April 8 marks International Romani Day – a date chosen in remembrance of the first World Romani Congress, held in London in 1971. It is a day dedicated to Romani culture, history and tradition, but also an opportunity to highlight the challenges that many members of the Roma national minority continue to face in their everyday lives – primarily exposure to discrimination, negative stereotypes, social exclusion and stigmatisation.
A survey conducted by the Ombudswoman found that Roma are perceived by citizens as the most discriminated social group in the country. It is therefore encouraging that, in October 2023, the Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted the Action Plan for the period 2023–2025 for the implementation of the National Roma Inclusion Plan.
Nevertheless, numerous problems persist. Particularly concerning are widespread discrimination, spatial and social isolation, and poor material living conditions. Half of the Roma population in Croatia are children, and two-thirds are children and youth under 29.
It is a positive development that the share of young Roma who are not in education, employment or training decreased from 63.3% to 49%, yet segregation in education remains a pressing issue. This is especially evident in Međimurje, where nearly half of Romani children (45%) attend classes where most or all pupils are Roma. Unfortunately, a large number of Romani children continue to drop out of primary education before completing it, and their participation in extracurricular activities is also significantly lower – often due to the lack of available transport.
The Ombudswoman has therefore warned that it is urgently necessary to take comprehensive measures to abolish segregated classes within the shortest possible timeframe and ensure equal opportunities in education for Romani children. In two earlier Reports, the Ombudswoman recommended that the competent Ministry of Science and Education conduct an analysis of the segregation of Romani pupils, as well as develop an action plan for the desegregation of Romani children in primary schools. In the 2023 Report, she issued a recommendation to the Government of the Republic of Croatia to adopt a desegregation plan in education to be implemented in all schools with segregated classes.
Although significant progress has been made in the area of Roma employment – with the employment rate rising from 18.3% to 41% – a problem remains in that these positive trends mostly apply to Roma men, while Roma women have not benefited to the same extent. As a result, the gender employment gap nearly doubled, from 21.4% to 40%, underlining the need for additional efforts to support the employment of Roma women.
In the area of housing, Roma also face serious difficulties. Living conditions in Roma settlements are often inadequate for a life in dignity. In some cases, there is also a need to ensure long-term adequate accommodation – for example, for Roma families evicted from the Struge settlement in Zagreb or those living in Vrtni put, which the Ombudswoman continues to monitor.
More on the state of human rights and equality of Roma in Croatia can be found in the 2023 Ombudswoman’s Report, while the Survey on Public Attitudes and Awareness of Discrimination and Manifest Forms of Discrimination is available here.