Postupanje prema Romima je ispit za nas na Zapadnom Balkanu – da li smo spremni za EU?
Svakodnevni život Roma na Zapadnom Balkanu nije, na žalost, proslava Đurđevdana pored rijeke, djevojčice sa vijencima cvijeća u kosi i melanholična muzika koju svi znamo i volimo. Podaci pokazuju da je između 83 i 94 posto ugroženih romskih porodica u stanju teške matrijalne oskudice u cijelom regionu proširenja EU.
Romi su jedna od najugroženijih i najisključenijih grupa na Zapadnom Balkanu. Najnoviji izvještaji pokazuju da se broj djevojčica i dječaka Roma koji pohađaju obavezno osnovno obrazovanje povećao u zadnjih deset godina, ali je broj onih koji pohađaju srednje škole ipak mnogo manji. Procenat mladih između 18 i 24 godine starosti koji nisu zaposleni, ne školuju se niti se na drugi način usavršavaju kreće se od 73 posto u Srbiji do 86 posto u Bosni i Hercegovini. Isti procenat se za mlade žene kreće između 81 (Republika Sjeverna Makedonija) i 93 posto (Crna Gora). Brojke pokazuju da je manja vjerovatnoća da Romi imaju pristup zdravstvenoj zaštiti nego njihove komšije koji nisu Romi. Brojni romski stambeni objekti nemaju pristup tekućoj vodi, a taj se procenat kreće od 10 posto u Republici Sjevernoj Makedoniji do više od polovine romskog stanovništva u Albaniji. Svi ovi podaci ukazuju na potrebu za novim i efektivnijim mjerama politika u svim društvima na Zapadnom Balkanu kako bi se obezbijedilo da su Romi prepoznati i uključeni kao produktivni članovi društva, u potpunosti integrisani i jednaki u svim segmentima svakodnevnog života.
U Deklaraciji partnera sa Zapadnog Balkana o integraciji Roma u procesu proširenja Evropske unije, koja je usvojena na samitu Zapadnog Balkana u Poznanju, navodi se da ekonomije Zapadnog Balkana nastoje postići veću zaposlenost, legalizaciju stambenih objekata gdje je ona moguća, veću stopu završavanja osnovne i srednje škole, veću stopu pokrivenosti zdravstvenim osiguranjem, kao i prijava u matične evidencije svih Roma, te nastaviti borbu protiv diskriminacije Roma. Njihova ambiciozna i inspirativna opredjeljenost da nastave i unaprijede napore ka potpunoj jednakosti i integraciji Roma u društvima važan je korak ka integraciji Roma.
Nema sumnje da jedan dokument ne može riješiti status skoro 600 neformalnih romskih naselja u Srbiji ili obezbjediti potpunu imunizaciju romske djece u Republici Sjevernoj Makedoniji. Kako bi se povećala stopa zaposlenosti Roma ili mladih koji su završili srednju školu, vlade će trebati usvojiti politike, imati budžete kojim su obuhvaćeni Romi, preduzimati mjere i na svim nivoima pomno pratiti da li ove politike i mjere dopiru do svakog Roma ili Romkinje i to svakog dana. U suprotnom, ova Deklaracija će ostati tek komad papira.
Projekat integracije Roma Vijeća za regionalnu saradnju, koji finansiraju Evropska unija i Fondacija za otvoreno društvo, omogućio je proces odobravanja Deklaracije, koju je inicirala Vlada Republike Sjeverne Makedonije. Ova Deklaracija ima potencijal da služi kao smjernica za vlade, regionalnu saradnju i napore u oblasti evropske integracije vezano za pitanja integracije Roma. Deklaracija je, svakako, jedan proces. Danas je, više nego ikada prije, važno da prepoznamo koliko smo toga uradili i, što je još važnije, koliko još toga tek trebamo uraditi po pitanju integracije Roma kao dijela procesa proširenja Evropske unije, kao i procesa regionalne saradnje.
