Latest news with #marginalised
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
More than €1bn in EU funds used in discriminatory projects, report says
Hundreds of millions in European Union funds have been used in projects that violate the rights of marginalised communities, a report alleges, citing initiatives such as segregated housing for Roma, residential institutions for children with disabilities and holding centres for asylum seekers. The report, based on information compiled by eight NGOs from across Europe, looks at 63 projects in six countries. Together these projects are believed to have received more than €1bn in funding from the European Union, laying bare a seemingly 'low understanding' of fundamental rights across the bloc, according to one of the authors of the EU-funded report. While the report focused on six countries, those behind the analysis suggested that similar projects were probably widespread across the EU. 'This is really just the tip of the iceberg,' said Ines Bulic of the European Network on Independent Living, describing it as 'unacceptable' that funds provided by European citizens could have been used to amplify the discrimination and segregation of communities that already ranked among the bloc's most marginalised. She pointed to a school in Greece for people with disabilities and special needs, which had been part of a wider EU investment in special vocational schools, as an example. 'What we would like to see is investment in inclusive education, which is very much needed in all of the EU, such as accessible schools, investments in support teachers and other services that allow children to attend regular schools,' she said. Another example she gave was of an institution for children with disabilities in Romania, which had received €2.5m in funding, where children were being sent to live rather than being provided with support to remain with their families. 'This of great concern. It is a right of all children, disabled or not, to grow up in their families.' Other examples highlighted in the report include the construction of social housing for Roma in Romania on the edge of a city. Far from any public service, the homes are built from shipyard containers and do not meet the minimum requirements for thermal or sound insulation and sanitation, the report notes. Several reception centres for asylum seekers across Greece were also flagged for their extremely remote locations and poor living conditions. Those behind the report cited several reasons to explain how millions of euros had ended up being allocated to projects seen as discriminatory. One was a seemingly 'low understanding' of fundamental rights across some governments and parts of the EU, said Andor Urmos of Bridge EU, the organisation that had worked with various civil society groups across Europe to prepare the report. 'That's what we need to tackle in the future,' he said. 'To have a common view, a common understanding that building a segregated school for Roma children is a violation of fundamental rights, as is building a residential institution for people with disabilities or locking up people in reception centres like what is happening in Greece.' The findings dovetail with a raft of recent reports. This week, the Council of Europe said that school segregation was resulting in lower-quality education for Roma, noting that the high concentration of Roma children in certain schools 'appears to be the result of residential segregation, but also of continuing practices by school authorities to educate Roma children in separate classes or buildings'. Last year an EU agency found that the number of people with disabilities who were living in segregated, at times harmful, settings had increased in many EU member states, while civil society organisations have repeatedly accused EU-funded refugee centres of violating people's rights. When contacted, the European Commission said it was aware of the findings of this week's report and was looking into it. 'It is important to highlight that the commission does not fund any organisation that does not fully respect fundamental rights and values,' a spokesperson said. 'In case of violation of the applicable conditions, we have means to terminate the cooperation and recover the money, as necessary.' The report listed projects that were under shared management, meaning the commission relied on national authorities to ensure the legality and regularity of operations, it said. 'Both the EU and its member states must continuously ensure that projects which are incompatible with European values or pursue an illegal agenda, do not receive support from government and European funds,' the spokesperson added. The report highlighted serious shortcomings in how EU funds are being managed and monitored, said Steven Allen of the Validity Foundation, a disability rights organisation that also contributed to the document. 'We can see that both the EU member states, as well as the European Commission, are failing to prevent EU taxpayers money from facilitating and financing serious violations of the rights of multiple marginalised populations,' he said. The report's release was carefully timed to come before planning takes place for the EU's next budget, set to take effect in 2028. Its findings made it clear that the voices of those who often go unheard needed to be included in the decision-making, said Allen. Doing so could help unlock the transformative powers of EU funding, offering the potential to build inclusive education systems or overhaul areas such as public housing, where grievances have been linked to the rise of the far right. 'EU funds do have the potential to be a powerful tool and to provide real, tangible benefits of the EU project to the most marginalised populations on the continent today,' he said. 'And they can indeed be used as an antidote against the rise of creeping nationalism and far-right extremist politics. The funds must be better targeted.'
