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Strengthening position of Roma among Serbia’s priorities
Belgrade,
29 May 2007
Assistant Director of the Serbian government’s Service for Human and Minority Rights Slavoljub Caric said today that integration and strengthening the position of the Roma minority is one of the priorities of Serbia.
Speaking at a press conference where a support programme for the Roma was presented, Caric said that the Serbian government, during the previous year, adopted four action plans in the areas of education, health, housing and employment for the Roma, and funds were allocated from the budget for the realisation of these plans during this year.
According to Caric, during the previous few years, the Service for Human and Minority Rights implemented the support programme in 20 municipalities in Serbia, in cooperation with the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, in order to improve the position of the Roma as soon as possible.
The implementation of the programme enabled 104 students to enroll in the university, and 132 students were admitted to secondary schools during the 2006/2007 school year, said Caric and added that jobs were also announced for Roma court interpreters for which training will be provided.
He said that in Serbia there are some 500,000 Roma, half of which live in unhygienic conditions, and only 27% are employed.
Caric stressed that 62% of the Roma have not received elementary education, while 29% of the Roma population do not continue education after the eighth grade.
The Roma are the most disadvantaged group in Serbia and almost 10% of them live below the extreme poverty threshold, said Caric, adding that they are four times more vulnerable to diseases than other citizens, and only a third of them are registered to receive state health care.
Caric said that Serbia is actively involved in the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 programme and next year Serbia will assume presidency of the programme.
EAR spokesperson John White recalled that the EU, through the EAR, during the previous six years allocated €2 million in help for socially disadvantaged groups in Serbia, and announced that the EAR will continue to provide help to Roma support projects.
Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Anthony Pahigian said that this year was very progressive regarding the improvement of the position of the Roma in Serbia.
He added that every project which is connected with the integration of the Roma does not only improve their position, but also of all other citizens of Serbia.
According to Caric, during the previous few years, the Service for Human and Minority Rights implemented the support programme in 20 municipalities in Serbia, in cooperation with the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, in order to improve the position of the Roma as soon as possible.
The implementation of the programme enabled 104 students to enroll in the university, and 132 students were admitted to secondary schools during the 2006/2007 school year, said Caric and added that jobs were also announced for Roma court interpreters for which training will be provided.
He said that in Serbia there are some 500,000 Roma, half of which live in unhygienic conditions, and only 27% are employed.
Caric stressed that 62% of the Roma have not received elementary education, while 29% of the Roma population do not continue education after the eighth grade.
The Roma are the most disadvantaged group in Serbia and almost 10% of them live below the extreme poverty threshold, said Caric, adding that they are four times more vulnerable to diseases than other citizens, and only a third of them are registered to receive state health care.
Caric said that Serbia is actively involved in the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 programme and next year Serbia will assume presidency of the programme.
EAR spokesperson John White recalled that the EU, through the EAR, during the previous six years allocated €2 million in help for socially disadvantaged groups in Serbia, and announced that the EAR will continue to provide help to Roma support projects.
Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Anthony Pahigian said that this year was very progressive regarding the improvement of the position of the Roma in Serbia.
He added that every project which is connected with the integration of the Roma does not only improve their position, but also of all other citizens of Serbia.
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