News in English     | 28.10.2020. 15:46 |

The needs of Roma community neglected even during the Covid-19 pandemic

FENA Hana Imamović

SARAJEVO, October 28 (FENA) - The coronavirus pandemic, due to which numerous restrictive measures have been introduced, particularly affected minority and marginalized groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially the Roma community, which is already the most disenfranchised in BiH.

This was emphasized today during the rpresentation of the Advocacy Document "Impact and Consequences of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Roma Communities in BiH" prepared by the Roma Association "Better Future" from Tuzla within the regional project FAIR II, for active inclusion and rights of Roma women in the Western Balkans, implemented by CARE International Balkans.

The document provides a perspective of Roma in the community and the institutions and an analysis of existing situation. For this purpose, the research was conducted on a sample of 120 Roma in Visoko, Kakanj, Donji Vakuf, Bijeljina and Prnjavor and 30 representatives of institutions from these local communities, including the City of Tuzla.

As it was said at the press conference during the presentation of the document, the results showed a very unfavorable position of the Roma community, widespread poverty, problems of children in attending online classes, increased domestic violence due to lockdown and living in small housing units, often without water and electricity. None of the Roma surveyed were tested for Covid-19 nor did they know that anyone from their community has been tested.

However, what is especially worrying is the negligence of local institutions towards the position of Roma and their needs. Director of the Association of Roma Women "Better Future" Indira Bajramović explained that Roma communities did not have equal treatment.

"The pandemic found the Roma community completely unprepared. A curfew has been introduced and transportation has been abolished, and these are the communities that are mostly engaged in collecting secondary raw materials," Bajramović added.

Therefore, she called on city administrations and municipalities to think about it now, when the second wave of the pandemic is expected, about allocating funds for the Roma community, and that everyone be prepared and more ready for the possible introduction of new measures and restrictions.

Because the respondents in this research pointed out that they did not receive any systemic help from the competent institutions, the only help they received was help with disinfectants and masks, and some of them received food vouchers.

 

(FENA) S. R.

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