Newsroom
A new approach to protecting people living in informal settlements
PRISTINA 4 November 2003
PRISTINA, 4 November 2003 - Tackling informal settlements means that central and local governments need to implement policies that treat these settlements and their inhabitants as an integral part of the community. This was a key conclusion of a regional working roundtable, held in Pristina on October 30-31, on formalizing informal settlements of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians and other vulnerable groups in South-East Europe.
The aim of this regional roundtable, sponsored by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, was to begin the process to improve the human rights situation of Roma and other vulnerable groups who live in informal settlements.
"Governments need to be involved in improving the situation of inhabitants of informal settlements will show the commitment of governments of this region to human rights, including the situation of minority communities, and to joining Europe," said Ambassador Pascal Fieschi, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.
The roundtable focused on developing tools to address the situation not merely in terms of property, return, or discrimination, but as a human settlement issue. The OSCE Missions in South-East Europe, representatives of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities in the region and other involved actors, including representatives from the Provisional Institutions of Self Government in Kosovo, gathered for this two-day roundtable to begin the process to develop co-ordinated and effective policies.
"Policies need to focus on how to improve a community's standard of living both inside the informal settlement and in the wider community. It requires dialogue and engagement of both the communities affected and governments," said Alex Hug, Head of the OSCE Mission's Human Rights Division.
Drawing upon best practices inside and outside the region, international experts from UN Habitat, the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC) and from Germany guided the drafting of a working document. The participants will use this tool to increase governments' engagement in a dialogue about their needs. This approach will not only remedy human rights violations in the past, but also prevent them in the future.
The consolidated outcome of recommendations will be released in the coming weeks.
The OSCE missions in the region are uniquely placed to facilitate co-ordinated policies in the region by encouraging their host governments to with civil society and to ensure that human rights of those living in informal settlements are protected.
The aim of this regional roundtable, sponsored by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, was to begin the process to improve the human rights situation of Roma and other vulnerable groups who live in informal settlements.
"Governments need to be involved in improving the situation of inhabitants of informal settlements will show the commitment of governments of this region to human rights, including the situation of minority communities, and to joining Europe," said Ambassador Pascal Fieschi, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.
The roundtable focused on developing tools to address the situation not merely in terms of property, return, or discrimination, but as a human settlement issue. The OSCE Missions in South-East Europe, representatives of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities in the region and other involved actors, including representatives from the Provisional Institutions of Self Government in Kosovo, gathered for this two-day roundtable to begin the process to develop co-ordinated and effective policies.
"Policies need to focus on how to improve a community's standard of living both inside the informal settlement and in the wider community. It requires dialogue and engagement of both the communities affected and governments," said Alex Hug, Head of the OSCE Mission's Human Rights Division.
Drawing upon best practices inside and outside the region, international experts from UN Habitat, the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC) and from Germany guided the drafting of a working document. The participants will use this tool to increase governments' engagement in a dialogue about their needs. This approach will not only remedy human rights violations in the past, but also prevent them in the future.
The consolidated outcome of recommendations will be released in the coming weeks.
The OSCE missions in the region are uniquely placed to facilitate co-ordinated policies in the region by encouraging their host governments to with civil society and to ensure that human rights of those living in informal settlements are protected.