EU strategy on Roma inclusion
2011. 03. 09.
In her speech Kinga Gál focused on the Roma children and the protection of their rights. She emphasised that for every child in Europe equal opportunities need to be ensured. This refers to the physical and intellectual development of the child – rights that range from daily warm food to the right to education. In this context she made remarks beside the importance of rights, to the obligations and responsibilities which not only bind the state, but also the parents. Finally the MEP talked raised the issue of combating child poverty, an issue that the Járóka-report will essentially contribute to.
The whole text of the speech can be found below:
"Mr President, Collegaues!
First of all I would like to congratulate Ms Járóka for her excellent work and for all the work that she has been doing since 2004 in defence of the Roma community. I would like to focus on children now.
For all the children in Europe we need to ensure opportunities and chances to development regardless of that the children belong to the majority or the minority of the society. This means that children should be entitled to physical and intellectual development, which includes rights from daily warm food to the right to education. These rights should serve as natural rights to children, also to Roma children and on the other hand at the same time these rights serve as obligations for the states and the parents.
Today 19% of the European children are living in deep poverty and endure negative discrimination, a significant percentage of them belonging to the Roma population. A common EU strategy on the Roma needs to emphasis this, and the Járóka report contributes to this. For example with the help of crisis maps the cooperation between Member States and the society could be strengthened, and also we should support more local initiations in this field. We have to prove that creative thinking and change of views are possible.
I welcome that the Roma Strategy is one of the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency and as such the Presidency works closely together with Lívia Járóka."