I AM ROMA

1. I AM ROMA

2. THE ROMA POPULATION IN SLOVAKIA • The Roma are second most numerous ethnic minority in Slovakia (after Hungarians) • The data on the nationality of respondents in the census depend however on self-identification, and the actual number of Roma is substantially larges • Estimates of the Demographic Research Centre speak of 460.000 Roma living on the territory of the Slovak Republic (8 percent of the total poulation)

3. THE ROMA POPULATIONIN SLOVAKIA The poverty of part of the Roma population leads to deprivation on many levels: • shorter lifespan • increased risk of illness, or chronic diseases • median lifespan in the Roma population is under 60 years

4. THE ROMA POPULATIONIN SLOVAKIA • Higher birth rate and fertility rate • Higher death rate • Earlier start of reproductive activity • Longer reproduction period • Higher population growth • Age composition is weighted towards youth

5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS • The need a cross-sectional /multi-dimensional approach to reducing poverty shouldn´t remain on the level of words but should be acted upon • This requires the involvement of all relevant stakeholders at the central, regional and local level, together with employers • Initiate a public debate for implementing temporary balancing measures for the Roma in the area of education and employment

6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS • Both research data and political documents showhat Roma population in Slovakia is most vulnerable to exclusion • Roma report a very low rate of involvement in the labour market, which is even lower for Roma living in segregated settlemets and women • The tendency towards higher educational levels has been weak in recent years • For some younger-age groups the situation has even got worse

7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS • Motivate towns and villages to produce a socio-demographic profile of their communities • Pay special attention to multiple cumulative discrimination • Support strengthening the Roma identity • Include the history and culture of the Roma in school textbooks on Slovak themes • Support other sorts of community work, especially that carried out by health workers, work asssistants and also voluntary workers

8. Implementedprojects

9. EURÓPSKA RÓMSKA PRACOVNÁ AGENTÚRA • Grant amount: 531 101.07 € • ITMS code: 15110100015 • Funded by the ESF (PD IS EQUAL 1.1) • Implemented from 2004 to 2007 • Aim of the project – to provide assistance to the members of the Roma minority, long-term unemployed persons and persons with low skills by offering incentives, counseling, education and extension activities.

10. EURÓPSKA RÓMSKA PRACOVNÁ AGENTÚRA During the project were trained 3600 persons in the areas of: 1) Training of key social skills and work habits, 2) development of presentation skills, 3) Starting a business - self-employment.

11. SLOVAKIA ON THE WAY TO GENDER EQUALITY • Grant amount: 464 714.86 €, • ITMS code: 15140100013, • Funded by the ESF (PD IS EQUAL 4.1), • Implemented from 2004 to 2007

12. SLOVAKIA ON THE WAY TO GENDER EQUALITY • In cooperation with the Institute for Sociology of the Slovak Academy of Science, through a comprehensive scientific research (qualitative and quantitative) identify areas where occures a gender discrimination, focusing also on the problems of the Roma minority with specicific problem of the doubled discrimination. • Suggest possible measures to achieve equality of opportunity and operate through specialized conferences and workshops for stakeholders (Trade Unions, the Labor Office, Employers). • Sensitizing the public through media campaigns.

13. roma-education • Grant amount: 437 970.52 € • ITMS code: 13110100105 • Funded by the ESF • Implemented from 2007 to 2009

14. roma-education • In this project, long-term unemployed members of the Roma minority, especially young Romani women with incomplete secondary education, completed motivation training – „Successfully on the labor market“. • Selection of participants completed accredited post-secondary course "Basics of PC“ in ERPA computer lab areas.

15. GASTROROMA pilot gastronomy training center for the Roma minority • Grant amount: 501 336.05 € • ITMS code: 13110100039 • Funded by the ESF • Implemented from 2007 to 2009

16. Long-term unemployed members of the Roma minority, completed motivation training – “Successfully on the labor market”. Selection of these participants graduated accredited post-secondary retraining courses: cook, waiter, baker, bartender, pastry chef, PC basics, German and English “gastro language” for the restaurant and hotel staff. GASTROROMA

17. EUROEDUCATION • Grant amount: 342 168.42 € • ITMS code: 27140130032 • Funded by the ESF • Implemented from 2009 to 2010

18. EUROEDUCATION • Project was implemented in partnership with the Košice Region Local Government. • Aim of the project: social workers, curators, teachers of primary and secondary schools, are trained in workshops, courses and seminars aimed at increasing sensitivity to the needs of marginalized groups, work with the specification of the Roma minority in terms of discrimination, racism, integration and access to the labor market.

19. LET'S LIVE DIVERSITY • Grant amount: 192 778 € • ITMS code: 27140130166 • Funded by the ESF • Implemented from 2010

20. LET'S LIVE DIVERSITY • The project is implemented in partnership with the Košice Region. • focused on training of teachers together with representatives of Roma and pro-Roma NGO’s, operating in the Kosice region in order to be able to better understand and address the issue of the marginalized groups, in terms of their discrimination, and better integration into the labor market. • Currently under training are modules: • The development of social skills in intercultural society, • Intercultural psychology in public administration, • Intensive Workshop - Let's live diversity

21. THE END Roman Kaiser chairman kaiser@erpa.sk