Roma and Sinti youth can overcome barriers to their inclusion through grassroots movements, say participants of OSCE conference in Belgrade

BELGRADE, 8 December 2014 – More than 40 young activists from across the OSCE region are gathering for the OSCE Roma and Sinti Youth Conference in Belgrade on 8 and 9 December 2014, to discuss and propose policies to mobilize and empower their communities and to stimulate their participation in politics and decision-making.

The conference, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), brings together young Roma and Sinti men and women to discuss solutions to human security, socio-economic and environmental issues.

“With this conference, we want to give young Roma and Sinti a stronger voice and explore ways to enhance their participation,” said Mirjam Karoly, ODIHR’s Senior Adviser on Roma and Sinti issues. “Their participation in this meeting illustrates their readiness to engage and contribute to decision-making processes.”

Young Roma and Sinti represent a demographic of growing importance, as they make up a considerable proportion of the school-age population and, thus, are a significant part of the future workforce of many OSCE participating States. Nevertheless, discriminatory measures in education and employment prevent many young Roma and Sinti from fully realizing their potential.

Dragana Jovanovic Arias, a young Roma activist from Serbia, said: “Roma and Sinti youth, especially educated women and girls, are a valuable resource for their communities, yet our potential as role models and leaders remains largely untapped. We want to be more engaged in grassroots work to trigger change in our communities, but we lack sustained support and resources.”

The participation of young people in politics is generally insufficient as they are often disenchanted with traditional politics, a fact reflected in low voter turnout among youth during elections.

Atanas Stoyanov, a Councillor from Bulgaria’s Municipality of Strazhitsa, said: “When I first tried to run for a local election, I was rejected by all the major parties in my country, despite having the support of my community and being well educated. Eventually, a new party gave me a place on their list, but then asked me to resign just a day after the elections to accommodate a non-Roma candidate who did not make it. I refused and stayed! As young Roma, we have to serve the community so that the next generation can look forward to better opportunities.”

Participants at the conference also discussed security challenges faced by their communities, ranging from health risks associated with pollution to poverty as a contributing factor to their increasing vulnerability to trafficking in human beings and child exploitation.

Maksym Flora from Ukraine, said: “Across Europe, Roma and Sinti communities face serious security threats, including the rise of extremism and anti-Gypsyism, evictions and a lack of access to health services. In Ukraine, the security of Roma communities is deteriorating drastically. Yet we are the ones who are portrayed as a security threat in order to justify discrimination against us. We, young Roma, need to challenge this situation, and must increase our participation in public life, including in the police force.”

The involvement of youth in the work of the OSCE is a priority for the current Swiss and incoming Serbian Chairmanships. In addition, in Kyiv in 2013, OSCE participating States committed to strengthening their efforts to improve youth participation among Roma and Sinti.