On the occasion of 8 April, the International Romani Day and part of “Month of Roma Women’s Activism” campaign, Brankica Janković, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality met with representatives of Roma Women Network.

The main topics for discussion were economic empowerment of Roma women, their participation in public and political life, prevention of domestic violence as well as breaking enduring stereotypes regarding the Roma national minority.

Commissioner Janković stressed that the World Roma Day must not remain purely symbolic in its nature, yet it should be an opportunity to underline once again the bleak social and economic position of this national minority.

The fact that the majority of national background based discrimination complaints relate to the Roma national minority, namely almost fifty percent – gives reasons for concern. This figure tends to persist, year in year out.

In particular, the attitude of representatives of certain public institutions towards Roma gives cause for serious concern, stressed the Commissioner. She also added that complaints are frequently launched against those very entities whose support the Roma national minority should be able to count on.

In addition, the Commissioner reflected on the complex issue of Roma housing, as the life in slums makes access to other economic and social rights, such as education, employment, healthcare . . . more difficult. This is the reason why the attitude of the society needs to change and why it is necessary for the state to respond and take a string of adequate measures to tackle this issue, primarily by enforcing full inclusion of all Roma children into the education system which would ultimately ensure equality and dignified life for all Roma men and women, said the Commissioner in her final remark.