Sweden’s good practices in combatting discrimination against Roma, highlighted at OSCE/ODIHR event in Warsaw

The Swedish government’s efforts to address challenges that Roma in the country face were the focus of an event organized on 30 September 2014 by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Government of Sweden during the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw.

During the event representatives from the Swedish Government presented the White Paper on abuses and rights violations of Roma during the 1900s, published on 25 March 2014. The paper aims to increase understanding of the situation of Roma in Sweden today by highlighting their historical suffering as a result of government policies, including difficulties in documentation, forced sterilization, immigration, and access to housing, education and employment.

“The Swedish Government’s White Paper is an example of good practice in the OSCE area in addressing the wrongs of the past and giving official recognition to the long history of racism and discrimination Roma and Sinti have faced,” said Mirjam Karoly, ODIHR Senior Adviser on Roma and Sinti Issues. “This is being done in order to promote ways to combat discrimination against the Roma today.”

The establishment of Sweden’s Governmental Commission against Anti-Gypsyism in March 2014 was directly tied to the publication of the White Paper, which consists of witness statements and research on the history of discrimination against Roma in the country.

“The White Paper was made possible by Roma civil society’s lobbying efforts, to illustrate repressive policies towards Roma in Sweden,” said Diana Nyman, a Roma activist from the country. “To this day, the lives of Roma are still affected by the discrimination they face.”

Thomas Hammarberg, Head of the Commission against Anti-Gypsyism, said: “We argued that it was not enough to expose the crimes of the past; it is necessary to address prejudice against Roma today, as Roma and Sinti are still discriminated and victims of hate speech and violent attacks in today’s Europe.”

During the event, members of the Roma community discussed with the Swedish officials their initiatives to counteract discrimination against Roma in public administration, to teach about Roma history in schools and to counter actions taken by the Government to register Roma on ethnic grounds.