Ukraine's western city of Mukachevo opens Roma Integration Center
Photo: Telegram / Lubinets
Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, announced that a Roma Integration Center has opened in Mukachevo, the western Zakarpattia region, Rubryka reports.
What's the problem?
According to the ombudsman, monitoring visits to Roma settlements during 2022-2023 showed that the Roma people's access to administrative services, especially getting identity documents, has become more difficult due to Russian aggression.
Roma people find it challenging to find employment, access healthcare services, obtain ID status, and receive humanitarian aid.
Overall, unofficial data from Roma civil organizations suggests that the number of undocumented individuals could reach 10,000 in the Zakarpattia region only.
What's the solution?
Ukraine has opened the Roma Integration Center in Mukacheve. According to the ombudsman, the opening ceremony was attended by his representative in the Zakarpattia region, Andrii Kriuchkov, UN system coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, and UN Women representative in Ukraine, Sabine Freizer Gunes; representatives of UNDP in Ukraine and the NEEKA Carpathian Region Foundation, and local authorities, partners, and Roma organizations
How does it work?
"As part of the opening, representatives of state, international, and civil organizations visited a Roma settlement in Uzhhorod, where they witnessed the dire living conditions of Roma," Lubinets said.
Photo: Telegram / Lubinets
Improving Roma minority rights is part of Ukraine's European integration commitments, the ombudsman stressed.
As part of the Council of Europe project "Support for Reforming the Legal Basis for National Minorities and the Sustainability of National Minorities and Roma in Ukraine," in June 2023, the Ombudsman's Office initiated the pilot project "Documenting Persons from the Roma National Minority (Community) and Developing Legal Mechanisms to Simplify this Procedure" in Mukacheve.
The Ombudsman's Office has also established a relevant department, which coordinates the activities of the ombudsman's representative on equal rights and freedoms, rights of national minorities, political and religious beliefs, Mykhailo Spasov.
According to the Ombudsman's Office, about 20% of adult Roma have no formal education.
Earlier, Rubryka reported about how Roma women in Odesa are helped to improve their lives. You can read more about this in the article "We Don't Want to Beg or Steal."
After Rubryka's article, the Odesa project supporting Roma women received a wave of support and impetus for development.
As reported, members of parliament passed in its entirety an alternative bill on national minorities required for further European integration.
