INTRODUCTION. Dear readers,

Transcription

1

2 Dear readers, INTRODUCTION The Founder and the Publisher of the Periodical: The Roma Inclusion Ofice of the Government of AP Vojvodina The Editor: Duško Jovanović The editor of the theme of the number: Duško Jovanović The Team: Zita Farkaš Pamela Uzelac Jovana Davidović Correspondents: Roma Coordinators of APV Ivana Koprivica Translation into Roma: Igor Dimić Translation into English: Bojan Đorđević Technical Preparation and Printing: MAXIMA GRAF, Petrovaradin With the November issue you are now holding, we continue our work on creating a better visual identity of our magazine, lead by your suggestions and ideas. The topic of this issue is Children s Day. Within it we present this international holiday, as well as a conference entitled Safety of Children in Educational Institution in AP Vojvodina, with which the Government of AP Vojvodina has marked Children s Day. In the Interview section, Danica Stričević, the president of the Municipality of Nova Crnja presents the Municipality whose head she is at, as well as the activities she is implementing regarding Roma inclusion. About the round table with the topic of Eficient implementation of Roma policy at the local and national levels and the National Councils of National Minorities and Gender Equality conference we talk in the Human Rights section. This section also follows the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the work of the Provincial Ombudsman. Our Health section will introduce the Centre for the prevention and rehabilitation from pathological gambling, while the NGO section brings the story of the Roma of Southern Banat Association (JUBAN). In the Culture section, you will be introduced to the GRUBB foundation, which has opened its new teaching centre in Novi Sad. Old crafts brings the Story of an old horse trader, which concludes this issue. We are waiting for new suggestions, ideas and criticisms, and we leave you to enjoy November, seen through the eyes of our editorial board. Your editorial board Circulation: 1000 Address: Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 25, Novi Sad 2 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

3 This month s topic: Children`s day A child is not a child, a toy for aunts and uncles. A child is a child, to be loved and understood. Ljubivoje Ršumović UNIVERSAL CHILDREN S DAY Universal Children s Day has traditionally been celebrated since That year, on November 20th, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as the irst international documents in the area of human rights which specially deal with children. The aim of this day is to promote the ideals and goals of the Convention for the well-being of children all over the world, and to remind all people about the rights each child has. In accordance with that, the state is obliged to provide the rights which are determined by this document to every person under the age of eighteen. Every child has the right to live with its parents, a right to education, play, freedom, health. Unfortunately, in Serbia the level of child poverty is signiicantly high, and they are one of the most endangered categories. Every tenth child is faced with discrimination on basis of their nationality, violence and neglecting of their everyday problems. Parents often turn their heads away from the problems, so their children become the victims or the perpetrators of violence. Caring for a child is one of the hardest and most responsible jobs. Children s Day should be aimed at parents and expert staff, because they are the ones who inluence the lives of youngsters in the entire world. Even though back in 1989 the Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed, even with important international documents, children are still the victims of different forms of violence, armed conlicts in schools and elsewhere, traficking, exploitation in different forms (sexual abuse, prostitutions, begging, etc.). The four basic, key rights of the Convention without which other rights cannot be achieved The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 3

4 This month s topic: Children`s day are the right to life, survival and development, to nondiscrimination, respect for the best interest of the child and the right to respect the opinions of the child. The state must provide each child, in the maximal possible amount, with basic conditions for life. Every child has the same rights regardless of gender, race, skin color, language, religion, political and other beliefs, national, ethnic and social background, inancial status or other status of the child or its parents. In all actions concerning a child its interest must come irst. When growing up amongst conlicts and a dificult living situation, children lose their carefree childhood, and in that way their imagination and their ability to contribute to the advancement of culture and society is killed. The preamble of the Convention on the Rights of the Child reminds of the basic principles of the UN and the special provision on human rights. The preamble conirms that children need special protection and care due to their sensitivity, and for the primary role of protector it points at the role of the family as the basic unit of society in a natural environment. The Convention also states that every child must live and grow in a family atmosphere, in an environment illed with love and understanding. A child should be completely ready to function alone in society and be raised in the spirit of the ideals stated in the Charter of the United Nations, in the spirit of peace, dignity, freedom, tolerance and solidarity. Aleksandra Mićić SAFETY OF CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS At the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, organized by the Provincial Secretariat for Education, Administration and National Communities, a conference on the safety of children in the institutions of education in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina was held, in regard to celebrating Universal Children s Day. The participants of the conference were greeted by the president of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Ištvan Pastor, the president of the Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Bojan Pajtić PhD, the vice president of the Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the Provincial Secretary for Education, Administration and National Communities, Andor Deli MA, and the assistant to the minister for secondary education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Zoran Kostić PhD. The participants in the conference were representatives of all local self-governments in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, the heads of all three school boards in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the Provincial Ombudsman, representatives of the Police Department of Novi Sad, representatives of the Provincial Secretariat for Healthcare, Social Policy and Demographics, the Provincial Secretariat for Interregional Cooperation and Local Self-government, the Provincial Secretariat for Sport and Youth and the Provincial Secretariat for Economy, Employment and Gender Equality, representatives of student dorms in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, UNICEF, parent associations and non-governmental organizations. The problem of child safety must be at the focus of the public The president of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Ištvan Pastor, reminded the audience that a few days ago there were discussions on tolerance, yesterday on the work of the ombudsman, today about the safety of children in educational institutions, and in the coming period the topic will be gender equality, which shows the stage our society is in. Is it possible that we are today discussing the results of a research on violence in schools, and we see schools as the second homes of our children, a place where they are educated, a place where parents send their children feeling safe?, said Pastor and added that this is a problem that must be placed at the focus of the public. President Pastor added that today s situation is intolerable, and that the signal that no one is accepting this situation is the fact that we are talking about it today with an ambition to return our society into normal lows, and that certainly institutions must take on the responsibility, but that the basic issue is how to raise children at home and that there is no institution which can take that upon itself. We need to be an example to our children The president of the Government of Vojvodina, Bojan Pajtić 4 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

