EDITORIAL The Critical Role of Research in Advancing Romani’s Right to Health

摘要

As we finalize this special section on Romani People and the Right to Health, a landmark ruling on Romahealth rights has just been handed down by the European Committee of Social Rights. On October 16,2017, the committee accepted as admissible the European Roma Rights Centre’s complaint against Bulgariaalleging systemic discrimination against Romani women in maternity wards.1 The complaint details segregation,substandard and abusive maternity care, and disproportionate barriers in access to health insurancefor this part of the Roma population.2 The committee’s finding advances official recognition of the intersectionaldiscrimination affecting Romani women and girls across Europe and perhaps beyond. We use theword “perhaps” advisedly, for conclusive evidence documenting discriminatory and racist practices againstRoma living on other continents is lacking, a point underlined in 2016 by Rita Izsak-Ndiaye, the UnitedNations (UN) Special Rapporteur on minority issues.3Despite its significance, the Bulgarian case is not unique in Europe. A 2014 shadow report submittedto the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by Romani CRISS, a Romanian RomaRights organization, also drew attention to “the segregation of Roma patients, especially Roma women, inseparate rooms” at Marie Curie Hospital in Bucharest, as well as three other locations in Romania.4 Accordingto the report, Romani women complained about “unrenovated … and untidy rooms; [the fact that]the nurses change the sheets very rarely; [and the fact that] babies receive treatment, such as syrups, with[already used] … unsterilized utensils.”5 A further ex officio investigation by Romani CRISS in partnershipwith the Equality Body revealed the segregation of Romani children in special wards at the Marie CurieHospital in Bucharest.