Platform to Advance Rights and Position of Romani Women in

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1. Platform’s Importance

The Platform to Advance Rights and Position of Romani Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina (further in text: the Platform) presents an advocacy instrument for the rights of the Romani Women locally and internationally, being a specific contribution to the politics of antiziganism1 and prevention of discrimination in the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s society.

Pointing out efforts and shortcomings of BH policies related to integration of the Romani men and women, the Platform is a mechanism to advocate for more efficient practices of detection, monitoring and prevention of different forms of discrimination against Romani women.

Romani women gathered in the Udruženje žena Romkinja “Bolja budućnost” (Association of Romani Women “Better Future”) from Tuzla, and the Romani Women Network “Uspjeh” (“Success”) hold a key role in creation of this advocating mechanism, as they initiated it. Associations of Romani women, gathered in the women’s network, have jointly created and implemented researches based on which the specific problems in inequality of Romani women in the BH society were identified.

Advocating for advancement of rights and better position of the Romani women in Bosnia and Herzegovina is favoured by the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina has adopted the Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina for addressing the issues of Roma in BiH2 and has made a significant step towards improvement of the position of the in 2008 by signing the Declaration committing Bosnia and Herzegovina to the “Roma Inclusion Decade 2005 - 2015 (Roma Decade)3“. By this, it showed political commitment to combating poverty, exclusion and discrimination of Romani men and women in and improvement of the life for Romani people. It is of high importance to emphasise that a concept of public participation of Romani men and women in all processes was adopted within the Roma Decade, along with the need to strengthen the role of Romani non- governmental organisations within these processes, as an integral part of current policies of Romani integration.

The political commitment of Bosnia and Herzegovina was affirmed by acceptance of “the Declaration of Balkan partners on Roma integration within the processes of EU enlargement (2019)”4 (further in text: Poznan Declaration), foreseeing a number of affirmative measures specifically seeking the countries to provide a more significant improvement of the Romani men and women status. The novelty here is that there is a commitment within the Poznan Declaration related to improvement of policies related to

1 According to the 2011 definition of the Against and Intolerance (ECRI), the is a specific form of racism, an ideology founded on racial supremacy, form of dehumanising and institutional racism bred by historic discrimination which, among other things, is expressed by violence, hate speech, exploitation, stigmatisation and the obvious forms of discrimination. 2 Published in the Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 64/05, 3 the Declaration of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s commitment to the “Roma Inclusion Decade 2005-2015” was signed by the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 04 September 2008, following the Council’s conclusions. 4 Within the Berlin Process, Bosnia and Herzegovina accepted the “Declaration of Western Balkan partners on Roma Integration within the process of EU enlargement”, signed in Poznan in 2019, the Decision of the BiH Presidency No. 01- 50-1-2547-2/19.

2 combating discrimination and antiziganism, i.e. it sets measurable indicators to measure the level of inclusion and integration of Romani men and women, and especially children. The countries, signatories of the Poznan Declaration, committed to “...continue and increase efforts leading to full equality and integration of Romani, and specifically so through implementation and increase of Joint Conclusion of the Romani Workshops...”

The significance of this Platform is contributed to by the Opinion of the Commission on the Application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the (2019)5, i.e. the part related to the requirement to harmonise and apply legislation and policies in the field of equality of men and women, which includes a number of different activities to be implemented by the responsible institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On the other hand, the European Union has set a definitive form to its support to the policies of the Western Balkan countries for Roma inclusion. Within the Multicountry IPA programme for Roma Integration 2020, but also other IPA programmes and other lines of support to the , the European Union continued providing direct financial support for implementation of policies, programmes and projects for better integration of Romani, until the accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the EU.

The fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina will start preparing a new action plan in 2020 related to the issue of Romani men and women, for the period 2021-2024, is important for implementation of advocacy activities based on this Platform. This action plan includes a number of fields: , housing, and health care, it presents a good oportunity to create recommendations within the Platform, indicating problems in these fields, therefore initiating inclusion of priorities contained in the Poznan Declaration, Opinion of the Commission on the Application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the European Union and Joint Conclusions of Romani workshops.

Generally speaking, the Platform places an emphasis on spotted shortcomings in other sectoral strategies, plans and policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, too. Based on different analysis and other available indicators, the key problems and obstacles for better inclusion of Romani women in the BiH society are emphasised. The Platform proposes a more specific measures to improve implementation of parts of sectoral strategies, plans and policies of importance in achieving economic, social, political, educational, cultural and other rights of the Romani women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Importance and motive to create the Platform lies in the fact that the Romani women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, both in everyday life and in Romani community, are undoubtedly faced with numerous challenges in protection from discrimination.

The Platform emphasises specific problems and provides recommendations related to political and social participation of Romani women, social protection, education and right to culture, gender-based violence and domestic violence, exploitation of children (especially girls) through arranged marriages and endangering development and health based on a higher index of teen pregnancies in the Romani community compared to non-Romani population and increased risk of discrimination and therefore lack of systemic support.

5 Analysis, the Opinion of the Commission on the Application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the European Union SWD (2019) 222 final, Brussels, 29 2019 (page 49).

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The recommendations of the Platform propose to key stakeholders when creating new and implementing the existing policies, strategies and plans, to adequately address the needs of the Romani women as multi-marginalised6 group of women.

Further in text of the Platform, we will briefly present the position of the Romani women in BiH society, legislative and strategic framework obliging us to act, and we present the recommendations to improve the position of Romani women in the BiH society and to present the way in which the activities will continue to advocate for it.

2. Romani Women in BiH society

Members of the Romani population have largely failed to disclose their ethnic background in the 2013 Census in Bosnia and Herzegovina; only 12,583 persons were declared as Romani7. According to the data from the Romani associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this number is much higher; it is estimate that about 50,000 Romani people live in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 8

 Romani men and women in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been recognised with a status of national minority, which officially guarantees protection of their rights, including the right to declare their origin. The problem of failing to do so by Romani men and women in the past census, usually indicates their fast assimilation related to economic and social position in the BiH society, i.e. with their multi-marginalisation. The representatives of women’s Romani associations have also recognised the existence of stereotype and prejudice towards Romani and the fact that the process of census did not include the representatives of Romani minority, impacting therefore strongly the fact that national declaration was not obligatory in the 2013 Census.

