Council of Europe to launch Roma rights campaign in Moldova and Ukraine

Improving the living conditions of Roma citizens by safeguarding their basic human rights, promoting access to services and supporting their participation in social and political life and further empowerment are the priorities of a joint Council of Europe/European Commission awareness-raising project to be launched in Moldova and Ukraine on 14 May, Info-Prim Neo reports. The project, entitled "Empowering the Roma communities and fighting against anti-Gypsyism", will provide training on the monitoring and evaluation of Roma national policies for government officials, but also training for teachers and anti-trafficking mediators from Moldova and Ukraine. The project will also include the launch of Dosta!, an awareness-raising campaign promoting Roma rights which has already been successfully carried out in five countries in South Eastern Europe with the support of the authorities and Roma communities. Dosta is a Romani word meaning "enough," and the program's broader goal is to stop prejudice by bringing non-Roma people closer to Roma citizens in order to achieve equal rights and treatment for Roma A communique issued by the press unit of the Council of Europe finds that the Roma are European citizens. They form a group of about 10 million people and can be found in almost all Council of Europe member states. Media representatives are invited to attend a press conference at 10.30am on Wednesday 14 May at the Bureau of Interethnic Relations in Chisinau.