Declaration of Western Balkans Partners on Roma Integration within the EU Enlargement Process https://www.rcc.int/docs/464/declaration-of-western-balkans-partners-on-roma-integration-within-the-eu-enlargement-process
WATCH VIDEO Integrating Roma population in the Western Balkans – Powered by RCC! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CekakNFTZ8&itct=CB8QpDAYACITCO3fkJeRquMCFZCHVQodwuIJezILYzQtb3ZlcnZpZXdaGFVDQmxFY2l0ZW5pNmZLYVZfLURzMlNWZw%3D%3D&client=mv-google&gl=BA&hl=en&app=desktop
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REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL (RCC), OP-ED
Photos from the video Integrating Roma population in the Western Balkans (link on the video is below)
Treatment of Roma is an exam for us in the Western Balkans – are we fit for the EU?
The everyday life of Roma on the Western Balkans (WB), unfortunately, is not a St. George holiday on the river, girls with flower wreaths in the hair, and the melancholic music we all recognize and love. Data show a severe material deprivation among 83-94 percent of vulnerable Roma families across the EU enlargement region.
Roma are one of the most deprived and excluded groups in the WB. Latest reports disclosed that the number of Roma girls and boys attending compulsory primary education increased in the past ten years, but still, attendance in secondary school is much lower. Percentages of youth (ages 18-24) not in employment, education or training are high, range from 73 in Serbia to 86 percent in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Among young women, it ranges between 81 (Republic of North Macedonia) and 93 percent (Montenegro). The figures revealed that Roma are less likely to have access to health care in comparison to non-Roma neighbours. Many Roma dwellings do not have access to running water, ranging from 10 percent in Republic of North Macedonia to more than half of the Roma population in Albania. All these data suggest that new and effective policy measures in all societies of the Western Balkans are required to ensure that the Roma are recognized and involved as productive members of the society, fully integrated and equal in all segments of everyday life.
The Declaration of WB Partners on Roma Integration within the EU Enlargement Process, endorsed during the WB Summit in Poznan, specifies that the WB economies strive to achieve increased employment, housing legalisation wherever possible, increased rate of primary and secondary school completion, health insurance coverage rate, civil registration for all Roma and to continue fight against discrimination towards Roma. Their ambitious and motivating commitment to continue and enhance efforts for full equality and integration of Roma in their societies is an important step towards Roma integration.
Without any doubt, one document cannot solve the status of almost 600 informal Roma settlements in Serbia or ensure full immunization of Roma children in Republic of North Macedonia. In order to increase the employment rate of Roma or young Roma who have completed secondary education, the governments itself will have to adopt policies, to have Roma responsive budgets, to take measures and monitor closely, at all levels, if these policies and measures reach every Roma every day. Otherwise, this Declaration will remain just a piece of paper.
The RCC Roma Integration project, funded by the European Union and Open Society Foundations, facilitated the process of endorsing this Declaration, which was initiated by the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia. The present Declaration has the potential to guide the individual governments, the regional cooperation and the efforts for EU integration on the issue of Roma integration. The Declaration is certainly a process. It becomes important now, more than ever, to recognize how far we have come and more importantly, how much further we still have to go in Roma integration as a part of the EU enlargement process and regional cooperation as well.
Declaration of Western Balkans Partners on Roma Integration within the EU Enlargement Process https://www.rcc.int/docs/464/declaration-of-western-balkans-partners-on-roma-integration-within-the-eu-enlargement-process
WATCH VIDEO Integrating Roma population in the Western Balkans – Powered by RCC! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CekakNFTZ8&itct=CB8QpDAYACITCO3fkJeRquMCFZCHVQodwuIJezILYzQtb3ZlcnZpZXdaGFVDQmxFY2l0ZW5pNmZLYVZfLURzMlNWZw%3D%3D&client=mv-google&gl=BA&hl=en&app=desktop
