Europa Oriental e Ásia Central

Roma refuse to leave their Ostrava homes in Czech Republic

Published in Monday August 6th, 2012 In In the media
The planning and building authority ordered the relocation on the grounds that the buildings were no longer inhabitable. (ČTK)

August 5, 2012 Around 140 people, primarily Czech Romanies, still remain in the shanty town Prednadrazi in Ostrava-Privoz they were ordered to leave by the planning and building authority yesterday. There are many children among the people. Locals are trying to partly repair the houses and they want the office to change its decision, local [...]

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Czech Authorities Must Prevent a Forced Eviction of Roma Families

Published in Sunday August 5th, 2012 In Social movement news

August 3rd, 2012 Amnesty International today called on Czech authorities to prevent forcibly evicting dozens of Roma families living in rental accommodations in the north-eastern Czech town of Ostrava this weekend. On Friday morning, the head of Ostrava’s construction office delivered an eviction notice to more than 40 Roma families living in rented housing on [...]

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North Korea Floods: Dozens Killed, Thousands Homeless After Torrential Rains

Published in Monday July 30th, 2012 In In the media
País é afetado por chuvas em época dos tufões. Foto: Kim Kwang Hyon/AP

July 28, 2012 Severe flooding across North Korea has killed 88 people and left tens of thousands homeless, state media reported late on Saturday, threatening to make the poverty-stricken country’s already chronic food shortage still worse. The floods caused by torrential rains and a typhoon this month caused “big human and material losses”, North Korea’s [...]

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Romania Walls In Its Roma

Published in Monday July 23rd, 2012 In In the media
Ethnic Roma children play on the wall that surround a Roma neighborhood in Baia Mare. Photo: REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel

July 20, 2012 The Roma are the largest ethnic minority in the European Union. And most live as second class citizens, in abject poverty. In the Romanian town of Baia Mare, a mayor has come up with a radical solution – he’s rehousing families in dilapidated communist-era offices and building a wall that closes them [...]

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Special Rapporteur concludes mission to Rwanda and presents her preliminary findings – Newsletter # 23

Published in Tuesday July 17th, 2012


On July 13, the Special Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik concluded her official mission to Rwanda, in Africa. She visited the country at the invitation of Rwanda Government and, at the occasion, met with members of the government and parliament, NGOs and scholars, and visited cities and villages in the rural area. At the end of her nine days visiting the country, the Rapporteur presented her preliminary findings at a press conference. Before the mission, from June 30 to July 1st, she made use of a stop in Saint Petersburg to meet with representatives of the Russian civil society to discuss the housing situation in the city.

Rapporteur’s visit to Saint Petersburg

Published in Friday July 13th, 2012 In News
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UN Special Rapporteur Raquel Rolnik made use of her stop in Saint Petersburg, on June 30 and July 1st, 2012, to meet representatives of the Russian civil society and learn about the housing situation in the city.

Check the photos of the visit to Saint Petersburg, Russia

Published in Tuesday July 3rd, 2012
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Check the photos of the working visit of the Special Raporteur to the Right to Housing, Raquel Rolnik, to Saint Petersburg, Russia, on June 30 and July 1st.

Czech Republic: Violence against homeless people rises

Published in Tuesday July 3rd, 2012 In Social movement news

July 2nd, 2012 Romani people are not the only targets for violence in Czech society – the recent deterioration in the societal atmosphere is also being felt by homeless people. The assault on two homeless people in Olomouc this past Monday is not the only such recent crime, and hatred against homeless people is on [...]

Rehousing Romania’s Roma signals swing to extremes

Published in Monday July 2nd, 2012 In In the media

June 29, 2012 Building a wall that closes in a Roma neighborhood and rehousing families in a dilapidated communist-era office block have earned Catalin Chereches accusations of racism. But the actions have also helped the mayor of the northern Romanian town of Baia Mare to become the country’s most popular local politician and shown how [...]

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Meeting of Moscow Dormitory Tenants: Housing is the right not privilege!

Published in Thursday June 28th, 2012 In News
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On June, 17, in Krasnopresnenskaya square, near the monument to the 1905 Revolution Heroes, a meeting was held by the Movement of Dormitory Tenants, protesting the harassment of the tenants who have worked hard enough to own their housing. The protest action was organized with the support of the RRP, KPFR Alternative City Committee, Left Front, Trodovaya Rossia Movement, and other left wing parties and movements.