OSCE Mission calls on institutions in Kosovo to further integrate Roma community

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 6 April 2012 – Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Edward P. Joseph issued the following statement today ahead of International Roma Day on 8 April:

“The Roma community remains one of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in Kosovo, living in extreme poverty. They lack adequate access to education, healthcare, social services and employment. In addition, obstacles to obtaining civil registration documents further aggravate the situation.

“While I welcome the adoption of the Strategy for the Integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities and accompanying Action Plan, and take note of progress made in some areas, such as returns and education, I emphasize the need for a comprehensive implementation of the measures set out in these documents, including those on civil registration, education and participation in decision making.

“I call for more political will and better co-operation between central and local institutions on these issues and for the allocation of the necessary resources to ensure substantial progress towards the integration of members of these communities.

“At the same time, I encourage Kosovo Roma to take an active role in public life through their political representatives and advocate for their rights.

“I reaffirm the OSCE Mission’s commitment to supporting the efforts of institutions and communities to redress inequalities and to promote full integration of the Kosovo Roma community through the implementation of Strategy and Action Plan. In this regard, the Mission is assisting the government’s Advisory Office for Good Governance to establish a mechanism for co-ordination among institutions, civil society and the communities for the implementation of these two instruments.”