National Plan for Roma Inclusion 2021–2027
Publisher
Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities
of the Government of the Republic of Croatia
"The efforts invested so far to equalize the position of members of the Roma
national minority have resulted in considerable progress. Since the establishment of the Republic of Croatia, the number of Roma officially registered by
the census has increased constantly, which speaks in favor of a reduced “ethnic mimicry” and shows that changes, although slowly, continuously lead to a
reduction in the reasons underlying “ethnic mimicry”. The Constitution of the
Republic of Croatia recognizes the Roma as a national minority, the legislative
framework provides them with representatives in the Croatian Parliament as
well as at the regional and local government level. Also, Roma NGOs are organized noticeably better and participate in public and political life much more
actively.
Progress has also been made in other aspects of life in the Roma community,
particularly education. Pre-school attendance rates as well as primary school
attendance and completion rates among children belonging to the Roma national minority have significantly increased, and we are witnessing serious
efforts to provide adequate support to as many children belonging to the Roma
national minority as possible from an early age.
Specific progress, mostly of a regional character, can be noticed in the field of
employment and housing, but still – in most key areas of life no progress has
been achieved that would equalize the living conditions of the Roma population
with the rest of the Croatian population.
Given the abundant amount of data, both at the EU and national level, that can
be used to monitor the effects of previous public policies, it can be concluded
that they have certainly contributed to halting negative trends, even in times
of severe economic crises, but still failed to make headway a significant reduction or complete elimination of inequality between the Roma and other
Croatian citizens.
The objective of the National Plan for Roma Inclusion 2021 – 2027 is to significantly reduce the differences between the general population of the Republic of
Croatia and the Roma in the Republic of Croatia, but also to reduce differences
within the Roma population compared to the Roma.
In addition to growing investments from the state budget and the budgets of
regional and local self-government units, European funds can significantly
contribute to meeting the objectives of the National Plan for Roma Inclusion
2021 – 2027 and thus contribute to equalizing the living conditions of all our
citizens, and to meeting the goals of the National Development Strategy of the
Republic of Croatia."
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https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/ukljucivanje-roma_publikacija_web_en.pdf
