Romania
ROMA CHILDREN’S RIGHTS PROTECTION: THE RIGHT TO EQUAL CHANCES – NON-DISCRIMINATION
Roma children are one of the less favoured categories and they need much support in order to overcome the difficult situation they are in. The almost general poverty of Roma families, the prejudices leading to discrimination that still persist in the mentalities of the majority population, several Roma traditions and parents' indifference towards the perspectives education offers to children contribute to the marginalization of Roma children and children do not fully benefit from equal opportunities all children have the right to.
The following statistic data may justify the need of projects aiming the improvement of Roma children's situation:
• 43% of Roma are aged under 16 years, but infant mortality is 40‰ and life hope is lower by 10 years
• only 20% of Roma children are going to the kindergartens for benefiting of preschool education
• 20% of the Roma are not enrolled in school
• 30% abandon the school before graduating the compulsory education
• about 50% are illiterate or semi-illiterate
• 30% of the children aged 3-10 years suffer from illnesses that have been eradicated long time ago (including TB)
Save the Children Romania involved itself in finding some ways for the improvement of Roma children situation, and, since 1998, developed numerous projects in this respect. Their main directions were: to inform the local authorities, Roma parents and mass media representatives on the Roma children rights, to organize training courses for teachers working with Roma children, to facilitate the access to preschool education, to promote the education for tolerance, non-discrimination, mutual understanding between children of different ethnic origins. Until now, from our projects benefit over 1000 teachers and around 2000 Roma children from schools and kindergartens. The programs have been financed by European Commission, Council of Europe, UNICEF, Lubricants UK, Radda Barnen (Save the Children Sweden) and others.
Roma children situation was analyzed by the specialists of Save the Children and Development Agency Together, with the support of local researchers, in five Roma communities from Balta Arsa (Botosani), Coltau (Maramures), Calvini (Buzau), Glina (Ilfov) and Mangalia (Constanta). In June 2006 a Report was realized on this research.
Preschool education for Roma children
The objective of the project is the support of Roma children's preschool training, the development of the necessary abilities for facing school exigencies and giving them the possibility to start education in equal conditions with the other children.
The respect and implementation of Roma children right to education is the main condition for the future improvement of their situation. There are still many obstacles they have to face: the poverty, unfriendly atmosphere in schools, and the lack of an adequate preschool training. This last one is one of the reasons of school failure among Roma children.
The previous experience of Save the Children proved that, after the preschool training, Roma children, who are already familiar with writing, drawing, learning, singing, working together, obtain very good results at school and they integrate easier in school discipline/ A good start is a guarantee for keeping Roma children in school. Preschool education is done in kindergartens, but Roma children have difficulties to go regularly due to the financial problems of their families.
The project begun in 2000 and, during this period of time, more than 500 children and their families benefit of this program in the villages Romanesti, Merisu and Sotanga (county Dambovitza), Tecuci (county Galatzi), Sanger de Padure (county Mures). Later, new kindergartens have been included in the project: Plenitza (county Dolj), Valea Badenilor (county Arges), Glina (county Ilfov), Nusfalau (county Salaj) and Mangalia (county Constantza). The preschool teachers received information on the traditions of Roma population and on the project. The buildings were repaired and painted, some equipment was bought - furniture, TV sets, cassettes recorders, games, toys and supply. Roma children received also a daily snack.
During summer holiday, children from kindergartens, together with their future teachers and colleagues, spent a week in summer camps, for better know each other. They took part together in cultural activities (drawings, painting, dancing, music) and sports. The preschool teachers meet periodically with parents, pay visits at children's homes, and meet local authorities for looking for solutions aiming the improvement of children situation, including school participation.
Roma children, who took part in this project, once in school, have good results. They are aware of their abilities and knowledge alike to other colleagues'.
The results obtained during those years went to a multiplication of the project. So, in 2007, new groups of kindergarten were supported in counties Neamt, Vaslui and Galatzi for giving Roma children equal chances and a better prospective to continue the school and diminish the early abandon.
Prevention of HIV infection in Roma communities in counties Dambovita, Timis and Vrancea
The project aims the information of Roma children, young people and their parents on the risks of non respecting the rules of prevention HIV infection through meetings in communities, education for health, offering information materials and peer education. During 2 years it is estimated that around 5000 Roma persons from the three counties included into the project will be informed.
Global Fund finances the project.
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