Entry indicators from the Analysis of Registering Romani Needs (2011)9 show:

- within the total recorded sample of the population, 49.4% were women - share of under-age persons in the total recorded population was 42.2# - the highest number of Romani families (68.57%) live in the area of: Tuzla, Zenica, Sarajevo and Travnik, followed by 19.76% in Bijeljina, Doboj and Banja Luka, and 11.68% in Brcko, Bihac and Mostar.

A research with multiple data in Bosnia and Herzegovina related to Romani population from 2011 (MICS)10 is the one implemented on a representative sample with the purpose to provide assessment of a large number of indicators for conditions of children, women and men, as well as the living conditions of households in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The following is extracted from the said research:

6 Marginalisation is reduction of values of someone or something; attributing someone or something with insignificant, unimportant features; paying lesser attention to someone or something, treating them as a figurine or an accidental. 7 Census, Ethnic/national background, religion, native (2013), accessed on 19 November 2019. http://www.popis.gov.ba/popis2013/knjige.php?id=2 8 “Special Report on the Position of Romani in BiH”, Institution of BiH Ombudsmen for (2013). 9 E. Vejzovic Analysis of Registering Romani Needs, Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees (2011) 10 The research with multiple data - MICS for the Romani population in Bosnia and Herzegovina, implemented by UNICEF and the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees (2011)

4 - percentage of Romani girls entering early into marriage, i.e. before the age of 15, is 14.6%, compared to 0.4% of non-Romani girls, - percentage of Romani girls entering into marriage before the age of 18, is 48.3%, compared to 9.5% of non-Romani girls, - when it comes to literacy, the literacy rates for the 15-24 age group of Romani men is 90%, while only 69% for Romani women, compared to non-Romani population where the literacy rate for men and women is balanced at 99% - Romani with no formal education 27.8 % female / 15.4% male, women in overall population 0.4% - Romani with primary school education only 57.6 % female / 62.6% male, women in overall population 23.9% - Romani with secondary school education 13.7 % female / 21.9% male, women in overall population 58.6% - Romani with higher education 0.7 % female / 0.1% male, women in overall population 17.1%

Report on implementation of public policies of the countries participants, related to Roma Integration in 201811 for Bosnia and Herzegovina was made based on indicators collected by the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees. The following is extracted from the said report:

 higher number of men benefits employment programmes, meaning that the programmes are not fully adjusted to the needs of women,  presence of Romani women in parliamentary and assembly bodies representing minorities is insufficient, except for the Romani Board wtih the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. no adequate presence of Romani women was secured, showing that the legal provisions regulating representations of genders in management, decision making and chairing are not implemented,  it was noted that criteria favouring a more adequate presence of women, and especially of Romani national minority, is not being set for elections and nominations in different bodies, because these procedures are often non-transparent,  the available data on inclusion of Romani men and women in the education system show that Romani men and women have not been included in all forms of education,  a large number of Romani does not have a sufficient access to health care and labour market.

In order to present a detailed insight into the position of Romani women, in addition to the official data we are presenting several independent researches showing a difficult position of Romani women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Association of Romani Women “Better Future” from Tuzla, in cooperation with the Romani women network „Success“ implemented a Research12 in 2019, using a sample of one thousand Romani women, showing the following:  75.1% of Romani women who participated in the research live in poverty, without any income, without health insurance, without primary education and without any other human rights,

11 Report on implementation of public policies of participating states related to integration of Roma for 2018, Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina made within the Multicountry IPA Roma Integration 2020. 12 Mehdic, A. “Position of Romani Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Udruženje žena Romkinja “Bolja budućnost” grada Tuzla (2019)

5  18.5% of interviewees receive stable financial assistance,  45.1% of Romani women are exposed to violence in multiple forms,  Romani women themselves think that the economic dependence makes them additionally susceptible to violence,  literacy rate of Romani women in the age 15-24 is 68.9%, and 90.4% of Romani men, indicating inequality between men and women,  the level of literacy of Romani women being lower than men presents an additional worry, because the well-being of a family is closely related to the level of mother’s education, and if compared to 2011 data and MICS, the level of literacy dropped for 0.1%.  the same report states that “... Romani men and women are usually reported without any differentiation between the situation of men, women or youth, which makes the processes of planning and monitoring activities directed to improvement of the Romani women position more difficult. Action plans, strategies and local plans usually do not include gender analysis or it is rather weak.”

Study made by the Gender Equality Agency 13 in 2013 states the following:

 ... it is not possible to detect the exact number of Romani women exposed to violence because the statistics in institutions and safe houses providing assistance to women victims of violence is not maintained about them,  although domestic violence presents a heavy violation of human rights, the opinions of those justifying violence on women in Romani population prevails, such is the case with the other population of lower education and those living in poverty,  when it comes to general population of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this study of prevalence shows that the violence on women is a problem affecting a half of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who have experienced at least one form of violence since the age of 15, and just under 12% of women experienced violence in the year before the study. 14 Findings in the study show that the partner-based violence is present in 72% of the cases; generally, women have been faced with a higher risk of violence in intimate and family relations, than in wider community. Probability of young women experiencing violence compared to older is higher, and women of poorer health or with disability are not saved from violence; in fact, the level of spread is the same as for women without disability. 15

UNICEF’s Comparative Review from 201516 says the following:

 it is estimated that 15% of Romani community marriages in Bosnia and Herzegovina were solemnised with girls under the age of 15,

13 Babovic M. et al. “Spread and character of violence on women in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, BiH Gender Equality Agency (2013). 14 Babovic M. et al. “Spread and character of violence on women in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, BiH Gender Equality Agency (2013). 15 Ibid. 16 Bernat, A. „The Rights of Roma Children and Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of , and „A comparative review and further analysis of findings from MICS surveys in Roma settlements in the three countries (2015) https://www.unicef.org/eca/media/1071 /file/report_rights_of_Roma_children_women_ full_ report. pdf

6  the use of modern contraceptives is significantly lower in the Romani community,  experiences of Romani women’s organisations show that the talks on sexual relations are a taboo for Romani men and women, and that work should be done in this direction,  significantly lower number of Romani women, compared to the other population, has access to all services during pregnancy and after delivery, but a positive fact is that 99% of the Romani women gives birth in health facilities,

Results of comparative review of the available data and independent analysis coincide with the experiences of the Romani women’s associations; they reveal that the Romani community is largely hit by child marriages. Girls who marry early are more exposed to violence, they become mothers earlier, have several children and lesser chance to continue education and become economically stronger. Child marriages carry the risk of early pregnancy, which can lead to difficult health implications for both the mother and the child; this risk is very high due to insufficient access to health services.

