Gaining a deeper understanding of Kharkiv’s Roma community

The morning in the OSCE SMM’s office in Kharkiv starts with the usual bustle. The team of monitoring officers are working on the day’s schedule and getting ready for an important meeting.

Today, Mykola Burlutskyi, Head of the Roma NGO “Chachimo” will visit. The team hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the issues of concern to the Roma community in the Kharkiv region and the new Strategy for Promoting the Realization of the Rights and Opportunities of Persons Belonging to the Roma National Minority.

Olga, Kharkiv’s Team Leader, will head the meeting. Originally from Moldova, she joined the Mission in 2015, serving as Donetsk Team Leader, before she moved to Kharkiv.

While the team prepares for the visit, Olga reflects on her experience in the OSCE: “I joined the SMM with a clear objective – to personally contribute to peace and security in Ukraine.”

Richard, a lawyer from the UK who has been with SMM as a Monitoring Officer for some years, lays out his expectations for the meeting. “I am glad to meet Mr Burlutsky”, Richard says. “He is very knowledgeable regarding the situation of the Roma community in our area of responsibility.”

Soon, Mykola Burlutskyi arrives and is welcomed by the SMM’s team. In line with the Mission’s COVID-19 measures, everyone is wearing masks.

Burlutskyi is the head of the NGO “Chachimo”, which translates to “The Truth”. Founded in 2005, the NGO’s aim is not only to tackle the security and education related issues of Roma living in the Kharkiv region, but also to better integrate community members into Ukrainian society.

After introductory remarks, Burlutskyi shares some updates on his community.

He explains that the Roma in the Kharkiv region face specific challenges, further complicated by the fact that around 12 different ethnic Roma groups live in the area, each with their own language, customs, and traditions. Traditional Roma leaders, solve the community’s minor problems internally. “They have the last word on disputes, while the local courts are not involved,” he explains. “The religion of the 12 Roma ethnic groups also differs, with members representing various faiths such as Orthodox, Protestant, and Islam.” Burlutskyi goes on to say: “While there are no disputes amongst the different Roma groups, their participation in Kharkiv’s political life is low with only one of the twelve being formally represented in the local administration.”

According to unofficial estimates, approximately 7,000 Roma live in the Kharkiv region. The 2001 census revealed that the total number of Roma living in Ukraine was 47,500. The number of Roma in the region increased by some 2,000 after the conflict started in 2014, with internally displaced persons arriving from Luhansk and Donetsk. While half of them gradually moved to Western Ukraine in pursuit of jobs, the other half eventually returned to their places of origin.

The Roma now living throughout the wider Kharkiv region face multiple challenges: from a lack of access to employment, education and healthcare, to the fact that many do not have the necessary documentation to prove their identity or place of residence. The previous Ukrainian Government 2014–2020 Strategy for the Protection and Integration of Roma National Minority tried to tackle some of these issues, unfortunately, many have yet to be resolved.

“The most positive outcome of the previous strategy was that it brought the community closer to the local and regional administration”, Burlutskyi says.

Despite the current challenges faced by the Roma, Burlutskyi is hopeful for the future. Some members of the community are starting to adopt a proactive approach in Kharkiv’s political life, for example by engaging with the local authorities, in order to help their community.

While Olga and Richard ask more questions about ongoing developments, Burlutskyi points out that the new 2030 Strategy has a real potential to address some of the shortcomings of the previous one and create new possibilities for a better integration of the Roma community in the Kharkiv region.

After the meeting finishes, Olga and Richard accompany their visitor out of the SMM’s premises. “It was good that we had this gathering,” Richard says. “I believe such meetings are crucial to maintain good interpersonal relationships and earn the trust of our interlocutors.”

“This was important for me too”, Olga remarks. “Now we have a much better understanding of the issues that Chachimo’s team is working on every day.”