NCJ Number
208687
Date Published
2004
Length
196 pages
Annotation
This second part of the 2003/2004 Annual Report of the European Union Monitoring Centre (EUMC) on Racism and Xenophobia focuses on progress by member states in transposing into national legislation the two antidiscrimination directives of the European Council.
Abstract
This report is based on information sent to the EUMC from its National Focal Points in each member state. The first chapter provides an overview of legislative initiatives by member states, racist violence and crimes, discrimination in employment, and discrimination in housing. For each of the 15 member states, major developments in these 4 areas in the course of the year are summarized. Chapter 2 focuses on efforts to address discrimination in education in member countries. An overview of the following themes is provided: indicators of discrimination in education, good practice and programs for awareness-raising, provisions for minority education, developments in intercultural education, and religious symbols in schools. Chapter 3 is a new component in the EUMC Annual Report. It discusses minorities and the educational sector in the 10 new "Accession Countries" of Central and Eastern Europe that will become member states in May 2004. Topics addressed include minority education, religious symbols in schools, discrimination, and good practice and prevention initiatives. The focus is on 2003, when the 10 countries were still Accession Countries. Antidiscrimination policies in education in the 10 Accession Countries are compared with these policies in the 15 member states. The report concludes that although member states and Accession Countries were active in 2003 in drafting or implementing new antidiscrimination laws and ethnic equality regulations, racist violence and crime remain a problem in all member states. Further, marginalized minority groups experience discrimination in employment and higher levels of unemployment; and discrimination in housing is evident, particularly for the Roma, Sinti, Gypsies, and Travelers. Both direct and indirect discrimination is evident in the educational systems of member states and Accession Countries.