The panel entitled ‘Innovative Approaches to Advocacy: Examples from Africa and Central Europe’ organized by Hrant Dink Foundation ASULİS Discourse Dialog Democracy Laboratory was held on 27 June 2019 at Anarad Hığutyun Binası Havak Hall. Moderated by human rights defender and academic Laden Yurttagüler, the panel hosted Minority Rights Group International Africa Regional Manager Agnes Kabajuni and Roma rights advocate Atanas Zahariev.

Video of the panel

Agnes Kabajuni who talked about her 20 years of advocacy experience on cultural rights, women’s rights, minority rights and indigenous rights, stated that there are 57 ethnic groups in Uganda, and that the main problems they are facing are poverty, gender equality and access to socio-economic services and education. Kabajuni who stressed that Minority Rights Group work in Africa mainly focus on advocacy for land ownership and access to services, also underlined the importance of collaboration with local actors and organizations in order to create political pressure and to guide public policies.

Atanas Zahariev who talked about his advocacy experience on the systematic discrimination of Roma in the Balkans and the Central Europe, stressed that despite the rise of anti-migrant ideologies in Europe, the EU-Roma integration process that started in 2005 has been going on. Zahariev stated that the civil society organizations must increase their advocacy work on Roma rights, and highlighted the importance of collective advocacy, and the blame-shame approach.

This project is funded by the European Union.