Ivanka Kostic, Praxis Executive Director, said for magazine Grazia that Praxis has managed so far to identify more than 2,000 persons in need for assistance in obtaining documents, but it is estimated that there are much more of them. She stated reasons for which persons are often without documents, such as cases when a mother, in the lack of her own, gives birth to a child with someone’s health booklets and then someone else is registered as a biological mother of her child, then persons whom their parents did not report to the registrar within the deadline, etc.

Read the whole text in the magazine Grazia.

Download the report: Report on the Implementation of the Strategy for Improvement of the Status of Roma in the Republic of Serbia with Recommendations

On 8th April, on the occasion of International Romani Day, Ombudsperson presented the conclusions from the “Report on Implementation of the Strategy for Improvement of the Status of Roma with Recommendations” at a media conference.

Ombudsperson Sasa Jankovic said that education and health protection were the greatest problems that Roma population faced. As he stated, since the adoption of the Strategy in 2009, no by-laws had been adopted in relation to education apart from the positive enrolment in primary and secondary schools, which again led to abuses. In relation to health protection, he stated changes were visible but insufficient.

Goran Basic, Deputy Ombudsperson in the period from 2008 to 2013, stated that no one was in charge of managing the Strategy, that there were no precise data in the system about education, health care, housing needs, which had been stated as priorities in the document.

Ivana Stankovic, Praxis Programme Coordinator, pointed to the problems in the exercise of status and socio-economic rights by the Roma. She spoke about complicated procedures for the exercise of the right to cash social assistance, particularly emphasizing the obligation to file a lawsuit against relatives for support. She also added that the practice showed that the service providers were often not sensitized, that no one could guarantee that the Roma would not be discriminated against in school or that they would not be discriminated against every time they tried to find employment.

“If you go and visit an informal settlement and try to assess what has been done from the aspect of everyday life of people in the settlements, you will see that we all have to work harder,” she concluded.

See the news at the website of Media Center
See the news at the website of the Ombudsperson
Download: Report on Implementation of the Strategy for Improvement of the Status of Roma with Recommendations (Serbian only)

On the occasion of marking the International Roma Day, at the press conference in Media Centre the conclusions of the “Report on Implementation of the Strategy for Improvement of Position of Roma with Recommendations” prepared by the Ombudsperson were presented.

On that occasion, Ivana Stankovic, Praxis Programme Coordinator, talked about the problems related to exercise of status and socioeconomic rights of Roma population. She also talked about complicated procedures for exercise of the right to cash social assistance with special reference to the obligation to file a lawsuit against relatives who are obliged to provide financial support. Ivana also added that practice showed that officials are often unsensitized and that no one can guarantee that Roma will not be discriminated in schools or that they will not be discriminated each time they try to find a job.

In the end, Ivana added: “If you go and visit an informal Roma settlement and try to assess what has been done from the aspect of a daily life of an individual, you will see that we all still have to work together a lot”.

Read the whole news here.
Download: Report on Implementation of the Strategy for Improvement of Position of Roma with Recommendations

On the occasion of International Roma Day, we would like to send our best wishes to all fellow Roma citizens.

At the same time, we would like to draw public attention to the fact that Roma population is still one of the most vulnerable and most marginalized population groups in Serbia. By adopting laws or amending the existing ones, by developing the strategic framework and by undertaking various affirmative actions and activities, an important step has been taken towards improving the status of the Roma. Nevertheless, the adopted legal provisions are often not implemented or they are implemented in an uneven manner, while many of the measures can be described as short-term and ill-adapted to specific needs of vulnerable groups.

The level of poverty of Roma population, living conditions, recorded problems with access to rights, especially the rights to birth registration and citizenship, health care, social protection, work and employment, education and adequate housing, as well as widespread discrimination, prejudices and negative stereotypes about this population group clearly indicate that the measures taken are insufficient and that it is still necessary to invest additional efforts and to overcome numerous obstacles on the way towards meaningful inclusion of Roma into society.

Download the report: Preventing Childhood Statelessness in Europe - Issues Gaps and Good Practices

Praxis' legal mobile team visited the following:

December

• 23 December – Roma settlement “Tosin Bunar”, Novi Beograd
• 11 December – Roma settlements, Beocin
• 10 December – Roma settlements “Osaonica”, “Kozara” and “Velika Drenova”, Trstenik
•   9 December – Roma settlement “Lisiste”, Pozega
•   3 December – Roma settlement “Vozegrnci”, Novi Pazar
•   3 December – Roma settlements, Kostolac
•   2 December – Roma settlement “Midzor”, Bela Palanka

