European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC)

Laureate Profile

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) is an international public interest law organization that has combated anti-Romani racism and human rights abuse of Roma in 27 European countries. Since its founding in 1996 by Hungarian human rights activist and dissident Ferenc Koszeg, ERRC has won or achieved a positive settlement in more than 255 cases and secured over two million euro in compensation for the Romani victims of human rights abuse. Its efforts have resulted in groundbreaking European precedents and heightened awareness concerning discrimination in education, housing, and police conduct, as well as government responsibility to investigate racial motivation in crimes committed by non-state actors. ERRC’s research models have been used to improve education, employment, housing, social services, healthcare, and child protection for Roma, as well as to document violence against Roma communities.