OSCE 2018 prevalence review indicates the following:

 a half of women in BiH (48%) have experienced a form of violence since the age of 15, including intimate partner’s violence, non-partner violence, stalking or sexual harassment. More precisely, almost four out of ten women (38%) state that they have experienced mental, physical or sexual violence since the age of 15 by a partner or non-partner,  28% of women say they have experienced sexual harassment since the age of 15,  10% of women experienced sexual harassment in the 12-month period before the survey,  one of 20 interviewed women experienced stalking (5% in both entities).

The data related to overall prevalence of violence are very similar to the results of 2014 prevalence review, including minor differences; namely, OSCE review included the experiences of women hit by conflicts, and has shown that two thirds of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be categorised as directly affected by conflict and the probability that a woman affected by a conflict will be harmed by intimate partner is higher.

The results of qualitative review have shown that Romani women have experience with inadequate treatment when they need to be referred to the services or departments providing support to the victims of violence and that they could face discrimination when accessing the support services.

Ring of Antiziganism review: Romani in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Civil Rights Defenders 201817 show the following:

 municipal protocols for acts in the event of domestic violence had not included perspective or experiences of Romani women, to which women’s Romani organisations are warning. They consider that there is a need for professional support to men who are violators and that there is a requirement for data on Romani women in safe houses,

17 Ring of Antiziganism: Romani in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Civil Rights Defenders (2018)

7  women’s Romani organisations also indicate the challenges faced by single parents, families with children with developmental difficulties and disabled women of Romani population, as a specifically marginalised group of Romani women,  also, they claim that there is a need for a more closer work with the institutions who frequently lack sufficient information, and appreciation of knowledge and experiences of women working in the field,  women’s Romani organisations state that those working with Romani or for Romani often have prejudice that they are not aware of and that there is a need for adequate education of all those working on Romani issues and serious and systemic treatment of antiziganism in Bosnia and Herzegovina; i.e. multiple, long-lasting discrimination, prejudice and wrong opinions on Romani, which is a frequent phenomena in Bosnia and Herzegovina and other Western Balkan countries and Europe.

We conclude that all presented indicators over a longer period of time show multiple marginalisation of Romani women based on a number of criteria, which is a sufficient firmament for a stronger advocacy of efficient measures for improvement of the position and rights for the Romani women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

CPEG review on Romani men and women (UN and BiH), show the following:

1. Romani men and women in education .  Almost 3% of the population in Bosnia and Herzegovina is illiterate and it includes about 5% of women older than 10, 15% women of 60-70 age group and 49% of women older than 70. The level of illiteracy is higher among the marginalised groups of women, i.e. women from rural communities, Romani women and women with disabilities.  Gender gap among the marginalised Romani people still exists because the Romani women are still of lesser educational level compared to Romani men and women in general, and only 4.5% of Romani girls complete secondary school education.  The level of primary education attendance among Romani is almost balanced between genders (70.9% for boys and 67.8% for girls), while the rate of secondary school attendance is 18% for girls and 26.6% for boys. In spite of increase of percentage, a significant gender gap remains among the marginalised Romani: only 37% of young, marginalised Romani women in the age of 18-21 has completed the compulsory education, compared to 50% of young, marginalised Romani men. This is in opposition to non-Romani population, where the gender gap does not have statistical significance. Only 4.5% of the Romani girls complete secondary school education (compared to 9.2% of Romani boys).  In addition, there is still the persisting issue of early marriage for marginalised Romani girls. 27% of the marginalised Romani women in the age 20-49 in Bosnia and Herzegovina reported getting married before they turned 18, compared to 11% of non-Romani women.

We conclude that the highest challenge in achieving gender equality in education is related to gender stereotype contributing to increased intensity of stereotype gender roles in all social spheres, normalisation of gender based violence and further maintenance of gender inequality. Professional gender-based segregation is still a significant challenge. Romani women and men are one of the most vulnerable groups in terms of education, due to their

8 marginalised position in the society and lack of possibilities for inclusion. Romani women still hold a lesser level of education compared to Romani men and women in general.

2. Women included in the risk of poverty and / or exclusion

Although the women on their own are not considered to be in the AROPE group (in the risk of poverty and / or exclusion), the gender issues remain relevant in some areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina. For example:  There is about one third lesser probability for women to participate as a labour force compared to men, and this goes for all the age groups, while the participation of marginalised Romani women as labour force was only about 13%, compared to 39% of Romani male. Gender inequality is usually present at all levels of education, and in all age groups and professions.  Apart from the above, women are less likely to have a bank account in a formal financial institution (48% compared to 67% with men), and in view of that, it is probably more difficult for them to access loans due to low level of property ownership. This reduces the possibility for prospective collateral (74% of ownership of housing units belongs to men only), and this can hold women back in entrepreneurship efforts.

3. Participation of women in the labour market

 In 2016, women made 51.5% of the working-age population; 35.9% of the total number of employed persons and 61.5% of inactive population. According to the annual survey of working-age population carried out in 10,647 households in 2018, women have a lower level of employment compared to men (25% compared to 44.1%), and higher rate of unemployment (20.3% compared to 17.2%). The newest number of registered unemployed persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 2019, includes 405,476 persons, of which 56.9% women (230,548). Gender difference in unemployment for 2018 decreased to 3.1% in comparison to 4.2% in 2017 and 7.5% in 2016, but compared to other countries in the region, Bosnia and Herzegovina has the lowest percentage of female participation in the total number of persons registered on the labour market.  There is a gap between marginalised Romani and non-Romani population in terms of human potential and material gain. The gap is almost triple with youth - only 14% of Romani in the age 18-24 are employed, participates in any level of education or training, compared to 41% of non-Romani population. The gender gap remains significant; while women in both groups are less frequently employed, marginalised Romani women have one of the lowest rates of employment in the region of the Western : only 4% were employed in 2017 (compared to 19% of marginalised Romani).  In 2017, participation of marginalised Romani women as labour force amounted to only 13% compared to 39% Romani men; this gap is also present in non-Romani population, although it is lesser.

Sexual and reproductive health

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9  13% of women had not received any pre-natal care compared to more than 21% of Romani women, while 84% of mothers (94% in Republika Srpska and 79% in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina) had four or more visits related to pre-natal care, provided usually by medical doctors.  Over the past 20 years, there was a drop in fertility, but the mortality of new-borns has been significantly lowered and is lower than the regional average.

