Romma, by Delia Dragoi

Discrimination, Intolerance and Prejudice Romma face the highest levels of discrimination among all ethnic groups. •

Experiences related to discrimination

1.

looking for a job;

2.

the workplace;

3.

looking for a home to rent or buy;

4.

contact with the personnel of the medical-sanitary units;

5.

contact with social assistance personnel;

6.

contact with the staff of educational institutions;

7.

cafes, restaurants, bars or clubs;

8.

access to shops;

9.

opening a bank account or obtaining a loan.

•.

Experiences related to victimization, including racial offenses

1.

theft of a vehicle or the theft thereof;

2.

theft or attempted theft;

3.

theft of a personal property that does not involve force or threat;

4.

aggression and threats;

5.

Serious harassment.

•.

Experiences with law enforcement, customs and border control authorities.

Most of the time, these abuses are not reported by the Roma, either they are worried about the negative consequences, either that the reporting is contrary to their interests, or that nothing would happen / change by reporting the discrimination, or that they do not know the reporting procedure. / do not know who to address, whether it is uncomfortable / too much bureaucracy or too much trouble, or not worth reporting - it is normal, it happens all the time, either they are afraid of intimidation by the aggressors, or they are resolving alone problem / with help from family / friends.

These attitudes reveal a sense of resignation regarding the normality of discrimination for many Roma, as well as the lack of knowledge about how to report discrimination and the authority to which it should be addressed, doubled by concern about bullying and the negative consequences of reporting. Also, Roma avoid attending certain places, such as shops or cafes, for fear of being subjected to harsh treatment because of their minority status. This type of preventive behavior decreases the chances of discriminatory treatment and it is suggested that the phenomenon of reporting discrimination would be better represented in the absence of the adoption of these avoidance measures.

It is found that the Roma have a low degree of awareness of the rights and knowledge about them or trust in the mechanisms of complaint formulation. They also express their lack of confidence in the police institution. This situation is also reflected by the fact that most of the discriminatory incidents and criminal victimizations against Roma are never reported to an organization - either administered by the state, including the police or by non-governmental organizations.

What is the impact of policies and action plans currently operating at Community level and at Member State level to solve the problem of Roma discrimination?

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Are examples of good practices adopted that demonstrate both in the long term and in the long term the improvement of the Roma situation?

Which social policies (employment, housing, medical, health care, social assistance, access to services, education) are the most targeted by financing instruments in order to solve the problem of Roma discrimination?

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What policies and action plans are in place at Community level and at Member State level to raise awareness among Roma about their rights and to provide an environment in which they can trust to report discriminatory treatment, being convinced that the complaints will be treated seriously and will be followed by the responsible public organizations and authorities?

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What can be done to resolve the Roma situation regarding their experiences related to victimization and, in particular, to those related to racial victimization and harassment?

How can the culture of a public service be promoted among law enforcement authorities so that Roma people can and are encouraged to report to the police experiences of victimization?

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What are the implications of the elaboration of an ethnic profile of Roma by law enforcement authorities, immigration authorities and customs and border control authorities? Do these practices enhance the identification of criminal activity and serve to deter crime or further remove and discriminate against Roma communities both in the countries of origin and when they claim their right to free movement within the EU?

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The experience and the fear of not being discriminated causes some Roma to adopt life strategies from which the possible situations of discrimination are missing. Given the effect of these strategies or of this mentality on the young Roma, what can be achieved through the to the educational ograms in order to increase the confidence and the awareness of the rights among Roma children and young people so that they aspire to equal opportunities?

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PLAN OF MEASURES TO ELIMINATE THE DISCRIMINATION OF THE ROMANS AREAS OF INTERVENTION Education - The low rate of attendance of educational institutions is due to the lack of financial possibilities for supporting children's studies; children's health problems; underdeveloped school infrastructure; reduced parents' effort to encourage their children to study; early marriages and discrimination in schools. At the same time, there are few educational institutions in which only the Roma children are concentrated, thus avoiding the negative effect of segregation and formation of discriminatory attitudes towards these children.

1.

It is necessary to include all Romma children in a form of education.

Employment - According to the surveys, the majority of employed Roma work in lowpaid jobs, which do not require special qualifications, or work as day laborers outside the country's borders, having no stable source of income at the place of living. The biggest difference, compared to the non-Roman population, is attested in the field of health, education and science, as well as in the police and security spheres, of which the Roma are practically not part. As far as business is concerned, the Roma population makes a two-fold effort to launch and legalize a private business, preferring not to get involved in official business, but rather in trade-related activities.

2.

Creating an attractive labor market, preventing the emigration of the labor force, especially of young people, ensuring a professional "thaw" are considered as primary measures to reduce unemployment and poverty. For more efficient use of the labor force available in the country, it is necessary that the industrial and structural policies should be oriented towards the small business.

Medical insurance - the main causes of the reduced access to the health insurance system are the high costs of medical insurance and the lack of information.

3.

The need to inform Romma about these issues.

4.

Living conditions

Access to housing with adequate infrastructure is a very important aspect of appreciation of household deprivation in households and of Roma vulnerability. The lack of infrastructure in Roma households has much higher rates than for the vast majority of households. One third of Roma households have unsafe housing. Over 80% of Romma households do not benefit from basic conditions such as drinking water, toilet, bathroom and sewerage. â—?

Participation in the decision-making process. documentation The Roma are represented in a very small percentage in the structures of local public administration and there are few data that would reveal the participation of Romma in political parties. The survey results show that none of the Roma households surveyed had a member in the local council or in the political parties. â—?

The situation of Roma women - Roma women face triple discrimination - as Romma, as women and as persons belonging to a disadvantaged social group. They are exposed to higher risks of social exclusion and poverty, compared to men in their community and most women representing other ethnicities. The lack of equality is observed in the existence of cases of violence against women, the lack of access to employment, education, management and social services. Roma women rarely benefit from reproductive health services, which are available at the community level. Due to gender stereotypes, a Roma girl is more likely to leave school earlier than a Roma boy.

The need to harmonize domestic legislation with international standards The full integration of this minority can only be achieved under the conditions in which each person will learn to regard Romma as members of his community and citizens with equal rights. â—?