Finding jobs still a problem for Macedonian Roma

Minority Rights Group

MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP INTERNATIONAL
&
Roma Democratic Development Association : SONCE

Improving Employment Opportunities for Macedonian Roma

On Saturday the 21st the Roma Democratic Development Association (SONCE) and Minority Rights Group International will launch their latest Micro Report, Policies for the Improvement of the Employment of Roma in Macedonia.

The report highlights the major challenges faced by Macedonian Roma in accessing the employment markets and shows how the lack of consultation with Roma is limiting government initiatives to promote their inclusion.

SONCE and Minority Rights Group are working to improve the situation faced by ROMA minorities and are lobbying for more meaningful inclusion of Roma in government development initiatives as well as in Europe wide policy making.

The Micro indicates that In Macedonia, severe underemployment of Roma is driven by poor education and social exclusion as well as a lack of appropriate access to government and NGO employment programmes.

Around two per cent of Macedonias 2 million people are Roma (around 54,000) and Roma are by far the poorest population with chronic levels of unemployment. Roma are grossly under-represented in both the private and the public sectors in spite of the Frame Work Agreement (developed by the Working Group for Minority Issues and drawn at the end of conflict in Macedonia in 2001)

As of April 2005 around 39 per cent of the working age population were unemployed- which equates to around 71 per cent of the overall population. Completely accurate data is hard to gather because it is likely that many Roma do not register as unemployed because of lack of documentation or lack of awareness.

Many Roma work in the informal sector for example as casual workers and seasonal staff, which is means their employment tends to be badly re-numerated and irregular. Furthermore Roma have poor educational and vocational qualifications and those who do have qualifications are often marginalized from the employment market because of prejudice from the majority community/employers.

Minority Rights Group and SONCE have evidence to suggest that employment opportunities for Roma remain under acceptable human and minority rights standards because current initiatives to assist entry into employment, by the Macedonian government and NGOs are blind to the major impediments facing Roma.

The Macedonian government for instance, has tended to target employment strategies at those that have been educated beyond primary level, isolating many Roma who have not participated in continuing education. NGOs are also failing Roma in Macedonia because of a focus on improving legislation that is not matched by grass roots activity such as job creation.

The lack of appropriate information for Roma is shockingly inadequate according to this study.

Zoe Gray, MRG Roma Programme Officer said

"Information on employment programmes needs to be delivered in the Roma language, in a simple way and on an individual level if necessary. Mainstream media campaigns are simply not going to reach out to this community and the government and NGOs need to recognize this".

SONCE spokesperson Nadir Redzepi touched upon more of the studys recommendations saying

" The inclusion of Roma in the policy making process is the only way these barriers to successful development of Roma communities can be overcome..

..Not only do the state need to consult with Roma to design adequate schemes for increased employment, they also need to recognize (through improved relationships) that the Roma workforce has specialist skills, developed informally but that could be promoted as a means of better access to mainstream employment".

The study, including a full list of recommendations is available on request.

For more information please contact Zoe Gray at MRG on Zoe.Gray@mrgmail.orgor on 0044 207 422 4200.

* Minority Rights Group International works to secure the rights of minorities and indigenous people globally. MRG works with its partner organizations in over 50 countries, providing technical support to promote constitutional or legal reform, building the capacity of NGOs, campaigning against discrimination, promoting access to development opportunities and confronting political disenfranchisement. See www.minorityrights.org for more information.