5 This month s topic: Children`s day Source: APV Government PhD, pointed out that we are everyday witnesses of events which cruelly shed light on the fact that we are surrounded by violence. Our children are victims of peer violence or violence from adults. The fact that as much as children are victims of violence in our country every year is devastating, or the fact that every fourth child suffers peer violence. Violence is, unfortunately, present at all ages, in all cultures and, which is an especially large problem: violence is often not spoken about. In school, as it is a social institution, its goals and way of work are deined, because schools are the most important place of socialization for our children. On the determination and perseverance of teachers, as well as parents regarding an adequate and civilized behavior, depends the level of the healthy environment which is necessary for the happiness of growing up, stated Pajtić. Participants of the conference The president of the Government of Vojvodina pointed out that, apart from schools where the forms and relationships that exist in the family can be seen, parents are the irst teachers of the skills of conduct and friendship. Stating that today s meeting is only one of the forms of an organized ight against violence where an individual is not alone, he made a plea for us to be examples to our children: We can show a child that emotions can be shown in a more acceptable way. The effort of parents to recognize and reduce the violent behavior of their children is an investment into their healthy and calm future, stated Bojan Pajtić PhD, relaying that there is no more important work than ensuring the safety of children. Not enough attention paid to the prevention of violence in schools The Provincial Secretary for Education, Administration and National Communities, Andor Deli MA, stated that our society does not pay enough attention to the measures being taken regarding the prevention of all types of violence in schools and education. Andor Deli believes that the constant monitoring of the state of this area is of enormous importance, as well as the exchange of professional opinions and attitudes, because only better coordination can achieve results. As the Provincial Secretary also emphasized, legally formulated ideas represent only half of success. Another and more important aspect of success is their implementation. Today s conference should point to the possible directions of thinking and steps we can take in the joint battle against all forms of violence in schools. The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 5

6 This month s topic: Children`s day Source: Internet Activating all existing powers and resources of society The assistant to the minister for secondary education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Zoran Kostić PhD, believes that the work and life of children, students and employees in safe conditions are a key prerequisite for a quality education. This conference and many other events and activities, which are intensively held in Serbia, show that we have realized how important it is to work on developing a zero tolerance policy towards violence in an organized way and without exceptions, to work on its prevention and the development of positive values. Protection from violence, abuse and neglect are at the top of the list of the Ministry for Education, Science and Technological Development. This is why we, by creating the conditions for the prevention of violence and diminishing its results, have adopted a law which has clearly set the level of ban for violence and discrimination, as well as the rules and regulations and clear procedures for action, we have established in institutions teams for the protection from violence and we have intensiied duty service. We are implementing numerous activities, programs and actions and we are cooperating with numerous domestic and international organizations and associations, we are training teachers and parents. But at the same time, we also ask the question if everyone is familiar with the regulation and are they followed?, stated Kostić who believes that events like these are the place to keep discussing and asking such questions, as well as the place to exchange positive practical experience. Violence is not diminishing, and it is necessary to act now and without delay. Blame cannot be placed on others, everyone must contribute in their own domain as much as they can with the activation of existing measures and the resources of society, emphasized Kostić. Jovana Davidović Conclusions and recommendations At the conference on the safety of children, the representatives of key institutions in this area were shown the importance of the safety of children in educational institutions. The results of previous work have been presented, regarding the safety of children in Vojvodina, and it planned, through the division of responsibilities, to determine the precise steps to come. Several conclusions have also been made. It was suggested to the Provincial Secretariat for Education, Administration and National Communities, that in cooperation with school districts, in the school year of 2013/14, they should organize and hold round tables with the subject of the safety of children in educational institutions, in every school district. It was also recommended that in local self-governments working bodies should be formed which will include all subjects which could contribute to the safety of children (representatives of the local self-government, parent councils, non-governmental organizations) and others. The need for this body to determine the measures for the prevention of violence and abuse in educational institutions and guidelines on dealing in cases of the endangerment of child safety, in accordance with regulation, was also stated. Finally, it was suggested to the Provincial Secretariat for Education, Administration and National Communities, that it should inform the Government of Vojvodina on the conclusions of the conference and suggest the forming of a coordination body for the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, whose task would be to monitor the implementation of the concluded activities. 6 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

7 A BATTLE FOR THE BETTER LIFE OF THE ROMA Interview The president of the Municipality of Nova Crnja, Danica Stričević presented the Municipality whose head she is, as well as the results this Municipality has achieved in the process of improving the position of the Roma. As their most important projects, she listed Improving the quality of education of Roma children in the municipality of Nova Crnja and the Ofice network for the social inclusion of the Roma. Speaking about plans for the coming period, she pointed out the implementation of local action plans for the improvement of education, employment, housing and healthcare of the Roma, as well as including the Roma into local institutions. Source: Municipal archives *Present the municipality its characteristics, potentials, resources, investments, programs and projects being implemented. - The Municipality of Nova Crnja has a strategically favorable position, owing to the international M-7 road, quality agricultural land and the Romanian border. It is one of the smaller municipalities in the Republic of Serbia based on the number of inhabitants and the area it encompasses. The main potential that the municipality of Nova Crnja has is the rich supply of thermal and mineral waters, which can be used in multiple ways, from spa tourism to heating greenhouses and other objects. Then there is the wind and solar energy, which provides opportunities for building wind generators and solar power plants; the wide network of channels, which could be used for the melioration of agricultural land; the developed road network, mainly the international M-7 road, which connects Zrenjanin and Timisoara and cultural and historic landmarks, which pave the way for the development of tourism. The resources the municipality of Nova Crnja has are agricultural land, the quality of which varies from irst to fourth class, and which is used for growing grains and industrial plants, mostly wheat, sunlower and corn, and in a smaller amount sugar beets and soy. We have nine industrial areas which have been adapted and are ready to be used by potential investors. The main investments in the municipality of Nova Crnja in the past years have been by PP Cairnwell from Great Britain, which deals with agricultural production, a Serbian and Russian trading company from Russia, which deals in the production of food products, and Biljemerkant from Croatia, which deals in trading. *What is the position of the Roma like in your municipality and what activities are you implementing? -In the municipality of Nova Crnja, the Roma live in conditions that, in most cases, don t meet the minimum of existence. The problems local institutions mostly come across are the the unemployment of the Roma in the municipality, the lack of elementary or high school education, bad living conditions and lack of healthcare. One of the problems is readmission, a lot of the Roma who come from abroad have a hard time adjusting to the conditions of life in Serbia. The activities which have been implemented are the Improving the quality of education of Roma children in the municipality of Nova Crnja and Ofice network for the social inclusion of the Roma projects. The municipality of Nova Crnja is currently implementing the Local Action Plan for the improvement of education, employment, housing and healthcare of the Roma in the municipality of Nova Crnja. Considering that in 2012 two large projects have been inalized, in 2013 we have The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 7

