They are some of the most discriminated and marginalized people in Europe. Facing rampant racism and social exclusion, some European country policies are intentionally segregating Roma children in schools. Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic all place Roma children in separate classrooms. In these conditions, the quality of education afforded to Roma children is extremely poor and most drop out.
Ms Gabriela Hrabanova from the Czech Republic said that certain ministers were applauding a decision to build schools that would fully segregate the Romas from the non-Romas (i.e. the Czech). Ms Hrabanova is the director of the Czech Government Office for the Roma Community. When she learned of the school proposal she had to remind the ministers that it was against European fundamental human rights. This idea never crossed the ministers’ minds.
The Roma Education Fund (REF) today reported that most Roma children simply never enroll in schools in Europe. The REF also said that there are loose connections between assumed goals of policy documents and the local-level implementation. At root, aside from discrimination – is social exclusion. Romas face extensive barriers when it comes to employment, education and housing.
EU legislation prohibits discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin in employment, social protection, education, and access to services. But Romas are stigmatized and pushed to the edges of society. In most every major city throughout Europe, slums with no running water, no sewage evacuation, and no electricity are symptomatic of failed policies and outright social exclusion.
The above is a quick report from the Second Seminar of the Integrated European Platform for Roma Inclusion that I just now attended. Got to go! – Nikolaj
