AI brief: Unsafe foundations. Secure the right to housing in Romania

Alert DateMay 8, 2012 Country: Romania General Type: Discrimination, Equality/Integration Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-roma/zinghanophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Roma & Travelers Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Housing, Integration - social cohesion

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Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Victims Gender N/A
Victims Age N/A
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Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Perpetrator Gender N/A
Perpetrator Age N/A
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Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

In a second brief on the topic of adequate housing in Romania, released in 2012, Amnesty International further detailed the problems faced by marginalized communities, the Roma in particular in having adequate housing, which respects their human rights. The brief mainly states that: “Romania does not effectively respect, protect and fulfill the right to adequate housing for all its citizens, either in law or in practice. Marginalized communities, such as the Roma, frequently suffer systematic abuses of their right to housing”. AI makes a comprehensive analysis of the Romanian legislation in the area of housing, brings emblematic examples from practice and contrasts them with international standards Romania undertook to implement through its international commitments.

The problems signaled include: difficulties in accessing the city, failure to provide a minimum degree of security of tenure, lack of safeguards against forced evictions, unavailability of services, failure to ensure affordability of housing, failure to ensure habitability, inappropriate relocation and segregation, lack of local authority accountability. The brief also offers a checklist of measures for Romanian authorities to undertake in order to ensure that Romanian legislation is in line with international human rights standards.

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