8 Interview not participated in projects, but we plan to participate in projects in *What has until now been done in the areas of education, employment, housing and healthcare in order to improve the position of the Roma in your municipality? -The municipal administration of the municipality of Nova Crnja has during 2008 hired a Roma issues coordinator. On March 12th 2012, the Assembly of the Municipality of Nova Crnja adopted a decision on starting the process of creating the Local Action Plan for the improvement of the education, employment, housing and healthcare of the Roma in the municipality of Nova Crnja. The plan was inished in December 2012, and has been adopted for the period between 2013 and Also, the Ofice network for the social inclusion of the Roma project has been inished ( ), as well as the Educational inclusion of the Roma ( ) project. *Does the budget of your municipality plan funds for the implementation of action plans adopted to solve the problems of the Roma? -The municipality of Nova Crnja has according to the amendments to the decision on the budget for 2013 (Oficial Gazette of the Municipality of Nova Crnja, no. 14/13) dedicated dinars for the network ofice for the social inclusion of the Roma, as well as dinars for the implementation of the Action Plan for the Roma. *Who are your partners in this process? -Our partners are the Social Work Centre of the municipality Danica Stricevic with the president of the Roma National Council of Nova Crnja, the Srpska Crnja Healthcare Centre, the Đura Jakšić elementary school from Srpska Crnja, the 4. Oktobar elementary school from Vojvoda Stepa, the Petei Šandor elementary school from Nova Crnja, the Branko Radičević elementary school from Aleksandrovo, the Stanko Krstin elementary school from Radojevo, the Đura Jakšić high school from Srpska Crnja, the National Employment Service and the Centre for the integration of Roma in Serbia non-governmental organization from Srpska Crnja. *What was the last activity you implemented in your municipality regarding the Roma population? -The last activity in the municipality of Nova Crnja was the Educational inclusion of the Roma project, which aimed to improve the quality of education of Roma children and improve the capacities of relevant local institutions. The main donor of the project was the DILS program, and the amount of funds was Euros. The main activities of the project were the education of parents, pedagogical assistants, teaching staff and children. Also, the children were provided lunches, books, school equipment and ield trips. *What are the plans of the municipality for the coming period? -The plan of the municipality is to implement the LAP for the improvement of education, employment, housing and healthcare of the Roma. Also, the plan is to include more Roma in the local institutions, governmental and non-governmental institutions, as well as applying for projects and competitions of international and domestic donors related to education, employment, housing and healthcare. One of the goals is to update the software received through the Ofice network for the social inclusion of the Roma project, which aimed to create social maps. Pamela Uzelac Source: Municipal archives 8 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

9 Habitation ROMA SETTLEMENTS IN VOJVODINA ADDITIONAL INFORMATION In Table 5 the local self-governments which have in their responses to the Provincial Ombudsman listed that there is no separate, secluded Roma settlement on their territory are listed. However, in some settlements there are parts where the Roma population lives integrated with the rest of the population, where certain problems also exist. According to the comments and detailed data which have been Bački Petrovac Bačka Topola Bela Crkva Čoka Inđija Kovačica Kovin Kula submitted by some of the local self-governments the situation is as follows: Kikinda Roma associations in Kikinda have turned to municipal organs regarding the legalization of objects aiming to solve problems in Roma settlements which have been built illegally. Many objects are not it to live in, and be used, and are also located on dangerous terrain, with no planning basis. For solving these issues large inancial resources are also needed. Name of settlement Sombor In the City of Sombor, in the settlements of Bezdan, Gakovo, Stapar, Telečka and Doroslovo as well as in the city itself, the Roma live in certain streets where all the measures of the National Investment Plan for the housing of Roma need to be implemented, such as: legalization, material aid, repairing the road infrastructure, etc. Kula In the Municipality of Kula a Roma settlement from Sivac has Novi Bečej Novi Kneževac Pećinci Sečanj Šid Temerin Titel Žitište Nova Crnja UKUPNO: 17 Table 5. Local self-governments which do not have a (separate) Roma settlement been relocated. Residential objects have been bought using different funding sources for the residents of this settlement within the settlement. The problem is still the solution of the housing issues of the Roma from this settlement (a part of the Roma live as subtenants in objects for which the Social Work Center helps pay the renting costs) as well as the renovation of old houses to make them livable in. Bačka Topola In the Municipality of Bačka Topola there is no typical Roma settlement. A number of the Roma has received apartments, i.e. houses from the Social Work Centre. The biggest issue is the lack of employment and no personal documents. Pančevo The City of Pančevo has in accordance with the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for the Social Integration of Roma implemented activities regarding: o Improvement of social policy and health of Roma (purchasing hygiene packages for Roma families; regular education of the Roma population on the promotion of health and immunization by the Roma health mediator); o Improvement of preschool, elementary and high school education (purchasing book kits for preparation for the preschool program for children of Roma nationality; purchasing basic kits and missing schoolbooks for students of Roma nationality in elementary and high schools from socially endangered families); o Improvement of the informing culture and development of the civil sector of the Roma in the City of Pančevo (introducing programs of informational-documentary character in Romany in the program of TV Pančevo reports and interviews on the lives of the Roma national minority; organizing sports and recreational, folklore and art meetings of Roma children); o Improvement of housing (repairing the roofs of the daycare in the Borislav Petrov-Braca elementary school in order to improve the daycare conditions of children of Roma nationality; providing i- nancial aid to Roma families in the adaptation of the internal part of living space). The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 9