November

• 25 November - Roma settlement “Mali krivak”, Smederevo
• 24 November – Roma settlements, Surcin
• 19 November – Roma settlement “Banjska ulica”, Bujanovac
• 18 November – Roma settlements “Milan Milosevic” and “Ljubic polje”, Cacak
• 18 November – Roma settlements, Zabalj
• 13 November – Roma settlements “Tolic” and “Nanomir”, Mionica
• 13 November – Roma settlements, Sremska Mitrovica
• 12 November – Roma settlement “Zeleznicka stanica”, Novi Sad
• 10 November – Roma settlements “Podvarce” and “Hisar”, Leskovac
•   7 November – Roma settlements, Novi Becej
•   5 November – Roma settlement “Licika”, Kragujevac

October

• 24 October – Roma settlements, Zemun
• 21 October – Roma settlements, Mladenovac
• 21 October – Roma settlement “Kalenic”, Ub
• 15 October – Roma settlement “Omladinska ulica”, Medvedja
• 14 October – Roma settlements “Tekijsko brdo” and “Karadjordjevo brdo”, Paracin
• 14 October – Roma settlement “Stari Kostolac”, Kostolac
•   9 October – Roma settlements, Kanjiza
•   9 October – Roma settlement “Beli breg”, Zajecar
•   6 October – Roma settlement “Koteks”, Kragujevac

September

• 30 September – Roma settlements, Srbobran
• 25 September – Roma settlement “Ledine 2”, Novi Beograd
• 24 September – Roma settlement “Adice”, Novi Sad
• 23 September – Roma settlements “Jabucje” and “Ulica Justina Popovica”, Lajkovac
• 19 September – Roma settlements “Makis I” and “Makis II”, Cukarica/Belgrade
• 18 September – Roma settlement “Dalas”, Tutin
• 18 September – Roma settlements “Tosin Bunar” and “Vladimir Nazor”, Novi Beograd
• 17 September – Roma settlement “Dojevic”, Novi Pazar
• 16 September – Roma settlement “Paljuvi”, Ub
• 11 September – Roma settlement “Zitni potok”, Prokuplje
• 11 September – Roma settlement “Surducka”, Zrenjanin
•   9 September – Roma settlement “Batasevo”, Mladenovac

August

• 28 August – Roma settlement “Karadjordjeva ulica” and “Kiseljak”, Smederevska Palanka
• 27 August – Roma settlement “Drenovacki put”, Kragujevac
• 26 August – Roma settlement “Fekovica brdo”, Sjenica
• 20/21 August – Roma settlements “Zorka” and “Veliki Bajmok”, Subotica
• 19 August – Roma settlement “Vozegrnci”, Novi Pazar
• 14 August – Roma settlement “Mali Leskovac”, Palilula/Beograd
• 14 August – Roma settlement “Pustorecka ulica”, Bojnik
• 11 August – Roma settlement “Cukaricka suma” and “OMV”, Cukarica/Belgrade
•   8 August - Roma settlement "Kijevo", Rakovica/Belgrade
•   7 August – Roma settlement “Fekovica brdo”, Sjenica
•   6 August – Collective Centre “Rasadnici”, Krusevac
•   6 August – Collective Centre “Trmbas”, Kragujevac
•   6 August – Roma settlements, Batocina
•   5 August – Roma settlement “Jezdovica kosa”, Prijepolje
•   5 August – Roma settlements “Adice”, “Veliki rit” and “Sangaj”, Novi Sad
•   4 August – Roma settlements “Reva Politika” and “Vuka Vrcevica”, Palilula/Belgrade
•   1 August – Roma settlements “Belvil na trasi” and “Blok 72”, Novi Beograd
   

July

• 31 July – Roma settlements “Bavaniste” & “Dubovac”, Kovin
• 30 July – Roma settlements “Cukaricka suma” & “Vuka Vrcevica”, Belgrade
• 29 July – Roma settlement “Cukaricka suma”, Belgrade
• 25 July – Roma settlements, Surcin
• 24 July – Roma settlements “Prcilovica” & “Aleksinacki rudnici”, Aleksinac
• 22 July – Roma settlement “Kanal”, Kostolac
• 17 July – Roma settlement “Ulica Nikole Kopernika”, Bor
• 10 July – Roma settlement “Zemun Polje”, Zemun
• 10 July – Roma settlement “Grosnica”, Kragujevac

June

• 30 June – Roma settlement “Stocni trg”, Nis
• 26 June – Roma settlements, Sabac
• 13 June – Roma settlements, Vrsac
• 12 June – Roma settlement “Belvil na trasi”, Novi Beograd
• 11 June – Roma settlement “Satorsko naselje Stari aerodrome”, Kraljevo
• 10 June – Collective Centre Trmbas, Kragujevac
•   5 June – Roma settlements “Sangaj”, “Banglades” & “Veliki rit”, Novi Sad
•   5 June – Roma settlement “Banjska ulica”, Bujanovac
•   4 June – Collective Centre Tehnicka skola, Bujanovac
•   3 June – Roma settlement “Crvena Zvezda”, Nis
•   3 June – Roma settlements “Marko Orlovic” & “Panjevac”, Krusevac