We conclude that the sexual and reproductive health of all women needs to be improved, especially when it comes to pregnancy, pre-natal and post-natal care. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a developed country when it comes to availability of services for pregnant women, but the said services are not being provided equally in the whole state and the quality of treatment varies.

3. Legal and judicial framework of Platform’s significance

Constitutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities and cantons and relevant international sources of the UN, and specifically the Framework Convention on Protection of the Rights of National Minorities and the European Charger on Regional and Languages of Minorities, as well as other international standards for protection of national minorities, children, women and persons with disabilities, are important in achieving the rights of Romani women and the basis to create recommendations within this Platform.

The basic rights of the Romani women, as members of a minority are regulated within the framework of the FBiH Law on Protection of the Rights of Members of National Minorities and the RS Law on Protection of the Rights of Members of National Minorities.

The BiH Law on Prevention of Discrimination and the Law on Gender Equality include measures directed towards the protection of discrimination prohibiting discrimination on any basis, including discrimination based on race and gender, which is the key approach in creation of this Platform.

When it comes to the position of Romani people, and especially Romani women, important role is played by the regulations related to the field of employment, housing, health and social protection, education and other special forms of protection (combating violence, discrimination and political participation). Depending on constitutional authorities, these regulations have been passed on the levels of the entities, Republika Srpska (RS) and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), cantons and Brcko District of BiH (BDBiH).

Accepting a number of international and regional standards of UN and CoE in the field of human rights into the legal system of Bosnia and Herzegovina created the obligation of their implementation and especially so in the field of anti-discrimination. Pursuant to the adopted international and regional standard, a number of international bodies has given recommendations to Bosnia and Herzegovina, directly and indirectly related to improvement of the position of Romani Women, and the most important of those are the Recommendations from the UN Committee for the Rights of Women (CEDAW), recommendations contained within the key review of the Committee of the Rights of National Minorities of the , European Commission for Racism (ECRI), and recommendations given to Bosnia and Herzegovina based on the Universal Periodical

10 Review of Human Rights (UPR), recommendations of the UN Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee of the rights of Children and other.

The fact in the last few years is that the majority of strategic documents consider the recommendations of the above given international bodies seeking from the responsible authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to more efficiently implement the most important laws and to create and more efficiently implement policies, plans for different fields of protecting marginalised groups, including Romani women.

It is requested from all the levels of authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina to ensure adequate systemic support to the marginalised groups of women and children and to establish adequate systems of monitoring, i.e. maintaining data based on which the insight into the situation and needs of marginalised groups of women and girls can be made. This is specifically related to segregated indicators for both Romani women and girls, as multi-marginalised groups.

Within the Opinion of the Commission on the Application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Membership in the European Union, the following is said: “(...) Legislation providing equality between men and women is mostly in place. The Constitution contains the Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination of Women (CEDAW), as one of the agreements on human rights, which is applied in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The country has also signed the UN Convention on Political Rights of Women and Convention of Equal Compensation (ILO). The European Council Convention on Prevention and Combating Violence on Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) has been in power since 2014, although the legislation is not fully harmonised. The Law on Gender Equality was passed in 2003, adopted and modified in 2010. It is complemented by the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination from 2009, strengthening the protection mechanisms. This legislative framework needs to be efficiently implemented. Mechanisms for gender equality have been established and the Gender Equality Agency, within the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, plays the key role in monitoring and stimulation to implementation of the Law on Gender Equality in cooperation with the entity centres for gender equality. The strategy of gender equality is being implemented through gender equality action plans all over the country, and the last one was adopted in 2018. Bosnia and Herzegovina has also adopted the action plan on the country level for implementation of the Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, of which the last was adopted in 2018. Implementation of policy and legislation is inefficient. Women are under-represented in politics and public life. The gender equality foresees special measures to achieve at least 40% of representation of each gender in legislative, executive and judicial authorities on all levels. The evaluation of policy making impact and laws on gender equality is not carried out, although set by the law. (...)”

On the other hand, we see that there is a number of strategic, planning documents which could impact the position of Romani women, and here is the list of the most important ones:

 Bosnia and Herzegovina Strategy for addressing the Romani Issues in BiH18 ,

18 the Official Gazette of BiH, 67/05

11  2017 - 2020 Bosnia and Herzegovina Action Plan for Addressing the Romani Issues in the field of Employment, Housing and Health Protection19, i.e. the new one for the period 2021-2024,  Framework action plan on educational needs of Romani men/women in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2018-2022,  Gender Action Plan BiH, 2018-2022,20  Implementation Action Plan for the UN Resolution 1325, 2018-202221,  FBiH Strategy for Prevention, Combating and Protection from Domestic Violence22,  FBiH 2018-2020 Action Plan for Prevention, Combating and Protection from Domestic Violence23,  Republika Srpska Strategy for Prevention of Domestic Violence 2014-201924,  BiH Strategy on Combating Human Trafficking 2020-2025 and action plans to be made based on this strategy.  Action Plan for Children of BiH 2015-2018 25 and the new one in preparation for 2020-2024,

4. Recommendations for Improvement of the Position of Romani Women in the BiH Society

Based on the given indicators and analysis mentioned above, the recommendations with specific measures were made, grouped based on different sectors of protection.

Recommendation 1

Reassessment of the possibility to improve regulations and their implementation and review of programmes and measures contained in the existing strategic documents for the purpose of improving the position of the Romani women.

Recommendation 2

Strengthen the Minorities Department within the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH and Gender Equality Agency in order to process the claims of Romani men and women and their associations and to coordinate the activities providing assistance to the victims and to identify schemes of discrimination including institutional and hidden discrimination.

Prejudices which the Romani women are exposed to in the BiH society are often taken as valid and justified opinion on the Romani life, culture and tradition. Those working with the Romani population are often unaware of their prejudices and they do not think that their opinions should be re-examined and changed. Prejudices are seen through violation of the rights of Romani women through of domestic violence, entering into early marriages, human trafficking and exploitation of children, which are seen in the Romani

19 the Official Gazette of BiH, 67/17 20 the Official Gazette of BiH, 89/18 21 the Official Gazette of BiH, 1/19 22 the Official Gazette of the Federation BiH, 22/13, pursuant to the Article 37, paragraph 1 of the Law on Developmental Planning in the Federation BiH (the Official Gazette of the Federation BiH, 32/17), and Article 36 of the Law on protection from domestic violence (the Official Gazette of the Federation BiH, 22/13) sets the importance of this document until 2020. 23 the Official Gazette of F BiH, 102/18 24 the Official Gazette of the Republika Srpska, 63/14; 25 the Official Gazette of BiH, 63/15.

