| Series Title | European Voice |
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| Series Details | Vol.9, No.24, 26.6.03, p6 |
| Publication Date | 26/06/2003 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 26/06/03 EDUCATION is a vital tool in tackling the acute poverty facing Roma gypsies in incoming EU states, a new World Bank study has concluded. Some 7-9 million Roma live in central and eastern Europe, representing a population roughly equal to Sweden or Austria. Although calculating their precise number has proven impossible due to incomplete census data, the World Bank believes they comprise "the most prominent poverty risk group" in many EU accession states, where they can account for 6-9% of inhabitants. In some areas, nearly 100% of Roma have no work within the formal job market. Their problems, it says, are compounded by the low school attendance rates of their children and the tendency of the authorities to enrol disproportionately high rates of Roma youngsters in "special schools", officially reserved for those with mental or physical disabilities. This criticism echoes that raised by the European Commission's Prague office recently, which complained that a majority of children in such schools are of Roma ethnicity. To help the Roma emerge from crushing poverty, the report advocates policies of integrated education, where gypsies are taught alongside groups from the remainder of the population. However, it says a multicultural approach must pay attention to the Roma's distinctive culture. "Multicultural education and a curriculum that includes the history of Roma and other minorities are critical vehicles for overcoming cultural barriers," the report adds. The World Bank recognizes that the EU's decision, to insist that candidate countries must strive to improve the situation of Roma as part of the membership criteria, is one of the most significant developments affecting gypsies in recent times. This has led to progress, including Hungary's Minorities Act, which was passed in 1993. This created a system of "self-governments" for minorities to allow them to set up their own educational and social development projects. About half of the new "governments" formed have been for the Roma community. Yet the World Bank warns of complacency. "Even once accession happens - as early as 2004 for some countries - addressing Roma poverty will require a long-term approach," it states. A study by the World Bank concludes that education is the key to tackling the poverty facing Roma gypsies. |
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| Countries / Regions | Romania |
