The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights held a two-day
conference on the implementation of the ‘OSCE Action Plan on Improving the
Situation of Roma and Sinti’ in Vienna. In her keynote speech, MEP Lívia Járóka
reminded that due the economic and social upheaval following the fall of
communism in Eastern Europe had left the majority of Roma practically detached
from national economies and sinking ever deeper into poverty.
“Realizing that the situation was neither acceptable nor sustainable, most
Member States with a significant Roma population and many concerned
international organizations came up with their own ideas for solution, but the
results were in all cases disappointing” – she underlined. According to Járóka,
the programmes were not only inadequate for fostering social inclusion, but the
accumulation of well-documented failures started gradually directing the
responsibility at Roma communities themselves in the eyes of the public,
regardless of the several studies showing that in some cases less than 10% of
all Roma inclusion assets reached their target group.
The EPP Group MEP referred to the findings of her recent report in the
European Parliament, with regard to the EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion
Strategies, launched by the Hungarian EU presidency in 2011. According to Járóka,
although the Framework is so far the most promising initiative for fostering
Roma inclusion, the initial phase of its implementation had already revealed
some significant flaws. As an example she mentioned the vague determination of
responsibilities and the inadequacy of the EU’s guidance and ‘quality control’,
as well as the practice of outsourcing inclusion programmes – and thereby
responsibilities – for NGOs and outsider organizations. To enhance the
efficiency of the Framework, in her speech Járóka recommended moving forward in
five areas.
First, national strategies must be brought closer to reality, which means
allocating enough financial assets to fulfil their policy commitments, clearly
specifying the division of tasks and responsibilities among stakeholders and
adding outcome indicators, baselines and numerical headline targets to national
strategies, as it is the case in Hungary. Second, national strategies must be
brought closer to Roma, namely, Roma organizations and local NGOs must be
involved in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the
strategies. Third, national strategies must better target Roma, which means that
the most deprived micro-regions must be targeted by integrated multi-sector
development programmes that mobilize all available CSF Funds and other EU
instruments. Fourth, national strategies must protect Roma, which implies that
the efforts aiming to improve the socio-economic status of Roma must go hand in
hand with the fight against discrimination and anti-gypsysm. Fifth, the
Framework should reach Roma outside the EU as well, meaning that accession
countries – with special regard to the Western Balkans – must be involved into
the European level pursuit of Roma integration, through the Instrument for Pre-Accession
and the Stabilisation and Association process.