12 communities as a part of the Romani tradition and not as serious violation of the law and therefore also violation of human rights and freedoms. 26 The women’s Romani associations call upon the equal treatment of Romani men and women before the law, just as any other citizens of BiH. They believe that the Romani women are insufficiently present in the BiH society and under-represented in the action plans and projects related to gender equality and not recognised in projects and action plans for the Romani people.

The opinion is that the current action plan does not sufficiently consider the Romani women. Romani women network wants to contribute to preparation of the new action plan in order to avoid this situation in the future and to do so primarily through provision of recommendations for the existing Romani policies on the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina to be improved.

2017-2020 Bosnia and Herzegovina Action Plan addressing the Romani issues in the field of employment, housing and health protection (further in text: the Romani Action Plan), adopted by the BiH Council of Ministers at the proposal of the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees foresees strategic goals, a number of measures and financing and system of reporting with the aim to improve the position of Romani in BiH. The action plan shows commitment of Bosnia and Herzegovina to improve the position of the Romani and to decrease the , therefore presenting a significant potential in achievement of these goals.

The implementation of the action plan, analysed by the women’s Romani organisations and experts in the field of gender equality, show that the action plan had not adequately considered the needs of women and girls from the Romani communities and that the Romani women were insufficiently involved in the strategic settlement of the Romani issues in BiH.

It is the opinion of the women’s Romani associations that it is necessary to improve the existing action plans and strategies, until a strategic document to prevent discrimination in Bosnia and Herzegovina is made, to include measures to prevent multiple discrimination.

The Romani women are being discriminated in wider society for their attachment to the Romani and in the Romani community for being women. This double discrimination is made additionally complex by having the Romani women exposed to social exclusion seen in a low level of access to education, employment, and health care. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce specific measures tackling these issues into the existing plans.

The situation for the Romani women in BiH is additionally hardened by poor living conditions in inadequate housing units, frequently distant from urban settlements and lacking adequate infrastructure, which creates an additional feeling of insecurity for the Romani women. This should surely be the starting position in re-defining the measures in the sphere of housing management of the Romani.

The problems of vulnerable categories, including also the Romani women, is treated as a transversal problem (reflected to all spheres) in the policies on gender equality without the existence of specific measures to provide for equal participation in these sectors.

Recommendation 3

26 Ring of Antiziganism: Romani in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Civil Rights Defenders (2018)

13

Improvement of Romani women presence in bodies creating different policies and strategies in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The following measures should be addressed with the responsible institutions:

 Measure 1. Send the initiative to the Joint Commission for Human Rights of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entity Parliaments and Assemblies, cantonal and Brcko District of BiH assemblies seeking application of the provisions of the BiH Law on Gender Equality and to ensure equal gender representation of Romani women when forming parliamentary councils and national minority councils. Provide clear criteria for election and nomination of members into the councils and boards, pursuant to the legislative framework and make the processes transparent and accessible.  Measure 2. Send an initiative to the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refuges and the BiH Gender Equality Agency to include the criteria ensuring adequate presence of the Romani women in the bodies relevant for implementation of their rights, when giving opinions and other by-laws.  Measure 3. Organise campaigns and education on importance of voting for women at the elections, but also on political candidacy of the Romani women.

In the field of improvement of institutional capacities, none of the strategic documents foresees how and in what capacity should the Romani women be involved in order to comply with the BiH Law on Gender Equality, setting a 40% of representation of the less-represented gender in the bodies, professions and decision-making positions, which is one of the pre- conditions for equality. If is a frequent situation that within the total number of Romani representatives all are men.

As stated before, the social and political participation of the Romani women is very low, and even in the bodies presenting the interests of the Romani men and women in BiH. Current experience shows that the public calls are not being transparent. Therefore, the goal of this Platform in the context of social and political anticipation, is to attempt ensuring that all bodies and groups representing the Romani men and women interests at all level, have the participation of Romani women at 40%, as set by the Law on Gender Equality. The joint commission for human rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PSBiH), in cooperation with the Romani Women Network “Success”, held a Thematic Session on the Romani Women Position in BiH in June 2018. During the said session, the importance of introducing gender equality when preparing strategic documents and action plans for Romani men and women in the field of health, housing, employment and education was emphasised, along with the need to change methodology in creating strategic documents and introducing monitoring of their implementation. Additionally, it is needed to set clear criteria and make the processes more transparent when it comes to electing and nominating the members of the Minority Council. This process needs to see measures towards achievement of gender equality through quota and to affirm Romani women for the process of nomination into the Minority Councils in BiH (both entities).

Recommendation 4

When it comes to the field of social housing, it is required to analyse the existing legislation applied in BiH and to prepare recommendations for improvement and

14 harmonisation of the regulations providing for the easier housing assistance to the marginalised group of Romani women.

The following measures should be addressed with the responsible institutions:

 Measure 1. Initiate passing municipal decisions for the procedure of allocation and ranking beneficiaries based on social housing, providing for the adequate housing of Romani women based on the CZR social anamnesis.  Measure 2. Introduce the measure directed to education and raising awareness among Romani women on recorded property and inheritance into the new 2021-2024 Romani Action Plan. Additionally, motivate Romani women to be applicants and holders of the tenant’s rights in social flats.  Measure 3. Send the initiative to the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees to set affirmative measures in cooperation with local authorities within the existing practices for allocation of housing units, providing for a simpler management of marginalised groups of Romani women.  Measure 4. Speed up the process of mapping the illegal Romani flats and settlements.

Study conducted by the Udruženje Romkinja “Bolja budućnost”, carried out in 2019, shows that almost a half of the intervieweed persons within the Romani community, lives in extremely poor conditions, without electricity, water and sewerage.27We believe that the standards for construction of housing units must be clear and include the point-system and criteria, i.e. taking into the account who is a land owner of a plat that can be used for construction, and who will pay for housing units, which has presented an obstacle in the past for beneficiaries of the housing measures. Romani men and women have been dislocated from the city, while it is needed to avoid segregation; it is needed to change criteria and rulebooks for construction, set which housing units have not been used. Additionally, public calls for construction of housing units are published late, and this makes it impossible for the potential beneficiaries to apply. Housing units for Romani women are not being planned, and they are required and especially so for multiple vulnerable categories.

