25 November 2014
During the review the Romanian Ambassador to the UN, Maria Ciobanu, responding to a question on Roma inclusion policies referred to Roma in Romania as being “nomadic by nature” and implied that this nomadism makes ensuring successful Roma inclusion particularly difficult. However, the great majority of Roma in Romania live a sedentary lifestyle and have done so for generations. The representative then commented that women in Romania, despite being highly educated, did not have “the skills to take part in the tough political life”. Both of these statements are rooted in prejudice, and they are discriminatory and unacceptable. Furthermore, they are indicative of Romania’s contemptuous attitude towards the CESCR and the review process in particular.