The activities of the project point out the importance of health services for the Roma women in order to turn to the much needed research and studies within this sector, a process based on human rights for identifying of the specific situation of the Roma women. According to this, NRC’s goals are to contribute and ensuring that all necessary and provisions will reflect the real needs of the Roma women, than generalization and assumptions which do not express enough the health status of the Roma women. Health protection remains an issue of great importance for the Roma women, thus analyses of the health protection status represents a key for moving towards improvement and change of policies and practices. The Roma women are in a “double disadvantage” because, first of all they are Roma, and second they are women. The health protection of the Roma women does not represent a great concern for the authorities, and many Roma women do not even have basic personal documentation, like birth certificates, ID cards, citizenships so they do not have access towards health services. NRC will make researches in four cities in R. Macedonia where most of the Roma population lives – in Kumanovo, Bitola, Prielp and Kriva Palanka which is in the north-east region in Macedonia where the Roma live in extremely difficult conditions.

The health of the Roma, the advantages of a healthy and an informed woman who will know where to turn for help is one of the main activities which NRC is planning to implement. Prosperity and health of the Roma woman, path towards challenges is an activity supported by the Woman Health Program of SOROS – Budapest. A data base will be created about the health of the Roma woman. For this purpose 6 assistants were engaged who are working on the field and at the same time are informing the women, where and how they can turn for help.

A lawyer will be available for consultations in cases where there is no health insurance and where there is unequal treatment towards the Roma women by relevant institutions. Within the frames of the project a report will be delivered and analyses of the project activities as well as submits to World Health Organization, UN and other relevant institutions. Our final analyses will be delivered to the relevant institutions in R. Macedonia.

The project is supported by the Republic Institute for health protection.

Duration of the grant: August 2007/2008

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From 9^th to 13^th of July, NRC’s according to the planned activities for implementation of the project The key is our hands, campaign for education of the Roma visited the 11 targeted cities in R. Macedonia: Stip, Kocani, Kriva Palanka, Skopje, Veles, Vinica, Prilep, Bitola, Kumanovo, Tetovo and Kavadarci. The visitations were made by the coordinator of the project, the technical assistant and the field motivator.

During the visit together with the mediators we registered many problems with which the Roma field mediators faced. We also realized several visits of Roma families who we at the same time interviewed.

Besides the information that in the last period we done a lot of work on this issue, we noticed that there is an urgent need for more essential approach towards this issue. The field work of the mediators in coordination with NRC and other NGOs will continue further to encourage, motivate and include children in the educational system.

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National Roma Centrum Kumanovo

Free legal aid

Narrative report

01.January 2006 - 31.October 2006

Activities were realized by:

• Asmet Elezovski – coordinator
• Nikola Dzimrevski - legal adviser
• Katerina Spasevska - legal adviser
• Ljatif Demirovski - assistant

Short review of project’s activities

Work of the Office for free legal aid

In the past period of 10 months in the office were prepared files for judicial and administrative bodies and organizations with public empowerment. Legal advices and instructions for the citizens regarding exercising of basic human rights were provided in very large number. From the beginning of the year till 31.10.2006, between 2 000 and 2 500 citizens have visited the office for free legal aid, which is indicating the importance of the office when many citizens are social cases and persons which do not have income under any basis, and are included in one of the project’s groups. Of immense importance for realization of project’s activities is the increased cooperation between NRC on one hand, and on the other well cooperation with certain institutions of public character as Ombudsman’s Office is, administrative bodies and organizations as Center for social work, Ministry of Interior - Department for Interior Affairs Kumanovo, certain municipality authorities, these cooperations are product of well functioning of the office. Mediation between the official bodies, organizations and citizens is evident parallel with the development of the cooperation especially with administrative bodies while certain rights guaranteed with current legal regulative are concerned. All stated activities are related with direct realization of citizen’s rights in front of relevant institutions. Mentioned activities realized by NRC under the project “Free legal aid,” were accomplished without any bigger obstacles, and with much bigger efficiency and increased confidence among the citizens, as outcome of effective work of the office. Activities related with education were realized during October, when we thought it is appropriate. Education has indirect influence on accomplishing of citizens rights, and is of immense importance representing preventive action for reducing human rights violations and defeating their practical realization. Educational activities are related with distribution of brochures regarding social protection rights, and direct meetings with citizens, as mentioned above topics were civil rights and methods for accomplishing in front of the institutions, as well as for institutional structure in Republic of Macedonia. (more…)

