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ROMA HEALTH. FROM PRACTICE TO POLICY. Jadranka Stojanovic Fund for an Open Society Serbia May 2006. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
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ROMA HEALTH FROM PRACTICE TO POLICY Jadranka Stojanovic Fund for an Open Society Serbia May 2006
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA • According to 2002 census – 108,193According to unofficial data of some Roma NGOs – 900,000Data provided by Romany experts suggest that the number is from 450,000 to 500,000 • Average age of Roma is 27.52 • 31.74% are aged 0-18 • 4.19% are older than 65 • 24.60% is illiterate among those aged 10 or more • Only 12.1% of Roma have personal income • Around 75% of Roma live in bad housing conditions
FACTS ABOUT ROMA POPULATION • Roma are known to be the youngest population in the world • Only one in hundred Roma lives to be 60 • According to some research papers, Roma begin their sexual life as 14.76 year-olds, which largely corresponds to the age at which they become married. • During their reproductive period, women have, on average, 13.56 abortions • Roma children become sick 3 to 10 times more often than their peers • Owing to their irregular schooling, Roma children are not included in systematic medical check-ups compulsory in schools • Considerable number of Roma don’t have IDs and health-insurance cards • Owing to bad conditions, lack of health insurance, lack of education and bad communication, Roma delay going to a doctor to get examined • Consequently, many curable diseases leave consequences and become chronic diseases
FIELDS OF WORK OF ROMA NON-GOVERNMENTAL SECTOR • Education of Roma community on the exercise of the right to healthcare • Assistance to Roma to obtain personal identity and health insurance documents • Teaching Roma to recognize discrimination against them and acquainting them with protection mechanisms • Sensibilization of healthcare staff for specificities of life, culture and health needs of Roma • Support to Roma women to exercise their right in the area of women’s health • Advocacy for improved sanitary and hygienic status of Roma settlements • Education of healthcare institutions for implementation of the Action Plan for Health • Monitoring implementation of the Action Plan for Health
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE • Roma officially recognized as a national minority in Serbia (Law, 2002) • The national Strategy for Integration of Roma in Serbia made (2003) • Experiences and knowledge of NGOs and cooperation/partnership with healthcare institutions • Initiating the Decade of Roma Inclusion • Openness and readiness for cooperation of the Ministry of Health
DECADE OF ROMA INCLUSION • Coordination and facilitation in the making of Action Plans – Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and FOSS • The expert team for health (representatives of Roma NGOs, Roma National Council, Ministry of Health), • Consultations with the civil sector • The Government of Serbia adopted Action Plans on January 27, 2005.
ACTION PLAN FOR HEALTH • Research of the health status of Roma population • Amending legal regulation and ensuring implementation of existing laws • Carrying out health programs in order to improve Roma health • Improving the living environment and housing conditionsP
MECHANISMS FOR IMPLEMENTING ACTION PLANS • Systemic: • Secretariat for Roma Education Strategy – Ministry of Human and Minority Rights • Office for Roma Inclusion – Executive Council of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina • Coordination Body for Roma Integration – City of Belgrade • Roma commissioners in 18 town and municipal authorities in Serbia • Civil: • The League for the Decade of Roma – a coalition of NGOs / Committee for Education • Mission: Monitoring and advocacy for effective implementation of Action Plans
RESULTS • Budget for implementing the Action Plan for Health in 2006 - $ 850,000 • Ministry of Health announced a competition for support to healthcare institutions for programs intended for Roma • Roma health integrated in programs of the Ministry of Health (HIV-AIDS, TB, Preventive Healthcare Protection) • An expert team to draft an Action Plan for solving the problems of Roma in obtaining personal documents • Local governments have planed budget resources for implementing APs • Local healthcare institutions and administrations make expert and financial contribution to NGO projects