10 Habitation Bečej The municipal council in Bečej has adopted the conclusion according to which ,00 dinars from the budget of the Municipality has been approved, which will fund the project to overcome the problems of the lack of basic infrastructure in Roma settlements. The participants of the project are the Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization Ngo, the Roma Inclusion Ofice of the AP Vojvodina and the Municipality of Bečej. A proposal has been submitted to the Capital Investment Fund for the need of funding capital investments from the budget of the AP Vojvodina which asks for ,00 dinars. The name of the project is Social inclusion and improving the housing conditions of Roma men and women in the AP Vojvodina. The NGO plans to build bathrooms in 120 households, build septic tanks, hire volunteers to educate Roma children from preschool age to high school education, enroll children into preschool programs and create a database of children who need to be included in the educational system, provide school equipments and books, as well as provide daycare and meals in daycare for children who participate in it, educate parents on the importance of education and educate the teaching staff on inclusive teaching in schools. The problem that has arisen during the implementation of this project is the drainage of storm water in the Gypsy neighborhood of Bačko Gradište because the canals which drains storm water is illed with trash and waste and it is impossible to build septic tanks for the houses in the settlement because the water level is too high. The canal needs to be cleaned before work on the project can begin. Bačka Palanka The living conditions in Roma settlements in the municipality are very dificult, which mostly refers to the unhygienic living conditions and the large threat of contracting various contagious diseases. The reason is the almost complete lack of infrastructural furnishment of the settlements, as well as the unfavorable urbanistic solutions (especially in Bačka Palanka and Tovariševo where the situation is the most dificult). There are no roads in these settlements, and the water line has not been created (there are no sanitary facilities in most objects), the larger number of objects does not have electricity or has been illegally connected to the network, which increases the possibility of electric shock due to the inexpert handling or lack of quality installation. There are no locations for disposing of waste, it is not removed because there is no way to approach the locations. The objects themselves are not it to live in due to their dimensions and internal organization of space. The lots where the objects have been built do not fulill the minimal size required by the Law on planning and building. The objects are mostly not listed in the Real Estate Cadastre. Inđija In the municipality of Inđija there are no separate Roma settlements. The Roma are fully integrated with the rest of the population and have the opportunity to access the same level of rights and fulill their needs in all segments as the other inhabitants of the settlement. Speaking about rights mostly refers to: o Education (the enrollment of children of Roma nationality is insisted upon in regard to the provisions of the Law on the basis and system of education, aiming to provide equal availability of the educational system to children from marginalized groups. o Housing in conditions which provide the minimal needs in that segment (through awarding apartments owned by the municipality meant for persons with social needs in accordance with the municipal decision) o Health and social services (through the activities of the Healthcare centre and the Social Work Centre and the Municipality of Inđija as a local self-government aiming to provide free checkups, current inancial aid is aimed at checkups which are not free as well as rights determined by the Law on social care and social security of citizens as well as the municipal Decision on extended rights in the ield of social care). o Utilities (services provided by Water Supply and Sewage and Waste Utilities, including the removal of waste and placing dumpsters, are equally available to everyone in the municipality. o Infrastructural and other services (in accordance with the inancial possibilities, the municipality works on raising the level of infrastructural equipment in all settlements. o Legalization (solving problems of legalization of illegally built objects is done through the line department of the Municipal Administration and the Directorate for Building of the municipality, in the law prescribed by the law). When creating planning documentation the integration of Roma settlements into residential areas was provided. The Municipal Administration of the Municipality of Inđija within its jurisdiction in accordance with the municipal decision provides legal aid to all citizens of the municipality and the Roma Inclusion Coordinator provides services from his jurisdiction within the Roma Inclusion Ofice seated in Inđija. 10 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

11 Social care REPORT ON THE SECOND PHASE OF RESEARCH THE ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL CARE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN ON THE LOCAL LEVEL 2.3. Social Care services for children realized in 2013 With the gathering of data and via questionnaires and focus groups, the following results on the types of services aimed at children, as well as the service providers and funding sources were received. The service of the Club for children and youth with behavior problems in the Municipality of Čoka was provided during 2012, and was funded as a project activity by the funds of the Provincial Secretariat for Health, Social Policy and Demographics. The positive effects of this service point to the need for its continuation. In the municipality of Gornji Milanovac, apart from the service of home aid which is being provided, it is important to mention that there is a plan for the development of daycare for children with developmental disabilities. Currently, the Volunteer Centre and the Association of parents of children with developmental disabilities, with the support of the Social Work Centre and the local self-government which has so far provided the space (within the preschool), are conducting workshops once a week for around 25 children with developmental disabilities. During the focus group, the local self-government showed a serious readiness to support these activities in the coming period, with the tendency for them to grow into a service which will be implemented in accordance with standards. As a possible source of funding, apart from the budget funds of the municipality, there is the possibility of applying for funds within the Exchange 4 project, in order to create the service with donated funds in an infrastructural sense. In Topola, apart from the Koraci volunteer association, the association for the help to mentally insuficiently developed persons Zagrljaj is also active. As a reason for the nonexistence of the needed services the local self-government lists the lack of funds. The local self-government Municipality Service Provider Funding source ČOKA Daycare for children and youth with developmental disabilities Social Work Centre Funds from a project funded by the European Union, the municipal budget participating ŽITIŠTE Home aid for children with developmental disabilities and their families Social Work Centre Funds from a project funded by the European Union, the municipal budget participating GORNJI MILANOVAC Home aid for children with developmental disabilities and their families Social Work Centre Funds from a project funded by the European Union, the municipal budget participating REKOVAC Home aid for children with developmental disabilities and their families Home aid for children with developmental disabilities and their families Rekovac Red Cross Social Work Centre Užice Funds from a project funded by the European Union, the municipal budget participating Funds from a project funded by the European Union, the municipal budget participating UŽICE Daycare Adapted transportation services for the users of the Daycare Supportive housing for young people who are becoming independent Petar Radovanović Home for children and youth, Užice The association of invalids of cerebral palsy and polio Užice Social Work Centre Užice The budget of the City of Užice Let s grow together project which is funded by the EU Commission in Serbia and the City budget The budget of the City of Užice TOPOLA Home aid for children with developmental disabilities and their families Koraci volunteer centre Topola Funds from a project funded by the European Union, the municipal budget participating The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 11

