Hungary punishes discrimination against Roma

The Hungarian Supreme Court has awarded damages to Roma children, because they were segregated from non-Roma children. Two lawyers welcome this decision in the daily newspaper The Guardian: "Segregation in Hungarian schools is a serious problem - the widespread stigmatisation of Roma means many parents and indeed teachers would prefer their children not to mix with Roma children in schools, or elsewhere. ... Despite the changes brought in by the 2004 Equal Treatment Act, which forbids segregation in the school system, the problem persists. ... Each of the five children involved in the case was awarded damages of 100,000 forints (450 dollars) - roughly three months' income for many Roma families - by a supreme court that recognised the unlawful segregation as well as its detrimental effects upon the children's education. ... Whilst this ruling will not end the widespread discrimination against Roma that exists in Hungary and elsewhere, it does send out a message to other authorities that the courts will uphold legislation preventing segregation, and that punitive measures will be taken against those who break it."

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Integration, » Minorities, » Hungary

» To the complete press review of Monday, August 2, 2010