When ensuring flats, it is important to take into the account who will be the holder of the tenant’s rights and ensure that the Romani women, together with husbands or on their own, are the holders. Housing measures are directed towards families, which puts into unfavourable position those individuals who had not started their own family, and the young. Additionally, in order to ensure sustainability of measures, it is required for the municipality to take over some obligations for housing. It is necessary to take into the account that legalisation of land is an expensive process for all citizens, and especially for the Romani Women. In all measures, including those for provision of flats, it is required to consider opinions of the Romani. It has happened in the past that some families were given flats, but had not solved other problems. In a part related to housing, it is required to have clear criteria to exercise the right to housing units with the aim of transparency.

27 Mehdic, A. “Position of Romani Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Udruženje žena Romkinja “Bolja budućnost” grada Tuzla (2019).

15 Recommendation 5 When it comes to employment of Romani women it is required to start and apply specially designed programmes to ensure sustainable opportunities for their employment.

The following measures should be addressed with the responsible institutions:

 Measure 1. Develop specifically designed programmes of professional advancement for Romani women and ensure funds to implement these programmes in the communities. The programmes should be linked with implementation of programmes on the local level, ensuring care for children while their mothers or guardians are at workshops, re-training or other form of education.  Measure 2. Support Romani women to improve their existing skills (crafts, cottage industry, old crafts) and to turn them into a source of income, like farming.

There is a need for a change of methodology for allocation of funds in the field of employment. The responsible institutions have difficulties in implementation of resources, which fail being used to the maximum. The plan of action should insist on re-training and additional training, and positive examples of this practice come from schools from Kakanj and Visoko which introduced the possibility of free, extramural completion of primary school education28 for all. The Romani Women Network shows that the funds for self-employment are insufficient and that small amounts do not suffice in starting a business, hence it is not ensured for the Romani women to have benefit from those. Additionally, certain persons and use measures by employing Romani men and women, but only through contributions, without the real work and experience gaining. It is needed to ensure for the interested Romani women to apply for positions with under-representation of Romani women (in the institutions, judiciary, higher education, medicine, etc.), through campaigns presenting successful Romani women and youth, and to require that the public calls for incentives in employment and self-employment of Romani men and women encourage applications from the Romani women.

Recommendation 6 Improve access to health care and special programmes intended for reproductive health of women and create additional social and preventive health programmes for support to women and girls and Romani families with children.

The following measures should be addressed with the responsible institutions:

 Measure 1. Establish an information system (on rights and services) for the Romani women through services in the community, such as health, social welfare centres, schools, police and municipalities.  Measure 2. Work on prevention of teen pregnancies and family planning through cooperation with the public health institutions, ministries of health and women’s Romani organisation’s by organising educational workshops on sexual and reproductive health.

28 https://budimiprijatelj.ba/obrazovanje-odraslih/?fbclid=IwAR12iS0X8X6XmpvUZRayn4UlHlfYBEB0C7OS6pvJ1IR3- BcB_Y0h_EW0In0

16  Measure 3. Include Romani women in compulsory health, preventive and pre-natal examinations, as well as specialist examinations, including gynaecology ones carried out by the health institutions.  Measure 4. Establish the work of mobile health teams for rural areas to carry out preventive examinations (mammography, gynaecology examinations, dental services, systematic examinations).  Measure 5. In the implementation of the existing Romani Action Plan ensure funds for purchase of medications that are not on the essential list of medications.  Measure 6. Create programmes on the local level, ensuring care for children while their mothers or guardians are at workshops, re-training or other form of education.

The main goal in the field of health is to raise awareness of the Romani women on importance of health protection and regular preventive examinations, and increase coverage with health insurance, which is a priority based on the opinions of the Romani women presented in the 2019 survey implemented by the Udruženje „Bolja budućnost“.29Positive practice was noted in the Una-Sana Canton. It is related to health protection of pregnant women; all of them are included in the system of health protection. A positive example from the Republika Srpska in the field of health is that the reporting to the Unemployment Bureau is not limited. This should also be done in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, information on application to the Unemployment Bureau should be strengthened, and accompanied with declaration of origin, specifically accenting the application of Romani women. The following period should see change of criteria in public calls, so that the women’s Romani organisations are given a chance to implement health care programmes, within the scope of the Action Plan for Health. It is necessary to demand from the health services for the Romani women to be treated without discrimination and to ensure standards of operation without prejudice towards Romani women through medical chambers and ethic codes. Establish an information system (on rights and services) for the Romani women through services in the community, such as health, social welfare centres, schools, police and municipalities. Social welfare is very important for Romani women who often live in difficult conditions. It is therefore required to include a higher number of Romani women in the system of social welfare, with emphasis on single mothers, women with disability, unemployed new mothers, elderly Romani women and other Romani women living in the conditions requiring social assistance.

Recommendation 7 Improve inclusion of Romani women in education.

The following measures should be addressed with the responsible institutions:

 Measure 1. Ensure inclusion of women’s Romani organisations in preparation and review of education action plans for the needs of Romani at all levels.  Measure 2. Monitor the quality of education of Romani children and demand from education inspectorate to monitor any occurrence of discrimination of the Romani children.  Measure 3. Ensure funds for pre-school education of Romani children and scholarship for Romani girls in primary and secondary education.

29 Mehdic, A. “Position of Romani Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Udruženje žena Romkinja “Bolja budućnost” grada Tuzla (2019).

17  Measure 4. Organise literacy courses for the Romani men and women at the Romani communities.  Measure 5. Define programmes for education, professional advancement and re- training with the responsible adult education centres, considering the equal presence of women and girls.  Measure 6. Establish a sustainable system of engaging educational assistants in all local communities, in cooperation with pedagogical institutes.

Survey on the position of Romani women in BiH is based on opinions of the Romani women states that the education is the most important need of the Romani women30, still, a long- lasting discrimination, poverty and unadjusted education system led to Romani women being excluded from the education in large numbers, and that the progress in this direction is slow. The exclusion is specifically related to women and girls who usually leave school after primary education. This brings the Romani women in economically dependent position and to their marginalisation. Although education is generally treated through Education Action Plans,31 we consider that the Romani women have not been sufficiently involved in creation of these action plans and that the measures on improvement of Romani women education have not been adequately introduced. The field of education has a very strong impact to the overall improvement of the Romani women’s position; being under-educated with low qualifications, makes it difficult for the Romani women to become employed and included in the programmes of economic strengthening. As already emphasised, no adequate participation of the Romani women was ensured in preparation of strategic and other documents, and the same goes for their participation in legislative and executive bodies and commissions dealing with educational issues.

Recommendation 8 Create specific measures the existing policies, strategies and plans, related to prevention of domestic violence in Romani communities and especially to prevent violence against Romani women.

