Aurelia no longer brings her 4-year-old daughter with her to beg on the streets of Finland's capital, Helsinki. The 35-year-old Roma is too scared the little girl will be taken from her and put in foster care.

Finland is cracking down on Roma, or gypsies, who beg with their children, threatening to send mothers and children back to their country of origin or to take the children into foster care. The aim, authorities say, is to protect the children.

But human rights groups say the move, introduced at the end of last year, is one of Europe's toughest anti-Roma measures to date, and constitutes a form of blackmail that divides families rather than protect them.

Finland is not alone in introducing measures that critics say discriminate against Roma. The European Union (EU) executive has urged member states to offer better opportunities to Roma, who are often not given equal chances to advance socially.

Eastern Europe's estimated 9-12 million Roma are the poorest sector in society in the region, and many have fled to richer, Western states in search of a better life. But, often, they have only found neglect, discrimination and crushing poverty.

In Italy, the government was harshly criticized over a draft plan to fingerprint Roma people, including children, as part of a crackdown on crime, which many Italians blame on immigrants.

Critics said the proposed measure amounted to ethnic discrimination and a violation of EU rules. Italy has now said all citizens may have to be fingerprinted, in a move to defuse the criticism.

Finland's Minister for Migration and EU Affairs Astrid Thors defended her country's stance, saying authorities had to react if children were in danger.

"We are trying to act in the best interest of the child - it might be problematic, but it is also very good that people coming here know that this is the rule," she said.

Aurelia, who declined to give her last name, still begs but takings are down since she stopped bringing her daughter.