The representatives of Praxis held two lectures for the participants of school for future human rights defenders organised by the Civil Rights Defenders. The lectures were held on 23 February 2015 in Belgrade at the premises of the Humanitarian Law Fund and 24 February 2015 in Niš in the Media Center.
This is the first school for human rights defenders organised by the Civil Rights Defenders and participants were mainly students of political science, law and related faculties. Praxis is the first in a series of non-governmental organisations that presented to the participants their work and experience in the field of Roma rights protection and fight against discrimination.
The problems faced by Roma in the procedures of registration in birth registry books and acquiring citizenship were presented through concrete examples, particularly noting that without the possession of personal documents these persons cannot access their fundamental rights. They also presented cases from practice relating to access to the rights to health care, social protection, housing, education and so on. The concept of discrimination and the right to equality, as well as available mechanisms for fighting against discrimination, were outlined.
The lectures were very interactive and the participants of this school showed a rather good knowledge about human rights, but also had the opportunity to hear about the practice of protection of fundamental human rights of vulnerable population, what free legal aid implied, as well as about the importance of the activities of advocacy and raising awareness of target groups and the public with the aim of creating a better, more equal society.