12 Social care is examining the needs of the citizens of the municipality for social care services through the Social Work Centre, and they have a database on children with developmental disabilities. In the municipality of Žitište, the local self-government has by mapping the ield conducted a research of the needs of the citizens for social care services. Even though the Municipal Decision on Social Care foresees a larger number of social care services for children, due to the lack of funds there is currently only one being realized. The reasons for the lack of services in Užice are limited budget funds and the issue of service provider. The local community is researching the needs of citizens for services through contact with the citizens and cooperation with the Social Work Centre. There are partial databases a database of children which have gone through interdepartmental commissions, databases of associations, service users, etc. The mechanisms for researching the level of satisfaction of users by the city have not been developed. Some data can be indirectly gathered through the reports of service providers. A summary of the results of the research on the number and type of services provided The choice of services which have been initiated is the result of the researched need at the local level. The available capacities have inluenced the choice of services, and the condition for the services which have been established within EU project was that after the inalization of the project the municipality made the new service sustainable. The fact is that the home aid service which almost all municipalities have opted for is far less demanding than for instance a daycare service, in regard to the necessary structural demands. This makes it cheaper, easier to organize, and the municipalities mostly have experience with this service as it involves a target group of older users. A summary of the research results on the development and needs for services in local communities One of the goals of the reform in the area of social care is the development of a network of different services in local communities. The available data shows that local service networks are still not developed enough and that the municipalities encompassed by this sample do not fund all services which they have foreseen in their municipal Decisions. This is mostly the consequence of the lack of funds which the local self-governments have at their disposal. A signiicant possibility foreseen by the new Law is the funding of services in the jurisdiction of the local self-government through earmarked transfers from the budget of the Republic in less developed municipalities as well as municipalities where institutions undergoing transformation are located. Apart from that, the local self- -governments should monitor the donor competitions in order to establish services in a capital sense from donated funds, mostly from the available EU funds. Municipality ČOKA ŽITIŠTE GORNJI MILANOVAC REKOVAC UŽICE TOPOLA Services which should be developed Home aid for children with developmental disabilities and their families Daycare/club for children and youth with behavioral problems Pedagogical assistants and healthcare mediators for the Roma (within the educational system) Daycare for children with developmental disabilities Counseling-therapeutic and social-educational Counseling for children and youth with asocial behavior Respite service for children with developmental disabilities Adolescent club Development of innovative social-healthcare services Developmental counseling Daycare for children with developmental disabilities 12 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

13 Human rights Participants of the round table EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION OF ROMA POLICY AT THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS At the Cultural Centre of Novi Sad, on November 21st, the inal, ifth round table on the Eficient implementation of Roma policy at the national and local levels was held. The contents of the round table consisted of a presentation of a short analysis of the report through questionnaires on the improvement of the position of the Roma, a presentation of the draft of the report on the implementation of the National Strategy and local action plans for the improvement of the position of the Roma, as well as an encouragement of the strengthening of the role of the Roma civil society in monitoring the implementation of Roma policy at the national and local levels. The event was attended by the director of the Roma Inclusion Ofice of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Duško Jovanović, the assistant at the Provincial Secretariat for Economy, Employment and Gender Equality in charge of the ield of the improvement of the position of the Roma, Slavica Denić, a representative of the Provincial Secretariat for Economy, Employment and Gender Equality, Ana Beretić, a representative of the Centre for Minority Rights, Ana Grbić, the authors of the report in the implementation of the Strategy for the Improvement of the Position of the Roma, Branislava Žarković and Marijana Mijatović, a researcher on the Monitoring the implementation of Roma policy at the national and local levels in Serbia project, Dragana Rajić, representatives of the Roma League, Stevan Nikolić and Božidar Jovanović, as well as Roma issues coordinators and pedagogical assistants from Vojvodina. The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 13

14 Human rights Monitoring the implementation of Roma policy at the national and local levels in Serbia The representative of the Centre for Minority Rights, Ana Grbić, opened the event and at the very beginning presented the project called Monitoring the implementation of Roma policy at the national and local levels in Serbia, which is being realized by the Centre for Minority Rights from Belgrade. The project is funded by the Delegation of the European Commission in Serbia (the EIDHR program), the Open Society Foundation from Belgrade and the Secretariat of the Decade of Roma Inclusion from Budapest. The project is being realized in partnership with the Roma Women s Centre Bibija from Belgrade and the YUROM Centre from Niš, as well as members of the Roma League. The project will last for 18 months, and aims to eficiently implement the Strategy for the Improvement of the Position of the Roma and the action plan complementing this Strategy. The target groups of the project are Roma civil society organizations, members of the Decade of Roma League and the Roma Women s Network, as well as state institutions ministries in charge of the implementation of the Strategy for the Improvement of the Position of the Roma, and especially the Ofice for Human and Minority Rights. Also, there are the 70 local self- -governments, selected based on the number of Roma population and adopted local action plans for the Roma. Within this project, according to Ana Grbić, the creation of a publication is foreseen. It is a report on the monitoring of the implementation of the Strategy itself. Activities of the project The Monitoring the implementation of Roma policy at the national and local levels in Serbia project entails the monitoring and implementation of the national Strategy for the Improvement of the Position of the Roma, monitoring the implementation of Local Action Plans for the Roma in 70 municipalities in Serbia, publishing a report on the implementation of Roma policies at the national and local levels, as well as advocating for them. So far we have held ive round tables in Sombor, Smederevo, Vranje, Prokuplje and today in Novi Sad. The report on the implementation of the national Strategy and local action plans for the improvement of the position of the Roma will encompass the period of the Strategy itself, from its adoption in 2005 until today, with an overview of key achievement from 2005 until This is the irst report which encompasses everything from beginning to end. The report will analyze the government s measures and activities implemented in all 13 areas of the Strategy, among which the most important are: education, employment, informing, political participation, discrimination, budget funds for the implementation of the Strategy for the Roma, as well as the satisfaction of the inal users, stated Ana Grbić. Results from the ield The representative of the Centre for the improvement of housing of socially endangered groups from Belgrade, Branislava Žarković, was in charge of writing the report on the implementation of the Strategy in the ield of housing. Housing is one of the biggest and most endangered problems of all those socially endangered in Serbia. According to the latest research from 2002, there are 593 Roma settlements in Serbia, with over 15 houses, of which 95 are located in cities, and the others are rural. What is characteristic for these settlements is that 70% of them do not have a regulated ownership status, 38% does not have a water supply network and 60% does not have a sewage system. The houses are made from worn out materials. In such places people to not have legal security, said Branislava Žarković. During the research the authors relied on the national, provincial and local levels. This way they could list what has so far been done on those levels. According to the achieved results, it has been shown that the most has been done on the national level. A legal framework has been established, which recognizes the obligation of the state to provide and fund programs regarding the insurance of housing. The national strategy for housing has been ensured, in order to improve the lives of the Roma, in regard to the improvement of the legalization fond, infrastructural furnishing, etc. Roma League Those present were addressed by Božidar Jovanović, a representative of the Roma League, who presented this coalition. The Roma League was founded with the goal of the improvement, inclusion and emancipation of the Roma community with the aid of the civil sector. In accordance with that, the League 14 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

