the international protection framework for refugees. It will consider this topic from an International law perspective but reference will also be made to the European framework. It will look at the refugee definition and examine concepts such as wellENAR Weekly Mail 351 - 15 February 2013 6 founded fear, reasons for persecution, agents of persecution and the failure of state protection. Deadline for registration: 5 April 2013. Date and venue: 10-12 May 2013, Lisbon (Portugal). Read more Second edition of the Summer Academic Campus on Romani Studies Romani MA and PhD students from Europe are invited to apply for participating in a 5 days academic summer campus on “Minority knowledge, education and schooling of Roma”. This year, the Summer Academic Campus on Romani Studies aims to full grant 5 MA and Phd students in order to present their actual research’s work. This second edition aims to propose and develop areas of research and education correlated with areas of interests and predilections of the University in an interdisciplinary approach; and to continue the dynamic developed during the first edition of stimulation and development of a centre of excellence in the field of reflection and international academic research. Deadline for applications: 15 April 2013. Date and venue: 8-12 July 2013, Jean Monnet University, Saint-Etienne (France). Read more International Summer Academy on Peacebuilding & Intercultural Dialogue Institute for Peace and Dialogue is organizing this summer academy which aims to support institutional academic peace education and strengthen peacebuilding skills and intercultural dialogue of international society. Date and venue: 1-11 September 2013, Vienna (Austria). Read more FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Funding opportunity coming soon from the OSF Roma Initiatives Office In two weeks, the Roma Initiatives Office will be launching an open call for concept papers to present your ideas on how to address a number of urgent issues faced by Roma communities in one or more of the following priority areas: Elections, Combating anti-Roma violence and hate speech, Transparency and accountability of public spending on Roma integration, Rights of Roma women, The right of Roma to adequate housing, Employment and income generation for Roma, Rights of internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants of Roma origin. The call will be open to non-governmental organisations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Spain. VACANCIES L’Association Européenne pour la défense des Droits de l’Homme recrute un/e chargé/e de la gestion administrative et financière Le/la chargé/e de la gestion administrative et financière travaillera sous la responsabilité des membres du bureau exécutif, notamment du président de l’AEDH ainsi que de la coordinatrice du siège ; et devra assurer la gestion financière et administrative de l’association, ainsi que la recherche de financements et rédaction de demandes de financements. Contrat à durée déterminée de 6 mois à compter du 1er mars, renouvellement du contrat prévu. Pour en savoir plus ENAR Weekly Mail 351 - 15 February 2013 7