Up to one quarter of the world’s poor is estimated to be landless, a condition that in rural areas is often the best predictor of poverty and hunger. Access to land and its resources, land tenure security, ownership and control over land, and the ability to dispose of land or transfer rights in land are necessary for the fulfillment of fundamental human rights, and are frequently tied to the indigenous, ethnic, and cultural identities of peoples. The social and economic impacts of landlessness, including hunger, threats to health, homelessness, and exploitative labor conditions, create conditions intensifying exploitation by both landowners and states.
Jeanmarie Fenrich and Jorge Contesse
Over the last decade, New Zealand has made significant efforts to address an acute social problem—violence against women. In New Zealand, it is estimated that one in three women has been a victim of domestic violence. In an effort to combat the problem, New Zealand has enacted legislation and regulations which aim to prevent and eliminate domestic violence. It has also created visible public education campaigns calling upon people to stop “family violence” as it is called in New Zealand.
Aram A. Schvey, Martin S. Flaherty, and Tracy E. Higgins
In Romania, Roma children are nearly always educated in more poorly resourced schools than non-Roma children; they are nearly always educated by less-qualified teachers; and they are often treated differently—and worse—than non-Roma children by their principals, teachers, and classmates. While non-Roma children move ahead through Romania’s education system, Roma children are too often left behind. This Report begins with a synopsis of the problem. It then examines the roots of the plight of the Roma in general and of Roma children in particular. The Report then outlines the particular findings of the Mission and sets forth the relevant domestic, international, and European law. It concludes with several recommendations for improving Roma education in Romania.