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Roma Rights Organisations Provide Input to UN Treaty Body Review on Concerns in Macedonia

Budapest, Kumanovo, Geneva, 13 November 2006. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today reviews Macedonia’s compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). In advance of today’s hearing, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and the National Roma Centrum (NRC) submitted written comments highlighting Roma rights concerns in Macedonia in areas of relevance to the Covenant. The ERRC/NRC report highlighted concerns in the following areas: (more…)

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19 September 2006

WRITTEN COMMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN RIGHTS CENTRE AND THE NATIONAL ROMA CENTRUM CONCERNING THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS AT ITS 37TH SESSION

1. OVERVIEW
   1. The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and the National Roma Centrum (NRC) respectfully submit written comments concerning the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (hereafter “Macedonia”) for consideration by the United National Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (the “Committee”) at its 37th Session to be held 6-24 November 2006 in Geneva. This report is submitted as additional information for the Committee in its review of Macedonia’s Initial Report (hereafter “State Report”), submitted under Articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant in July 2005.
   2. During the period 2005-2006, the organisations submitting these comments have been involved in a major project supported by the European Union’s CARDS programme involving, among other things, human rights documentation and training, as well as legal defence for Romani victims of discrimination and other forms of human rights abuse. Materials gathered in the course of this project have provided a substantial basis for the present submission. The ERRC and persons involved in the NRC have been documenting human rights issues facing Roma in Macedonia on a continuous basis since 1997.
   3. The Constitution of Macedonia, and the amendments which were adopted as a result of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (hereafter “Framework Agreement”) in 2001, provides general protection against discrimination and guarantees that citizens have the right freely to determine their political status and freely to pursue their economic, social, and cultural development. Roma are recognized as an ethnic minority under the Macedonian Constitution. The Constitution guarantees the protection of the ethnic, cultural, linguistic identity of all communities. Despite Macedonia’s commitments under international treaties, such as the ICESCR, as well as Constitutional and other legal provisions guaranteeing equality, Roma in Macedonia live on the margins of the society, often in extreme poverty, an face significant barriers in accessing key economic and social rights, such as employment, social welfare, housing, health care and education.
   4. Roma in Macedonia suffer widespread discrimination as a result of their ethnic origin. Romani women further suffer “double disadvantage” as a result of their ethnicity and their gender. The few mentions of measures to address the situation of Roma in the State report, despite abundant indications that Roma comprise the most vulnerable group in Macedonia, is indicative of the lack of interest and dearth of sufficient will on the part of Macedonian authorities to address the problems of Roma at a level adequate to need.
   5. In recent years, the Macedonian government has taken some positive steps towards addressing the overall situation of this extremely marginalized community. On 31 January 2005, the Macedonian government adopted the National Strategy for Roma in Macedonia, which constitutes the government’s plan for fostering integration of, and improving the overall situation of, the Romani community in Macedonia. In February 2005, the Macedonian government also joined the multi-country initiative Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, within which additional action plans for improving the access of Roma to adequate education, housing, health care and employment were adopted in November 2005.
   6. However, Romani and other interested organisations and parties in Macedonia often criticise these measures for reasons including: i) the absence of tangible targets and actions in said plans which might render them effective; and ii) the lack of real political will to implement those measures which do exist and to improve the situation of Roma.
   7. Ongoing research and other activities in Macedonia by the ERRC and NRC in recent years indicate that discrimination against Roma in key areas of ICESCR competence have been and remain a key concern in Macedonia. These matters are particularly worrying in light of the fact that the Macedonian government has, to date, failed to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law framework through which Roma might seek to secure their rights and/or challenge abuses when these occur.
   8. This report does not constitute a comprehensive assessment of all issues facing Roma in Macedonia. It does, however, describe some key areas of concern for Roma related to rights enshrined in the ICESCR. The ERRC and NEC hope that this report will assist the Committee in arriving at a more complete assessment of Convention matters and provide suggestions as to possible recommendations to the Macedonian Government by the Committee. (more…)

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