15 Human rights Participants of the round table wishes to join all active organizations and associations in order to improve their actions. As an NGO coalition, the Roma League s goal is to strengthen the role of the Roma society in monitoring the implementation of Roma policy at the national and local levels. It gathers more than 400 Roma activist from Serbia and 60 Roma and non-roma non-governmental organizations, of which 11 are a part of the representative ofice of the Roma League: YUROM Centre, Centre for the rights of minorities, Children s Roma Centre, Roma Women s Centre Bibija, Education centre of the Roma from Subotica, The Union of Roma Students, Little Prince Children s centre, Intercultural Theater, Women s Space, Roma informative centre and Roma Explorers, stated Jovanović. The event was closed by the presentation of good practice examples and experiences in implementing Roma policy at the local level, by the Roma Inclusion Ofice and the Provincial Secretariat for Economy, Employment and Gender Equality. D. J. The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 15

16 Human rights THE NATIONAL COUNCILS OF NATIONAL MINORITIES AND GENDER EQUALITY In Novi Sad, on October 17th 2013, a conference was held entitled National councils of national minorities and gender equality. The conference was organized by the Provincial Ombudsman with the support of the OEBS Mission to Serbia. The event was attended by representatives of the national councils of national minorities in Serbia, state and provincial institutions, non-governmental organization and all other relevant factors, which deal with both questions of national minorities, as well as questions of gender equality. Participants of the conference The conference was preceded by a research on the level of representation of women in the national councils of national minorities in Serbia and the application of the principles of gender equality in the work of these councils. Fourteen Nevenka Vasić national councils participated in the research. The general conclusion was that the level of visibility of women should be raised within national councils and that they should be able to contribute with the results of their work. The conference was opened by the Provincial Ombudsman, Aniko Muškinja Hajnrih, the president of the National Council of the Slovak National Minority, Ana Tomanova Makanova and the chief of the democratization department of the OEBS Mission to Serbia, Jan Luenberg. After a speech on the legal framework and the practice of the protection of women s rights, who are members of national minorities, delivered by the deputy of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia, Goran Bašić, and the deputy of the Provincial Ombudsman, Eva Vukašinović, the participants discussed the possibilities for the application of the principles of gender equality in the four most important areas of implementing and protecting the rights of minorities education, culture, informing and the oficial use of language. Women are more present and visible, but still do not have equal rights According to the deputy of the Provincial Ombudsman, Danica Todorov, this conference should encourage all those who are active in the national councils of national minorities to enable the active participation of women in decision making and their independent decision making. According to the latest results, 30% of women are present in the national parliament and local self- -governments. They have become 16 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

17 Human rights Only on paper more visible. We can see what they do, how much they contribute to the quality of politics and public life: Women are not included in making all of the decisions, this needs to be changed. They are as hard-working as men are, as active and willing to work, eager to participate in improving lives and the improvement of the community. That is the value of this research. In many other countries, as well as in Serbia, the social position of women, unlike that of men, is still not privileged. This is the reason why concrete measures on the position of women in society, the media, education should be taken, where their position cannot be tied to the traditional role of women: Our society needs to be educated for a long time in order to create standards and introduce certain laws. We need to change our culture and educational policies. The Women s Parliamentary Network The president of the Board for Gender Equality in the Assembly In the National Council of the Roma National Minority, 30% of the members are women, Roma women. Nevenka Vasić is one of them: Roma women should have the same opportunities as do female members of other national minorities. Also, they need to i- ght to prove their readiness to take on obligations, in order to ind their place and be represented in all segments of society. Among us, Roma women, there are women who have exceptional political knowledge and skills. If they are activated in the right way, Roma women will not be represented only on paper anymore. of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Stojanka Lekić, said that the better visibility of women is the reason why the Women s Parliamentary Network has been formed on the provincial level: We have managed to connect women, without regard to their political background. This is a way for them to talk, participate and make suggestions regarding the creation of laws, all aiming to make them more visible and economically empowered. The end of the oficial part of the conference was marked by the words of the president of the National Council of the Slovak National Minority, Ana Tomanova Makanova: The road to success if dificult and steep. Without regard to the circumstances, what is important is a good idea, a good strategy, program, deliberation and consistency in everything you do. To be equal and visible is just a matter of conscience. Women must be more persistent and brave in order to take on responsibility. Pamela Uzelac The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 17

18 Human rights A DECADE OF THE PROVINCIAL OMBUDSMAN The institution of the Provincial Ombudsman celebrated its tenth birthday with the support of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, with a formal academy at the Grand Hall of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The ceremony was attended by a large number of guests, among which were representatives of state and provincial organs of administration, international and domestic institutions, organizations ighting for human rights, educational and other institutions which the Provincial Ombudsman has cooperated with in the past ten years. Those present were addressed, apart from the Provincial Ombudsman, Aniko Muškanja Hajnrih herself, by the president of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Ištvan Pastor, the vice president of the Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Andor Deli MA, the Ombudsman of Catalonia, Rafael Ribo, the State Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia, Saša Janković, the chief of the democratization section of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Jan Lueneberg, the president of the Association of Local Ombudsman, Zlatko Marosiuk and the executive director of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, Vesna Petrović. Those present were given the 10 years of the Provincial Ombudsman publication, which presents the history and work of this institution, during which the Republic of Serbia acquired around twenty independent institutions for the protection of human rights at all levels of government and several laws of vital importance to this area. A big European institution The Provincial Ombudsman, Aniko Muškanja Hajnrih, pointed 18 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

19 Human rights out in opening the formal academy, that it is truly a great success to celebrate ten years of existence. The adoption of the Decision on the establishment of the Provincial Ombudsman, a completely new institution, by the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, represented a truly brave decision. It was a choice to improve the system of the protection of human rights, after the democratic changes in Vojvodina, and realize as fully as possible the noble ideals of the universal Declaration on Human Rights. The Provincial Ombudsman owes its existence and achievements, according to the Provincial Ombudsman, to numerous institutions, organizations and citizens. Aniko Muškanja Hajnrih also stated that governmental bodies in 65% of cases follow the recommendations of this institution, which is equal to the averages of EU countries: It is Celebrants with guests my honor that citizens recognize the institution of the ombudsman more and more. The citizens are more and more aware that human rights are the foundations of human dignity. Fighting for human rights and the dignity of man Congratulating the Ombudsman on this jubilee, the president of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Ištvan Pastor, pointed out that the commitment and dedication in the protection of the rights to a free and digniied life for every man and citizen, as an elementary human right, have undoubtedly marked the engagement of the Provincial Ombudsman in the irst decade of the existence of this institution. The irst decade of the work of the Provincial Ombudsman has conirmed the dificult divergence between life and the law. It has shown that the law is not perfect, and that it always represents a strive towards perfection. It has shown that it is dificult to reconcile the law and justice, the right for the pursuit of happiness and justice, freedom of men and citizens and equality, stated Pastor and added that the readiness to open new perspectives, to persevere in the protection of the dignity of citizens, are an important quality that the institution of the Ombudsman has brought to the processes of institutional consolidation. The president of the Assembly also said that the battle for human rights is one we need to ight every day: The freedom and equality of individuals are measured by the absence of obstacles. If a citizen is too poor, uneducated and weak to be able to use his lawful rights, freedom does not mean much to him, but the task of insti- The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 19

