The Netherlands, just like other northern and western European countries, is host to several Roma, Sinti and Traveler communities. Local Dutch authorities have a history of conflict with these communities, often revolving around housing. Although Roma, Sinti and Travelers now mainly live in permanent or semi-permanent mobile homes, their traveling lifestyle is an important part of their heritage. The Netherlands has ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR). These conventions create human rights obligations on all organs of state, including municipalities. Recently, Roma, Sinti and Traveler groups have invoked these obligations and made successful human rights based claims for respect for their heritage, with potential consequences for Utrecht.
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