Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne, Life Peer and member of the House of Lords, will give the keynote speech at the International Conference on ‘Romani mobilities in Europe: multidisciplinary perspectives’ (14-15 January 2010), organised by the Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford Department of International Development, University of Oxford.
Baroness Nicholson’s lecture will focus on ‘2005-15: The decade of Roma inclusion: what has been done and what should be done.’
The keynote address will take place on Thursday 14 January 2010 at 5.30pm, in the Chapel of Harris Manchester College, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3AT.
The lecture is open to the public, and will be followed by refreshments.
Spaces are limited so we recommend you RSVP to guarantee a seat.
For more information or to reserve a seat, please contact Katherine Salahi at:
katherine.salahi@qeh.ox.ac.uk
Abstract
The decade represents a political will at the international level to recognize the difficulties of the Roma minority within the members? states boundaries and to act coherently to improve the Roma people?s social and economic status. Over the years huge independent efforts have been developed – public and private policies, programmes and projects – aiming to alleviate and improve the condition of the Roma in post-communist countries. EU, World Bank, UNDP, International NGOs charities, etc. have all sponsored such projects. Other issues to be raised by the Baroness are the Roma?s weak state of healthcare, low education, poor housing conditions and high-rates of unemployment and, as a consequence, the lack of revenues, all these being combined with multiple forms of discrimination that they experience, leading to social and economical marginalisation and exclusion.
Biographical note
Baroness Nicholson is a Life Peer and a member of the House of Lords. She is a former member of the European Parliament for South East England, and a member of the Liberal Democrat party. Baroness Nicholson was made a Life Peer in 1997, and takes the Liberal Democrat Whip. She was the Member of Parliament for Devon and West Torridge (1987-1997), and Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party (1983-1987). Baroness Nicholson was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for the South East region of England in June, 1999. She was re-elected in June 2004. Baroness Nicholson is the Patron of, or holds honorary positions in, over fifty charities. She is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the AMAR International Charitable Foundation, which was set up in 1991 to provide emergency aid for refugees in southern Iraq. Lady Nicholson is the co-chairman with the Prime Minister of Romania of the High Level Group for Romania’s Children and the co-chairman with the Prime Minister of Moldova of the High Level Group for Moldovan Children.
