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2005 OSI Network Public Health Program Conference Istanbul, May 2005

Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005- 2015 Impact on the health of Roma Isabela Mihalache OSI Roma Participation Program. 2005 OSI Network Public Health Program Conference Istanbul, May 2005. What is the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 ?.

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2005 OSI Network Public Health Program Conference Istanbul, May 2005

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  1. Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005- 2015Impact on the health of RomaIsabela MihalacheOSI Roma Participation Program 2005 OSI Network Public Health Program Conference Istanbul, May 2005

  2. What is the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 ? • an international initiative of the OSI and WB to bring about substantive change in the lives of Roma • a political commitment of nine governments (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia) to close the gap of poverty and social exclusion between Roma and non-Roma in a ten year period • a joint effort of international institutions to ensure success (EC, UNDP, OSCE, ERRC, ERTF) through monitoring, funding, data collection, expertise

  3. Overall aim of the Roma Decade Close the gap between Roma and Non-Roma in 4 priority areas: • education • employment • health • housing Core issues: • gender • poverty income • discrimination

  4. DECADE HEALTH WORKSHOP • Effective data collection is essential to the success of the Decade and critical to designing programming that is relevant and effective. • Integrate cross-cutting themes (gender, discrimination, and income poverty) into the Action Plans. • An inter-sectoral approach is critical. • Roma involvement and participation should be ensured.

  5. Major recommendations • The real needs of Roma communities should be identified through an effective assessment mechanism. • • Special attention has to be paid to the needs of Roma women. • Clear indicators and targets should be established. • Combating discrimination in access to health services needs to be an integral part of the national Roma health strategies. • Document and disseminate best practices and then invest in scaling up pilot programs. • Information about requirements for obtaining health insurance must be provided by effective outreach programs.

  6. Government Action Plans CROATIA GOAL Improving health for Roma TARGETS • Providing health care to Roma who are not entitled to health care on the basis of primary health insurance (especially for infants, preschool and school children, pregnant women and disabled children) • Informing Roma about possibilities to exercise their right to health care through compulsory health insurance • Improving the health of Roma infants, children and women in relation to pregnancy and delivery • Improving hygienic and sanitary conditions in flats and settlements • Education and training of Roma for medical professions

  7. Czech Republic’s Action Plan Objective: to improve health of Roma Measure: to implement health mediators program in regions and municipalities Indicators: number of clients Monitoring: sociological surveys Data: availability and needs: at the present these data do not exist Time limit: 2005 – beginning of the pilot project 2007- putting the project into the systematic frame Budget: European Structural Funds, State budget

  8. stakeholders • The Roma • as the main beneficiaries • as partners in the Decade process • National governments • fulfill their commitments towards the social integration of Roma • reach the Lisbon strategy goals • reach the “acquis communautaire” • European Union • reach the Lisbon goals

  9. As to date… • The health of Roma is generally worse than the health of the population at large. • The life expectancy is many years shorter than that of the majority population; infant mortality and malnutrition rates are much higher among Roma than non Roma; high rates of HIV/AIDS. • Roma in Europe do not have access to safe drinking water, electricity or heating. Many Roma families lack proper housing, living in environmentally hazardous areas, on garbage dumps; some of them, make a living from collecting disaggregated materials (plastic, iron, paper) and sell it; most of the people doing this type of work are children.

  10. In addition… • The lack of ID cards and birth certificatesmake it impossible for Roma to access health care services and public services at large. • Health care facilities are understaffed and under-equipped in Roma neighborhoods. • Many times health care professionals refuse to treat Roma patients in health care institutions; similarly ambulances often do not come to remote Roma neighborhoods.

  11. Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Romani women • Cases of coerced and forced sterilization have been reported in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania, but no legal remedy was pronounced in any of the countries. • Across Europe, Romani women are placed in separate maternity awards. • Romani women lack information about their choices with respect to their reproduction, while unemployed mother are excluded from social maternity benefits. • Romani women are often victims of trafficking

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