20 Human rights tutions is to provide the availability of justice to all, and especially to marginalized groups. He added that the coming years and decades pose as a primary task, not only for the institution of the Ombudsman, but for all participants in public life, the task of building a political community which will nurture civil values, freedoms and responsibilities, and which will promote the dignity of men and citizens as untouchable, because only such a political community will create institutional possibilities for equal opportunities. Friendship and partnership with Catalonia Those present were also addressed by the Ombudsman of Catalonia, Rafael Ribo, who congratulated the institution of the Ombudsman on the ten years of its existence and the successes achieved. Ribo stated that Serbia is facing great challenges, having in mind the economic situation, which is related to the violation of very important social rights of citizens. The privatization of rights is underway, which are given to private companies, which in turn endangers human rights, said Ribo. We are not politicians and we cannot inluence the law and propose objections to certain rights, but we can point out if someone is trying to endanger the rights of a particular person. Ribo added that unfortunately human rights are violated by public supervision and listening-in even in institutions, without any control. At the end of the ceremony, the Provincial Ombudsman Aniko Muškinja Hajnrih thanked all those who contributed to the previous success of this institution and expressed her hope that citizens will continue to be faithful partners of this institution. I wish to thank the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina for having in mind the needs and interests of its citizens, for recognizing the importance of the institution of the Ombudsman and adopting the decision on the establishment of the Provincial Ombudsman. I would also wish to thank the citizens, who have in the past ten years shown us the problems in the ield of human rights, with which the governmental bodies need to deal with in a more eficient and purposeful way. We hope that they will do this in a greater number in the future, concluded Aniko Muškinja Hajnrih. Aleksandra Mićić 20 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

21 LIFE IS NOT A GAME Health Modern man often inds the answer to the question what to do with his spare time and how to kill a few hours in activities that at the irst glance seem harmless. The lottery, going to bookmakers, composing winning tickets, a few rounds of poker, roulette, slot machines... Time goes by. The misconception grows. Addiction is born. Psychotherapists Jasmina Lekovic and her associate Ivana Pavlovic Gambling is one of the most risky and dangerous vices. Since 1980 it has been a part of the international classiication of diseases. It has equally shattering effects as do drug abuse, alcoholism, violence and other serious vices. It all starts from simple curiosity and a wish to have fun, and it ends in tragedy. Invisible to the eye, it grabs the life of the addict and with its sharp claws it destroys his personality, leading to fatal consequences. On November 29th 2012, in Novi Sad, the irst Centre for the prevention and rehabilitation of pathological gambling was founded, called Life is not a game. The expert team of the Centre consists of psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists. The Centre was established aiming to build functional and healthy models of thought and behavior in gambling addicts. The Centre works on the education of citizens, and especially children and youth, on the harmful effects of gambling through lectures and workshops, as well as counseling for persons who have problems with pathological gambling. The rehabilitation of clients starts with a visit for the irst interview with a family member or another close person who will provide support during the process of gambling rehabilitation, and it is continued with individual counseling and psychotherapy. We introduce the family to gambling addiction so it can help in overcoming it. We organize group meetings for clients who are interested in this type of support. Psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists show the addict Center for the prevention and rehabilitation of pathological gambling What is pathological gambling? Gambling is a name for a collection of games, behaviors and activities which entail betting money which carries with it a certain risk and the hope for a positive outcome (returning the investment or winning a larger amount of money). Pathological gambling is a behavior control disorder, a habit and an impulse. Spending nonexistent money, at place where more time than planned is spent is considered pathological gambling. The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 21

22 Health the stage he has reached, because they are often not aware how advanced their addiction has become. The most common symptoms of pathological gambling Persons who have entered the stage of pathology are most often preoccupied with gambling. They keep thinking about past experiences, they plan future actions, they think about how to get the money they need to continue the game. Their level of tolerance is increased, so they keep raising the stakes, in order to achieve the expected pleasure and thrill they crave. The rise of adrenalin in the blood gives them strength, as with drug abuse and alcoholism. Addicts often neglect the responsibilities they used to have. They skip school, distance themselves from their family, friends, hobbies, they pay no attention to their reputation in society. In order to get the money they need for gambling they are ready for anything, even illegal operations: theft, lies, fraud, forging documents at work and the like. A person who has a problem with gambling often has a feeling of uneasiness and irritability. There are often attempts to stop or at least reduce gambling. Persons who come to casinos most often wish to improve their mood or run away from the problems they have by gambling. The trigger which most often leads to problems at home, loss of employment, a partner, a lack of money and the like. When they lose playing roulette, slots, poker, they often return to the scene of the crime trying to reverse the damages done, creating new smarter strategies. Addicts have numbers and winning combination, i.e. sure winners, in their head in advance. The addict lies to his family, friends and therapist about the extent of his gambling. When he wishes to stop gambling or at least reduce it, he most often does not succeed. After a year of trying, there is a crisis and he returns to gambling. The addict continues to gamble even when there is a risk of losing his family and friends. When there is a lack of money, he turns to false friends or loan sharks who wholeheartedly expect his downfall. They spend their earnings to the last cent, even though they sorely need the money for other expenses (bills, food...). The symptoms of those suffering from the disease are also sleeping disorders, suicidal tendencies, lying and manipulation. Persons who start going to bookmakers often do it between the ages of ten and eighteen. Even though the law prescribes that all bookmakers and casinos must be at least 200m away from schools, this rule is still broken. As the reason for going to these places they list fun, following the results of their favorite teams, as well as easy money, doubling their lunch money. How does treatment begin and is gambling curable? Users who come to the Centre seek help in order to control themselves in moments of crisis. The expert team stimulates the client to think about the consequences gambling can cause. The beginning of treatment is long and dificult. When a patient begins to stop himself, that is the moment when treatment Pathological gamblers are extremely intelligent people. Social interaction is ridiculous for them. They are skilled and convincing in manipulation, they know how to put up masks so no one will know what vice they suffer from. They believe that only good things will happen in their lives, they have unrealistic optimism. They are afraid of being shamed in front of the important igures in their life. They do not have inancial control. Ivana Pavlović begins. The duration of treatment depends on the consequences and aspects of life infested by gambling. There is some damage with everyone, mostly to the trust within the family, which is according to the experience of experts, returned only after two years of treatment. Gambling cannot be fully cured, but control and persistency can heal it. Diagnoses from experts According to Jasmina Leković, a psychotherapist at the Centre, addicted persons mostly do not know when they pass into pathological gambling. They mostly ind out when you lead them 22 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

