The launch of the Decade of Roma Inclusion in 2005 raised hopes, promised much, and disillusioned many. It raised hopes, for it was unprecedented that so many governments, in the presence of international organizations and civil society groups, would publicly pledge “to work toward eliminating discrimination and closing the unacceptable gaps between Roma and the rest of society;” and promised much in committing “to support the full participation and involvement of national Roma communities,” to demonstrate progress, and measure outcomes in the implementation of Decade Action Plans. Having raised so much hope at the outset, little wonder that today, so many feel so disillusioned.
As one Roma activist put it: “At the beginning of the Decade there was so much effort that it felt as if a flame was burning. Unfortunately as each year passed by the flame grew dimmer, went down, and down. By the end of the Decade, there’s no flame, the flame went out!”
So was it a lost decade? Ten years on, this publication aims to take stock and reflect on the vicissitudes of Roma inclusion since 2005. Three chapters by three different authors, combined with dozens of interviews with activists, officials and representatives all connected to the Decade, yield a wide and varied plurality of perspectives. Yet some common themes emerge to suggest that despite the lack of progress on the ground, all was definitely not lost in the Decade that was.
There is much concurrence around the verdict of George Soros in the opening interview, that steps were taken by governments during the course of the Decade, but they were far from sufficient to have any substantial impact; that the Decade gave Roma a seat at the table in negotiations, but that Roma are still “woefully underrepresented” in international organizations, national governments, and municipal authorities; that the Decade raised awareness about the plight of Roma communities but did not lift visible numbers of Roma out of poverty.
Direct Link to Full Report
http://www.romadecade.org/cms/upload/file/9809_file1_final-lostdecade.pdf’
Извор: WUNRN – 28.09.2015
