Documents

Statement of the Chair of the Working Table I
at the OSCE meeting, 15 October 2003

We heard already yesterday from many speakers and in particular non-governmental organizations’ statements on a minority that exists everywhere in Europe, including all countries of the South East European region, and who often seem to fall in between the big political decisions or agreements solving problems of other minorities, without being included in any way in them. The Roma (as well as other groups such as Ashkalie and Egyptians) still do not have the opportunities to realize their basic rights in many of the countries of SEE.

It has been recognized that Roma groups tend to be socially and economically excluded and marginalized outside the structures of the society. At the Working Table I of Stability Pact we believe that governments of the region should take more measures, and more effective measures, to bring a comprehensive approach to this problem. Some countries have national programmes for integration and involvement of Roma but once these programmes exist it is equally needed to have appropriate implementation measures, which cannot be carried out without sufficient state budget for the purpose. Too often we hear that yes, there is a national programme or action plan for Roma, but due to lack of budget allocated for it none of it is being implemented. This is of course a question of state’s budgetary resources and priorities in using these resources, but in the same token, donor countries should also consider helping out, when possible and needed.

It is also recognized that very often the Roma face even more basic discrimination or segregation. Sometimes this takes form of outright racist acts, by co-citizens of even by authorities. We should think harder how this can be stopped in South Eastern Europe but also in our own countries. Access to education should be a basic right of all children. We know that Roma children too often do not have the equal opportunities to take advantage of this universal right. In Kosovo, Roma children are in some places taken to local school by buses organized by the UNMIK in order to secure there school route. However, there are children who do not go to school despite this as they are harassed and intimidated by other pupils in the school, or even by teachers. It should be the responsibility of the authorities, school teachers, parents but also the international community when present in a country to try harder to find solutions to such problems. Another example is in the ODIHR CPRSI report on a SEE country where it was found that some Roma parents are afraid of their children being abducted for trafficking purposes and do not let their children go to school.

An important aspect of Roma children’s right to education is the right also for higher education. Too often clever Roma children, who are successful in elementary school, do not choose to continue their education to higher levels, due to lack of economic possibility to do so, discrimination, or other obstacles. Thus more concrete efforts should be made by governments to ease Roma youth’s way to higher education and to universities.

Trafficking of Roma, especially of Romani children is a grave problem in the SEE and we have to work harder to address this grave violation of human, including child’s rights. While abduction is one way of trafficking of Roma children, there are cases were some communities are known to have sold or rented their children for begging, prostitution, marriage or similar. Even if a sensitive topic, we should not ignore this aspect either but work in finding solutions and stopping such practices, also through working harder on creation of economic opportunities for Roma communities.

The WT I chair supports the initiative by the governments of Finland and France to establish a European Roma Forum. It is essential that this forum will be able to represent the voices of al Roma groups in Europe, but also that it will be able to channel its findings to the European decision making core bodies, and in such way influence issues which directly affect Roma groups all over Europe.

As an example of programmes working to increase Roma’s involvement in decision making and in political institutions, I can mention the Stability Pact Gender Task Force’ programme called Roma Women Can Do it in the SEE, with so far over 1000 women been taking part in learning skills on political participation, influencing municipal decisions and on skills that are necessary to be involved in decision-making concerning Roma themselves. This programme will continue next year, and could server as an example for other similar initiatives, in enhancing Roma’s political participation, both women and men.