Partners - Romani CRISS

The Roma Centre for Social Intervention and Studies - Romani CRISS is a NGO that was established in Romania on April 4th, 1993. Romani CRISS defends and promotes the rights of Roma in Romania by providing legal assistance in cases of abuse. They also work on preventing and fighting racial discrimination against Roma in all areas of public life, including the fields of education, employment, housing, and health.

The most important discrimination issues that Romani CRISS faces are the use of disproportionate/excessive force in Roma communities and use of firearms/ abuse of law enforcement officials, the segregation of Roma children in separate classes and buildings (where they get a low quality education), the unequal access to health care services, housing (including environmental racism) and to public places, escalation in interethnic conflicts and hate speech by authorities.

Since its establishment, Romani CRISS has developed long-term relationships with Roma communities and authorities throughout the country, with intergovernmental organizations, with strategic domestic and international civil society partners, as well as with donors, through sustained communication, institutional transparency, and effective advocacy. Romani CRISS combines grass-roots civic militantism with influencing and monitoring the implementation of public policy programs affecting Roma, from a human rights and minority rights perspective.

Throughout the years Romani CRISS has gained international recognition. On the EU/US Summit in London, 18th of May 1998, Romani CRISS received the award for Democracy and Civil Society, from the European Union and the United States of America. In 2008, Romani CRISS was approved as NGO in Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is the first Roma organization in Romania and the fifth in our country to be approved in the Consultative Status with ECOSOC.

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