The following measures should be addressed with the responsible institutions:

 Measure 1. Ensure equal access and treatment in use of services / mechanisms for protection from violence for Romani women and girls.  Measure 2. Establish the mechanisms to implement registration of reported violence and use of mechanisms of protection based on ethnic origin and other characteristics of the victim.  Measure 3. Ensure programmes of economic strengthening for the Romani women victims of violence to provide for their economic independence.  Measure 4. Ensure consistent implementation of the protective measure of compulsory psychosocial treatment with the perpetrators of violence and ensure preventive work with individuals and families at risk.  Measure 5. Ensure preventive programmes for Romani women and girls on domestic violence and protection measures through schools, women's associations and communities and media.

30 Ibid. 31 Framework action plan on educational needs of Romani men/women in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2018-2022).

18  Measure 6. Educate Romani women, victims of violence, on possible methods to report officials who do not act pursuant to the law and do not adequately react in the event of reported violence.  Measure 7. Ensure compulsory and continued education programmes for experts working on violence protection, including the police in the community, health, social welfare centres, non-governmental organisations, courts and prosecution offices, with specific attention paid to sensitizing towards multiple marginalised victims of violence.  Measure 8. Ensure intended funds every year to finance activities intended for women’s Romani organisations within the campaign “16 days of activism against gender based violence”.  Measure 9. Ensure participation of representatives of women’s Romani associations in the municipal, multi-sectoral teams and cantonal coordination bodies for prevention, combating and protection from domestic violence.  Measure 10. Ensure association of the Romani Women Network with other women’s organisations with the aim to create and implement group support programmes to the victims of violence in cooperation with the Mental Health Centre and Social Welfare Centre.

The Opinion of the Commission on the Application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the European Union states: “The Strategy for application of the Istanbul Convention is present at the state level and on both entity levels. Nonetheless, the legislation on prevention and protection from gender based violence, and especially domestic violence, has not been efficiently implemented, which makes a problem. The authorities should gather and public information on gender based violence in a harmonised manner, as foreseen by the Convention, in order to provide for easier monitoring. The entity-based laws on domestic violence have not been harmonised between them or with the Istanbul Convention. In Republika Srpska, domestic violence is often processed as an offence and not as an act of crime, which leads to inconsistent judicial practice and lack of efficient sanctioning of perpetrators.

There are no services specialised in gender based violence cases in relevant institutions, including police and public sector. Nonetheless, several ministries have established focal points for gender issues with a task to submit the report to gender centres in both entities and the Gender Equality Agency on the state level. Access to free legal aid and representation before courts is very limited. Protective measures are rarely ordered, and the overall system of reaction and support to victims should be strengthened. The institutions at all levels need to increase their cooperation within the framework of victim-based approach. Available capacities of safe accommodation are insufficient. Civil society organisations play the key role in providing social services, including maintenance of eight safe houses for the victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. These services do not receive sufficient public funds (for women victims of human trafficking (…)“.

Additionally, women’s Romani organisations consider that the current action plan does not address domestic violence in the right way. Furthermore, it is not recognised that violence goes beyond physical violence, including a range of behaviours preventing women from active participation in education, labour market and social and political participation. The violence is mostly caused by patriarchal forms of behaviour and values, toxic norms on masculinity and it serves as a way to keep women in subordinate position. We are of the

19 opinion that the domestic violence is important topic to be raised in Romani communities, which are often excluded from the prevention programmes. Additionally, it is important to work on prevention of beggary, prevention of teen marriages, child trafficking and exploitation, insufficiently addressed in the current plan of action, but recognised by the women’s Romani organisations and through survey with a representative sample of the Romani women in BiH. 32

Recommendation 9 Initiative for the Gender Policies to include special and specific measures for prevention of teen arranged marriages and special measures within the Strategy combating human trafficking.

The following measures should be addressed with the responsible institutions:

 Measure 1. Carry out regular education at the social welfare centres and monitor whether the reports are being filed against responsible persons who enter into marital communities with children without the agreement of the social welfare centre, regardless the fact whether it is a parent, guardian or a person the marriage is solemnised with.  Measure 2. Carry out monitoring of the existing cases processed by the courts and reports by responsible police bodies not implementing the procedures “due to customary law”, and include the human rights ombudsmen into this activity.  Measure 3. Ensure accredited programmes on prevention of arranged marriages and extra-marital communities for professionals, teachers, police academy candidates, mediators, NGO representatives.  Measure 4. Work on prevention of child arranges marriages and extra-marital unions through cooperation between women’s Romani organisations, the Udruženje “Mreža policijski službenica” (Association “Network of Female Police Officers”), Udruženje žena sudija u BiH (Association of Lady Judges in BiH) and IPA in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpskau.  Measure 5. Initiate implementation of research of the problem of child marriages and extra-marital unions.

We are aiming to increase commitment of the responsible institutions to implementation of measures for prevention of child marriages. The Commission for the Rights of a Child and the Commission for Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women marks child marriages as a harmful practice, which justification by tradition is. The problem of child marriages exists and these are not classic marriages in most cases, because the Law sets the minimal age group for a marriage, while children who enter into such do not reach that age. These are, therefore, extra-marital unions which are usually not registered or monitored. The major problem in this is when the state bodies justify such harmful practices, by declaring them to be customary laws, and therefore no one is being processed or punished. 33

Women’s Romani Network “Success” of Bosnia and Herzegovina through its activities aims to protect the rights and needs of the Romani women and girls, improving their position and educating wider social community on the situation in Romani communities and change

32 Mehdic, A. “Position of Romani Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Udruženje žena Romkinja “Bolja budućnost” grada Tuzla (2019). 33 Mehdic, A. Child and agreed marriages, Advocacy Article (2019) Source: www.zenskamreza.ba.

