1. The Voice of the Gypsy Roma Traveller Child
Rosemary Lloyd
Senior Solicitor

2. Role of EHRC To promote equality and human rights
Eliminate discrimination and harassment
Promote good relations within and between groups

3. Romany Gypsies, Irish Travellers and Roma groups are protected groups under the Equality Act 2010
Right not to be treated unfairly because of your race

4. Examples of unlawful discrimination
Should not be treated differently or worse than someone else because of your race. E.g.
Applying for a job or training
The treatment you receive in shops, restaurants, nightclubs, bars or other service providers
Schools or colleges refusing to offer you a place
Treatment by police and courts.

5. Cases reported to EHRC Refusal of service (Weatherspoons)
Company refusing to deliver to Gypsy or Traveller sites
Refusal to accept bookings from particular postcodes
Refusal of insurance cover for certain postcodes

6. Remedy Can take case to County Court
Legal Aid helpline tel no /

7. Advertising Standards Authority
370 complaints over adverts for Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

11. EHRC said
Adverts racist as showed Gypsy and Travellers in a negatively stereotypical way
Adverts encouraged prejudice
Adverts likely to cause harm to children as showed in negative way
Showed children in a sexualised way

12. EHRC research shows much negative public perception towards Gypsy and Travellers
65/82 interviewed experienced prejudice and discrimination in last 12 months

13. Racism to Gypsy and Travellers
Racism to Gypsy and Travellers seen as acceptable
Still refusal of service to Gypsy and Travellers
Media portrayal very important

14. Use of word “Gypsier” unacceptable and wouldn’t use similar word for other races
Adverts emphasised differences or strangeness of community from a young age

15. Channel 4 said adverts were a fair and accurate reflection of community

16. ASA banned two of adverts
They can’t appear again
One of boy and one of two girls
Children not presented in negative way in First Holy Communion advert

17. Ofcom Complaint about programmes Portrayed in untrue and damaging way
Showed “grabbing” as normal
Girls dressing in sexual way
Boys and men shown as violent
Views of children used to show views of community
Subtitles used suggesting girls could not speak English properly

18. Ofcom rejected complaint
High Court challenge
Bullying in schools increased
Not a factual representation of community but Gypsy and Travellers version of the Only Way is Essex

19. Child J case Romany Gypsy and Show child 3 years old Down Syndrome
No care when he travels, his health suffering
High Court challenge successful
Local Authority must support him when he travels
Local Authority must respect his culture and lifestyle in providing services to him

20. EHRC research on inequalities experienced by Gypsy and Travellers in terms of health, education and criminal justice system

21. Public Sector Equality Duty
Eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment
Advance equality of opportunity
Foster good relations between different groups

22. EHRC and racist comments by Councillors
“The sheer arrogance of these so called Travellers and their agents, not bothering to talk to the Committee and slouching out as if their request for permission after they had already illegally set up camp wasn’t an insult to every law abiding resident is disgusting…”
“We all know what happens next, they start building walls and fences and we end up with a section of Stanford that looks like a cross between My Big Fat Gypsy Cesspit and Shameless”

23. Comments by Councillors
“We have seen in the past 18 months, particularly the Roma in central London, causing a massive amount of disruption and low-level crime which has made a very negative impact on our communities”
“It’s the minority one is really concerned about but it is this minority that has this really big impact”

24. Comments by Councillors
“You’ve only got to wander around …. at 7.30 in the morning to see the camps”
“We have people walking out of their front door to find people sleeping on their front doorsteps, people defecating on their front doorstep”.

25. Racist Attack
Racist abuse “I’m … sick of you lot. I wish you would … off you dirty … gypsies”.
Prosecuted for racially aggravated harassment/alarm or distress for using words and behaviour to cause harassment

26. Going forward Articles in newspapers and comments posted by readers
Scrap Metal Act
Better relations with Police
Service provision
Working with Councils re site provision