BASELINE RESEARCH ON ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND INCLUSION IN DECISION MAKING PROCESS OF THE ROMA WOMEN AND YOUTH

Publication Date: 01/05/2020

According to available sources for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Roma are the most numerous and the most vulnerable national minority, whose position is characterized by a high degree of social exclusion. For the purpose of drafting this report of research on public policies and strategies, which was, as a baseline project, made under the CARE International Balkans 'Active Roma Youth for Rights and Inclusion', funded by the European Union Program: European Instrument For Human Rights and Democracy, we have performed the insight of the available data on this population . The results show that the position of Roma families and living conditions in their settlements are more than bad, compared with the rest of the population, and that a greater number of Roma families still need organized state support. The latest indicators on Roma needs, which are listed in the Action Plan for Roma for 2017-2020 , still point to the need for strategic actions to reduce the exclusion of the Roma population. The basis for undertaking the strategic activities of Roma inclusion is contained within the framework of The Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina for addressing the issues of Roma in Bosnia and Herzegovina . In addition to this Strategy, due to the position of this minority, there is a need for specifying the support for social inclusion of Roma according to the Law on Protection of Rights of Members of National Minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in order to ensure sustainable and long-term support to Roma men and women, as long as relevant indicators point to the degree of their exclusion. The Strategy was adopted in 2005, in the context of the obligations of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-15 and the European Union Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020. In addition to the area of housing, employment and health care, the area of improvement of Roma educational status is regulated by the special Action Plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Roma Educational Needs, revised and adopted by Council of Ministers (CMBIH) in 2010. This plan only focuses on actions to improve the education of the Roma population and fully depends on sectoral measures of the entity level of authorities in BIH in the field of education that should implement targeted actions for the Roma population.