20 awareness in order to break stereotypes about the Romani people and their life-styles. Children and agreed marriages are not a Romani custom and tradition. It is true that there are cases of marrying underage girls and boys and that there are dishonest parents who give their children “for care” to another family for financial gain, but things that happen in some Romani families cannot be considered a custom and tradition of Romani men and women, as the said is much nicer and richer than what is being presented by irresponsible individuals. The reasons for such instances can be viewed through a prism of sociological phenomena of isolated Romani community, which is still present, along with multiple marginalisation and discrimination this community is exposed to. The position of Romani women is especially hard, as she, due to a number of specific factors, lack of education and employment opportunities, is exposed to inducement and needs to enter into a marriage as soon as possible to “free their parents of burden” and to feel a contributing member of the community.34

Early marriages are problematic due to several reasons and those should be dealt with by the responsible marriages as girls being sold for marriage often become a part of the network of organised crime and used for beggary, and prostitution. Therefore, we want to emphasised that the agreed and child marriages are in no relation to the Romani tradition, culture or customs, but presents a classic form of human trafficking, trafficking of girls, who become invisible doe to their long-lasting subordination. No one wants to become interfered into their problems, because this is a part of someone’s quasi customary law.35 As a reminder, the Convention on the Rights of a Child, Family Law and Criminal Law of both FBiH and RS guarantee protection to children up to 18 years of age and foresee imprisonment for persons entering into relationship (marriage) with underage persons or having sexual relations with them.

Recommendation 10 Initiate passing of an appropriate programming document to prevent discrimination and antiziganism.

The following measures should be addressed with the responsible institutions:

 Measure 1. Carry out education of Romani women on what discrimination is through the work of the women’s Romani non-governmental sector, and education on the need to react and report discrimination.  Measure 2. Implement education for representatives of institutions and citizens, in schools and through the media on the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination and the foreseen mechanisms of protection, as well as on the consequences the violations of this law can lead to for individuals and legal entities.  Measure 3. Ensure funds for women’s Romani organisations for a more active promotion of Romani culture and tradition and promotion of positive examples with the aim of decreasing prejudice leading to discrimination. Proposal of measures for prevention of racial intolerance (antiziganism):

 Measure 1. Raise awareness of citizens and representatives of institutions on issues of racial intolerance (antiziganism).  Measure 2. Improve political participation of Roma men and women.  Measure 3. Continued monitoring of the needs of the Romani community.

34 Ibid. 35 Ibid.

21

Romani population is specifically vulnerable when it comes to discriminatory practices36. Members of national minority are otherwise exposed to the risk of multiple discrimination, but the position of Romani women is specifically difficult, considering a harsh patriarchal society of the Romani minority. It needs to be emphasised that the Romani women are victims of double discrimination, primarily discrimination based on affiliation with the Romani population and then by gender, because they are women; this is a cause for discrimination not only in social and political life, but also in the very Romani community. Additionally, unfavourable position of the Romani women has a negative impact to all levels of public and private life of the Romani national minority. In addition to the risk of multiple discrimination, patriarchal community, low level of education and social exclusion, we must emphasise poor knowledge of own rights, and additionally emphasised presence of these problems in rural areas. It is necessary to initiate measures of positive action and of networking Romani women with the aim to strengthen their actions and achieve higher visibility in the local community and the overall BIH society.

Antiziganism is a relatively new term for an old social phenomena; hate, marginalisation and oppression of Romani in the world. Antiziganism is a specific racism towards Romani, , and others who are stigmatised as “Gypsies” in the world. This specific and deeply rooted form of racism is one of the main obstacles to full inclusion of Romani men and women in all spheres of social life. Although this term is becoming increasingly recognised, there is no joint understanding of its and implications.

According to the 2011 definition of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), the antiziganism is a specific form of racism, an ideology founded on racial supremacy, form of dehumanising and institutional racism bred by historic discrimination which, among other things, is expressed by violence, hate speech, exploitation, stigmatisation and the most obvious forms of discrimination

Antiziganism is often used in a narrow sense to mark anti-Romani opinions or expression of negative stereotype in public sphere or hate speech. Nonetheless, antiziganism creates a wide range of discriminatory phrases and practices, including many implicit or hidden manifestations. Antiziganism is not only seen in what is being said, but also in what is being or not being done. In order to recognise its full impact, it is of key importance to have a more precise understanding.

Antiziganism has many occurrences: violence, hate speech, discrimination, neglect in policies or lack of implementation of policies, and therefore the combating antiziganism should include different activities.

In order for the policies dealing with inclusion of Roma men and women would be efficient in their efforts to improve the inclusion and quality of the life of Romani men and women, it is necessary to recognise existence of antiziganism and to take certain steps towards prevention of antiziganism.

5. Monitoring and initiation of Platform’s recommendations implementation

36 https://www.bolja-buducnost.org/index.php/bs/o-nama/dokumenti/category/3-istrazivanja

22 For the purpose of monitoring and initiating implementation of recommendations from the Platform for improvement of rights and position of the Romani women in Bosnia and Herzegovina an action plan will be made in the upcoming period.

The network of women’s Romani organisations invites all interested organisations, institutions, media, youth organisations, donors and individuals to support creation of this gender sensitive action plan for implementation of the Platform for improvement of rights and position of the Romani women in Bosnia and Herzegovina during 2020.

With this aim, we intend to guide our work in two key actions:

 The first: This action is directed towards public advocacy and lobbying so that we, as women’s Romani organisations, would work with a strengthened intensity with women, men and youth and initiate them to take over the responsibility for their own participation in programmes. In the upcoming period we hope to see a higher progress towards implementation of measures and as one of the pre-conditions for advancement in this sense is for those who work on implementation of measures, implement the activities targeting combating stereotype and decrease of own prejudice and antiziganism towards Romani men and women.

 The second: In the upcoming period, we will direct ourselves to coordination and cooperation, as well as establishment of a constructive dialogue with the responsible institutions with the aim to work on change of opinions presenting only a declarative support or lack of interest for the issues of the Romani women.

With this Platform we send a message that only the joint work and efforts will lead to advancement in education, housing, employment and health care of Romani women, and compliance with the rights of women and children, by which a higher contribution will be given to the social inclusion of the Romani women, as it is expected from a country preparing to enter the European Union, as emphasised by the Declaration on Roma Integration signed by the leaders of the Western Balkans countries in Poznan in 2019.

Creation of the Platform saw participation of:

Activities related to creation of the Platform was implemented by the Udruženje žena Romkinja „Bolja budućnost“ from Tuzla in cooperation with the Ženskom romskom mrežom „Uspjeh“ (Romani Women Network “Success”). Active participateion was taken by the following: BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, BiH Gender Equality Agency, FBiH Gender Centre, BIRN Women Network, Association for promotion of Romani Education “Otaharin” BiH, Care International Balkans, OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their intention was to support and participate in creation of a joint framework for advancement of rights and position of the Romani women in BiH society as a whole. Financial support to creation of this Platform was given by the OAK Foundation, UN Women and Kvinna till Kvinna.

Review: mr.sci Saliha Đuderija

23 Proofreading: Zlata Smajić

24