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Direct Link to Letter to the Council
of Europe
Commissioner for Human Rights:
Rights Groups Urge Council of Europe Action on Coerced
Sterilisation Matters
Today, a coalition of human rights organizations sent a letter to the Council of Europe to voice its concern about the coerced sterilization of Romani women in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. The letter, addressed to the Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg, was endorsed by the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Peacework Development Fund, Life Together, League of Human Rights, Center for Reproductive Rights and the Group of Women Harmed by Sterilisation.
The letter noted that, while coercive sterilization is usually considered a legacy of the Communist past, there is evidence that the practice is continuing to this day, with cases reported as recently as last year. For this reason, the governments concerned must officially acknowledge the problem, amend their laws and practices, and provide compensation to victims.
The letter underlines that there is a pressing need for a general review in the Central European region of the persistence of this practice, and called on the Commissioner to take the lead in this review. The letter also asked the Commissioner to follow up directly with the three governments on recommendations already made by domestic bodies and international organizations that remain unimplemented. The general public and medical professionals must receive a clear message about the need to safeguard women’s human rights so that this odious practice is finally ended.
Gwendolyn Albert, Director, Women's Initiatives Network, Peacework Development Fund
Claude Cahn, Consultant, Think International
Robert Kushen, ERRC Managing Director
Kumar Vishwanathan, Director, Life Together
David Zahumenský, League of Human Rights
Christina Zampas, Center for Reproductive Rights
Elena Gorolová, Spokesperson for the Group of Women Harmed by Sterilisation
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