Sky News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Conclave live: First US pope calls for peace in first address - as world leaders send their congratulations
New pope 'will certainly speak out for marginalised and poor' Ruth Gledhill, an assistant editor at the Catholic journal, The Tablet, has said Pope Leo XIV is definitely not a "compromise candidate". "He's already been outspoken about what's happening in America at the moment on the X account that he was running very actively before the conclave, before the election," he said. "And he is really a man of huge principle. He is a bridge builder, so I'm not sure that he will be really conflict-oriented in terms of going up against people. He will try to build bridges. "But he will certainly speak out in the tradition of Pope Francis for the marginalised, the poor and the people on the fringes of society." JD Vance welcomes first American pope JD Vance, who was baptised Catholic in 2019 and notably met Pope Francis in the days before his death, has hailed the news about the new pontiff. Here is what he wrote on X... Meloni speaks of pope's 'spiritual authority' In a letter to Pope Leo XIV, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke of the new pontiff's "spiritual and moral authority". She said: "Italians will look to you as a guide and point of reference, recognizing in the Pope and the Church that spiritual and moral authority that derives from its inexhaustible message of love, charity and hope, which flows from the Word of God." She joins a number of political and religious leaders tonight who have congratulated the new pope who has become the first American head of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo is 'a man of peace' The archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has told Sky's Mark Austin he feels "encouraged and deeply hopeful" that with Pope Leo the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church will continue working together. He said "today was a joyful and hopeful day for all Christian people" and while he did not know the new pope personally he was "moved" by what he heard Pope Leo say. "His opening words were peace for the whole world," he said. Asked what it could mean for the relationship between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, Cottrell added: "We are on a journey of working and walking together. "I feel encouraged and deeply hopeful that with Pope Leo that journey will continue. "I loved his humility and humanity." He added that Pope Leo came across as "a man of peace". American pope might be in better position to deal with abuse scandal, newspaper editor says There was a "long-standing rumour" that there would never be an American pope, says Charles Collins, managing editor of Crux, a Catholic publication. "The fact that he's an American is very interesting," he told Sky News. "The fact that he's an American means that he will have better access to really wealthy American Catholics to be able to help solve the financial crisis that's been hitting the Vatican. "And I'm not going to say that played a role in his election, but it might have played a role in his election." He also spoke about the abuse scandal that still rocks the Catholic Church. "I think an American might be in a better position because, frankly, the United States government and the state governments have been making really strong actions against priestly paedophilia, and he's going to be very familiar with that... "And he's in a position to get ahead of it in a lot of countries which haven't dealt with it yet." Obama congratulates new US pope Barack Obama has congratulated the first-ever US pope. Earlier, Pope Leo XIV emerged onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica as a packed St Peter's Square erupted in cheers and applause. He was Cardinal Robert Prevost, from Chicago, and is fairly young for a Pope, at the age of 69. Starmer: This is a momentous moment Sir Keir Starmer has called the election of Pope Leo a "momentous moment". He has also said he looks forward to meeting the new pontiff. You can read Starmer's full statement on X here... Watch: Moment new pope emerges on balcony In his first words as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV told the crowds: "Peace be with you". It came after white smoke began to billow out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, with onlookers bearing witness to history as the Church confirmed it had its new leader. Bells tolled to confirm the news - perhaps in a marker of the confusion at previous conclaves where the colour of the smoke was not completely clear. You can watch the moment the new pope emerged on the balcony here... Trump: 'What greater honour could there be?' "What greater honour could there be?", Donald Trump has said on the election of the new pope this evening. "We were a little bit surprised, but very happy," he said outside the White House. The US leader previously hailed the election of the first ever American pope on social media. He said: "I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!" Zelenskyy hopes for Vatican's continued support Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated new Pope Leo XIV on his election and expressed hope for the Vatican's support for Kyiv's efforts to secure justice and a lasting peace. Here is what the Ukrainian leader has said this evening...
