NATIONAL PRO BONO FORUM: Fundamental rights and social justice in Romania in the context of the shrinking of civic space, Cluj-Napoca, June 13

In recent years, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, social and political polarization has been more pronounced than ever before, and many fundamental rights, especially those of minorities, have come under fierce attack from many social and political actors. At the global level, there is a stagnation or even erosion of democracy, but also a shrinking of civic space – a tightening of legal and administrative conditions designed to make it difficult for human rights non-governmental organizations to operate. Moreover, the access to justice of the common citizen often remains a wish, not a reality. In the case of categories vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion – such as Roma, survivors of domestic violence or LGBTI people – access to justice is even more difficult.

In this context, the Equality and Human Rights Action Center (ACTEDO), in partnership with the Center for Legal Resources (CRJ) and with the support of the Cluj Bar, is organizing the first National Pro Bono Forum, in Cluj-Napoca, entitled Fundamental Rights and Social Justice in Romania in the context of the shrinking of civic space.

The National Pro Bono Forum takes place on Tuesday, June 13, between 09:00-17:30, in Cluj-Napoca, where special guests and professionals from the legal and social fields will discuss fundamental rights, exclusion and the justice system, but at the same time they will listen to stories of people who have overcome many barriers to live a life without violence and to be themselves in an often intolerant world.

The forum is built around four thematic sessions, each followed by a question and answer session:

• SESSION 1: Justice and groups vulnerable to discrimination and social exclusion
• SESSION 2: Gender equality in Romania – between progress and regression
• SESSION 3: Roma fundamental rights and historical inequality
• SESSION 4: LGBTI rights – between legal obligations and social intolerance

Among the special guests are members of the National Council for Combating Discrimination, lawyers who lead strategic cases in the area of ​​human rights, representatives of civil society organizations, researchers and academics, lawyers and activists.

The National Pro Bono Forum is designed for legal specialists (lawyers, prosecutors, judges), representatives of law enforcement bodies, specialists working with vulnerable social groups (social workers, psychologists, NGO representatives), as well as local authorities and researchers in the field of human rights. The forum aims to address sensitive topics such as gender-based discrimination, gender equality and violence, Roma and LGBTI rights in a nuanced way and to provide a platform for dialogue, exchange of good practices and sharing of work experience of professionals from different fields. Participation is free and by invitation.

The event is part of a long international tradition; similar conferences dedicated to pro bono lawyering and law in support of the public interest are organized annually in Europe, in Asia and, more recently, globally, by the international organization PILnet – The Global Network for Public Interest Law, with whom ACTEDO collaborates closely.

The activity is part of the project INTEGRIS: Integrated Support for Human Rights, developed by the Equality and Human Rights Action Centre (ACTEDO), in partnership with the Centre for Legal Resources (CLR), with financial support from Active Citizens Fund Romania, programme funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants Grants 2014 -2021.

Working together for an inclusive Europe.