2017
Rapid Response Grants
Approved – July 2017
Number of grants: 1
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1. Equality, Belgrade
- RSD: 136.553,00
Context: Two Roma families live in the barracks at Vidikovac in the last five years. Two years ago, the construction company “Western Serbia” attempted to evict these families by initiating proceedings before the municipality of Rakovica, which owned the land. Organization Equality has submitted a request to the European Court of Human Rights for a provisional measure, because such an illegal eviction would put them at risk of homelessness. The measure was approved in April 2016, after which the family lived calmly in the barracks. However, since the “legal” way to expel the family did not succeed, the representative of “Western Serbia” resorted to violence. The family was attacked in March for the first time, and immediately after that the second time. Both times the hired attackers tried to force them out of their home. In July, during the third attack, the roof of the barracks was demolished and a large part of the furniture was destroyed.
Equality and Joint Action for the Roof over the Head tried to collect money to repair the roof; however the funds they collected were very modest. Reconstruction Women’s Fund covered the costs of construction materials and the engagement of the repairman.