May

• 30 May – Roma settlement “Grmec”, Zemun
• 29 May – Collective Centre “Hotel ES”, Bela Palanka
• 28 May – Roma settlement “Burdinci”, Vranje
• 23 May – Roma settlements “Mali Leskovac” and “Vuka Vrcevica”, Palilula/Belgrade
• 13 May – Roma settlement “Dojevic”, Novi Pazar

April

• 29 April – Roma settlement “Ulica Baje Sekulica”, Pozarevac
• 29 April – Roma settlement “Mali rit”, Pancevo
• 24 April – Roma settlements, Kikinda
• 24 April – Roma settlement “Miliva”, Despotovac
• 17 April – Roma settlements, Surdulica
•   8 April – Roma settlement “Svracice”, Tutin
•   4 April – Roma settlements “Stamparija” and “Kopovi”, Bor
•   3 April – Roma settlements “CC Salvatore” and “Banjska ulica”, Bujanovac
•   2 April – Roma settlements, Zvezdara/Belgrade

March

• 31 March – Roma settlements, Novi Sad
• 26 March – Roma settlements, Palilula
• 25 March – Roma settlements, Bela Palanka
• 19 March – Roma settlement “Recica”, Zitoradja
• 18 March – Roma settlement “Binovce”, Surdulica
• 13 March – Roma settlement “Gramadje”, Vranjska Banja
• 13 March – Roma settlements, Smederevo
• 11 March – Roma settlements, Zitoradja
•   6 March – Roma settlement “Kula Orljak”, Vladicin Han
•   5 March – Roma settlements, Bela Palanka
•   4 March – Roma settlement “Novo naselje”, Surdulica

Ferbruary

• 26 February – Roma settlements, Zabalj
• 25 February – Roma settlements, Zvezdara
• 25 February – Roma settlements “Sat Mahala” and “Pecenjevce” Leskovac
• 20 February – Roma settlement “Orlovsko naselje 2 – Lazari”, Zvezdara
• 19 February – Roma settlement “Slavko Zlatanovic”, Leskovac
• 19 February – Roma settlement “Mali Leskovac”, Palilula/Belgrade
• 18 February – Roma settlement “Zaguzanje”, Surdulica
• 13 February – Roma settlement “Mali krivak”, Smederevo
• 13 February – Roma settlement “Banjska ulica”, Bujanovac
• 12 February – Roma settlement “Adice”, Novi Sad
• 12 February – Roma settlements, Vranje
• 11 February – Roma settlement “Jelasnica”, Surdulica
•  7 February – Roma settlements “Deronje”, “Cerga” and “Bogojevo”, Odzaci
•  4 February – Roma settlements, Vranje

January

• 27 January – Roma settlements, Vladicin Han
• 23 January – Roma settlement “Lepenica”, Vladicin Han
• 21 January – Roma settlement “Novo Naselje”, Pozarevac
• 21 January – Roma settlements, Vladicin Han
• 17 January – Roma settlements “Dubovac”, “Sumarak” and “Deliblato”, Kovin
• 16 January – Roma settlement “Ulica Petra Lekovica”, Vranje
• 16 January – Roma settlement “Ciganski rit”, Vranje
• 13 January – Roma settlements “Burdinci”, “Saglamci” and “Ogos”, Vranjska Banja
•   9 January – Roma settlement “Ogos”, Vranjska Banja

The Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia has published the regular annual report for 2013. The report can be downloaded here (Serbian only).

Download the report: Written Comments to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

On the occasion of 52nd session of the Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at which the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Republic of Serbia will be considered, Praxis in cooperation with European Roma Right Centre and Standing Conference of Roma Associations – League of Roma, Roma Women Network, YUROM Centre, Roma Women’s Centre “BIBIJA”, Minority Rights Centre, Roma Association Kostolac, Humanitarian Roma Centre Obrenovac and Roma Education Centre Surdulica, submitted written comments containing the information about problems in practice related to exercising and respecting of the rights recognized by the Covenant.

The organizations which submitted written comments opted for human rights approach. In that sense, they state the basic problems in access to guaranteed rights, particularly the rights to work, social protection and insurance, protection of family, mothers and children, adequate housing, physical and mental health and education.  Also, the written comments also contain the information about anti-discrimination framework, ethnically motivated violence, legally invisible persons and problems in ensuring equal rights of men and women in access to socioeconomic rights. Data presented in the comments are the result of many-year field work, cooperation with organizations at a local level, analysis of previous experience in the work on the subjects relevant for the comments and monitoring of the analysis of work of state institutions. According to the chosen approach, the report does not deal with positive aspects of the state policy in some areas but only with human rights violations which were not referred to in the Second Periodic Report of the Republic of Serbia.

Consideration of submitted reports on taken measures and achieved results in ensuring the respect for rights recognized in the Covenant has been scheduled for 15 May 2014.

Download: Written Comments to the Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights