International Romani Union

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The International Romani Union (Romany: Romano Internacionalno Jekhetani Union) is an organization active for the rights of the Roma people. Its seat is in Prague.

The IRU was officially established at the second World Romani Congress in 1978.^[1] Since 2000, the president has been Emil Ščuka; before him, Rajko Djuric held this office for many years. The Spanish organisation Union Romani is affiliated with the International Romany Union.

Contents 1 Stated goals and objectives 2 Size, composition, representativeness 2.1 Roma Virtual Network 3 Functions and working methods 4 History 5 Funding 6 Institutional links 7 References

[edit] Stated goals and objectives

• To be the political representation of all Roma in the world (Sinti, Lovari, Ashkali, Chorichani, Romungro, Vlax, Manush, etc.), and to act in the best interests of the Roma nation.

• To develop the cultural traditions, customs and language of the Roma.

• To cooperate in solving the economic, social, cultural, educational, and humanitarian problems of the Roma in each of the individual countries in which they live.

• To serve as a centre for observing the activities of individual countries in achieving these goals.

• To enforce and strengthen regard for human rights and fundamental liberties for all irrespective of race, sex, language or religion.

[edit] Size, composition, representativeness

The members of the IRU are the following: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Brazil,Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine. Any Roma organization from the member countries may acquire membership in the IRU.

The Congress of the IRU is composed of delegates from the individual member organizations, honorary members and other members. Each member country is represented by member of delegates corresponding to the total number of Roma inhabitants of respective countries.

Each member country of the IRU has one representative and one substitute in the Parliament.

[edit] Roma Virtual Network

Roma Virtual Network^[2] is a public, non-partisan, non-profit grass-roots organization ^[3] under the umbrella of IRU, offering on-line support to the Union.

It provides the international Roma community and friendly non-Roma organizations and individuals with useful information on Roma issues in a variety of languages via the Internet. Established on 19 July 1999, by Valery Novoselsky, member of IRU ^[4] it has been started as a private initiative and gained the recognition of national and international, governmental and non-governmental NGOs dealing with Roma issues, especially in Europe. It contains 31 electronic mailing lists in 14 languages with a total membership of over 7000 e-mail addresses.

RVN aims to help the cooperation and exchange of information within Roma organizations and individuals, between Roma and non-Roma organizations and individuals and also between Roma NGOs and official institutions. It relates with the variety of Roma-related political, cultural, economic and social issues on local and international levels, aiming to support the improvement of the Roma situation in Europe and other regions of the world. It offers also on-line support, besides for IRU, also for various other Roma organizations, like Domari: The Society of Gypsies in Israel, RomNews Network.

[edit] Functions and working methods

The IRU functions though the following bodies: Congress, Parliament, Presidium, Court of Justice. The Congress approves the Programme and the long-term vision of the IRU. It makes recommendations with a view to supporting the participation of the Roma in individual countries in the fields of politics, economy, social affairs, culture, education, as well as facilitating the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties for all irrespective of race, sex, language or religion.

The Parliament deals with the Reports of the situation of Roma populations in individual countries during its sessions. At its autumn session the Parliament discusses and approves the budget for the following calendar year. The Parliament defines the domestic as well as the international policy of the International Romani Union.

The Presidium is the executive body of the IRU and functions through commissions covering the following subjects: foreign policy, social and economic affairs, cultural and educational affairs, human rights, internal affairs, financial and budgetary matters, legal and legislative matters, issues relating to Central and Eastern Europe, issue relating to America, Asia and Australia. The Presidium may elaborate studies and reports of international Roma affairs in economic, social, cultural, educational and related areas or initiate elaboration of such reports as well as make recommendation in these areas to the IRU Parliament, the IRU President, individual countries and international organizations and institutions. The Presidium may make recommendations with the purpose of supporting respect fo human rights and fundamental liberties for all.

The Court of Justice is a body of independent judges, elected irrespective of their membership in the IRU from amongst persons of high moral integrity. The Court supervises all the members and bodies of the IRU and their observance of this Charter.

[edit] History

In 1959, Ionel Rotaru founded the The World Gypsy Community (CMG) in France. While members were mostly French, the organization made contacts in Poland, Canada, Turkey, and other countries. When the French government dissolved the CMG in 1965^[1], a breakaway group formed the International Gypsy Committee (IGC) under the leadership of Vanko Rouda. When the 1971 World Romani Congress adopted the self-appellation of "Roma" rather than gypsy, the IGC was renamed the Komiteto Lumniako Romano (International Rom Committee or IRC), and Rouda was re-confirmed as president. The Committee became a member of the Council of Europe the following year. The Committee was changed again at the 1978 World Romani Congress and given its present name. It was given consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council the following year. The Union became a member of UNICEF in 1986, and a member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1990. In 1993, it was promoted to Category II, Special Consultative Status at the United Nations.

[edit] Funding

The main source of income is the membership fees of the individual members, and member organizations.

[edit] Institutional links

The IRU has institutional links with: - the Council of Europe. - OSCE (ODHIR). - UNHCHR. - UNO - ERTF. The IRU has memorandum of understanding and cooperation with Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and other countries with a view to the "continuous improvement of the situation and living conditions of the Roma.

[edit] References

• Ilona Klímová-Alexander (2005). The Romani Voice In World Politics: The United Nations and Non-state actors. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 0754641732. 
• Timeline of Romani History - Patrin