| © UNICEF/CEECIS2011/Mcconnico |
While significant strides have been made for children in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, marginalized groups such as the Roma have remained on the sidelines. Roma children are among the most vulnerable, disadvantaged before they are even born. Facing extreme poverty, limited access to healthcare and education, and reduced opportunities overall, Roma boys and girls are not benefitting from the realization of their basic rights and are denied a fair chance at life.
Taking a landmark step forward to address the systematic social exclusion of Roma children, the UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CEE/CIS) recently conducted a study to fill vast data gaps on the situation of Roma children and women. The study was conducted in three countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to assess how Roma children and women fare in comparison to the total population. An in-depth report and a summary analysis of key findings provide the critical information on Roma communities that “duty-bearers”— governments, civil society and individuals — need to develop social inclusion policies and ensure that the basic human rights of Roma children and women are protected.
The study is based on data from MICS surveys carried out in the three countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina (2011-2012), the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (2011), and Serbia (2010). MICS sub-national data from Roma settlements are compared with national averages. The situation of Roma children and women is assessed across social inclusion factors, such as birth registration, participation in early childhood care and development, access to health care services, access to education at all levels, living standards, child protection and access to information. Key findings reveal insights on lower levels of access for Roma groups throughout these areas.
In the area of early childhood development, for instance, data from the report show that from an early age, the chances Roma children have are limited and fewer than their peers from the national population. Extensive research reaffirms the importance of early childhood education and learning to the development of cognitive and social skills that are critical to children's chances for the rest of their lives, yet fewer Roma children participate in early childhood education in all three countries. Roma children aged 3 to 4 years have less interaction with their parents than children from the total population in all countries: while over 90 per cent of parents from the total population engage with their children in four or more activities to promote learning, less than 70 per cent of Roma parents do. Parent-child engagement at a young age is crucial to the development of cognitive and language skills. Roma children under 5 years of age have less access to books and Roma children aged 3 to 4 years score lower on the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI): from 72 per cent (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and 88 per cent (Serbia) to 93 and 96 per cent for the national averages respectively. Additionally, literacy and numeracy levels among Roma children are one-third the rate of children from the total population.
| Realizing the Rights of Roma Children and Women: A summary analysis of key findings |
|
The findings presented in the report are crucial to demonstrating the pervasive exclusion and marginalization of the Roma community. Early life factors created by poverty have a critical impact on children's outcomes for the rest of their lives. The study provides a valuable resource for governments to inform the development of support programs for families and ultimately enable the realization of rights for Roma children and women.
"Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Serbia deserve our praise for their commitment to the most vulnerable," states Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for CEE/CIS. "Their investments in disaggregated data collection are already paying off. With the data presented in this study, the three countries are now able to track and document progress for different groups of children and measure the value for money of public policies. The examples from the three countries have already inspired some of the neighbouring countries, such as Montenegro, which has recently concluded its MICS, for the first time with an additional focus on Roma settlements."