23 Health back to the beginning. Then they themselves come to the conclusion that the crucial moment is mostly when they repay their debt. The problem of gambling is huge. Rare are those who stop after the irst time. They usually try to do something to get the money they lost back. After ive, six lost rounds they come to us. Our advice to parents is not to repay the debts. In order to stop, they need to feel the suffering and consequences themselves. The family needs to pressure them, either with blackmail like withholding money or leaving the house. In that way you give their existence a shake. Ivana Pavlović, a inal year student of psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy is an associate of this Centre, and she has stated that the potential users of the Centre rarely come on their own: It is usually the parents, sisters, girlfriends and closest friends who ask for help. The addicts do not realize they have a problem. They become aware only when they have a large debt they can t repay, but as soon as they get that in order they forget everything and they start again with the idea that they won t make the same mistakes as last time. When they come to us, they think they will learn how to gamble in a smart and controlled way which is a big delusion. When asked how to repay the money, experts advise users to borrow money from an important igure in their life (uncles, aunts...). That way they would feel shame. A secret confession The irst time I stepped into a bookmaker s ofice I was fourteen. It all started out as fun, playing a few tickets with friends so as not to be bored in class. I was thinking, it s only 30 dinars, that s not much. In time my wishes grew. We started going in groups, every day, 2 or 3 times. I didn t see the road I was walking on. We skipped classes, because I wasn t interested in studying. Sitting at the bookmakers and following the games, I looked stealthily at the people who played on the slot machines. It was interesting to watch them, and learn how to play. You pay 200 dinars, and you get 2000 credits and the game begins. Pyramids, cherries, dollars spin and you stop them and wait for you winnings. In those moments my adrenalin rises signiicantly and I feel tension. Time lies. 2 or 3 hours pass from the beginning of the game. I don t realize that. I say to myself: Come on, come on, connect it already!. Unfortunately, people who start with tickets and slots, end up on poker and roulette, which are also at the bookmakers. Two dangerous games. I place my last lunch money on a few winning numbers. The ball spins like a carousel, and falls in the wrong place. I start to sweat, to panic, and I want more. I look around what to do. A friend comes up and smiles. What s up, bro? You lost, eh? Don t worry, I ll lend you the money, you don t have to pay me back until the New Year. No interest!. I take 100 Euros, I start again, and again. I feel guilty, what have I done! How will I pay it back? I calm myself, I ll do it again tomorrow and win the money back for sure. I come home, I can t look at my parents. I m annoyed by their talking. It s always the same: How was school? Study! Eat!. My head does not want that. I get nervous and panic. How will I pay it back? I lie on the bed, cover my head with a blanket and create a new strategy. Now I can t make a mistake. The morning comes, a new day and a new beginning. I think this is my lucky day, its March 8th. Eight is my lucky number. I miss the bus and go to the bookmakers with stealth. I look for my good friend to borrow another 50 Euros. I press the numbers and I lose, of course. The New Year has come. My debt is now over 2500 Euros, I can t even mention it to my folks. I contemplate suicide. The interest grows every day, and I have no money. My best friend brought me to the bottom. The loan shark keeps calling me, threatening me, he wants to kill me, if I don t pay him back by midnight. The clock is ticking, I don t know what to do. I cry! I tell myself I will never do this again, never again! Pamela Uzelac The small, everyday, at irst glance harmless rituals can turn our lives into a mess. So when choosing hobbies and habits, caution is necessary, because life is not a game. The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 23

24 NGO PROBLEMS ON THE PATH OF ROMA INTEGRATION The Association of Roma from Southern Banat, JUBAN, as a non-governmental organization, was founded in 2007, in Pančevo. From then on, it has worked on improving the social, economic, educational and overall position of the Roma. The association ights for the implementation of the rights of Roma guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia with different types of activities. It cooperates successfully with the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights, with which it has signed a memorandum on cooperation; the Roma Inclusion Ofice; the National Council of the Roma National Minority; the Roma Decade League and the Center for Advanced Education from Belgrade. Miroslav Jovanovic with representatives of the Roma population Two successful projects According to the president of the JUBAN association, Miroslav Jovanović, recently a meeting has been held aiming to summarize the previous work of the association. Apart from that, the topic of the meeting was planning future activities. Among the previous activities of the association, Jovanović points out two successful projects. The project Jovanović is especially proud of was Improving the position of young Roma men and women professional development: Within this project, twenty ive young people enrolled and inished courses for certain professions, after which they received certiied diplomas. However, the problem is that these diplomas are not accepted in the city of Pančevo, while in Šabac a similar project was carried out, and all of the participants had their requaliication inserted in their employment booklets. Another successful project is the Public works Cleaning and reining the shores of the Tamiš and Danube rivers project. The river Tamiš was cleaned and around three thousand pieces of plastic packaging was removed. In this way, the Roma have deied the prejudice that is held against them and proved that they can also successfully implement Public works. The project was implemented really well, which was conirmed by the mayor of the city of Pančevo, as well as the 24 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

25 director of the National Employment Service. Re-activation In the previous year, the JU- BAN association has not implemented any activities. According to the members of this association, they hope that by the end of the month they will solve all problems and continue with their activities. The president of the association has expressed the wish to form an expert team and announced that in the near future they will sign a cooperation agreement with the Roma Inclusion Ofice. Lack of organization a problem, education a necessity Miroslav Jovanović The cooperation of the association with the local self-government has been named as a good one by the members of the association. They point out that they are the only local self-government in Serbia which has provided textbooks for all Roma children who go to elementary school. This is the fourth year they NGO have successfully implemented the action of collecting textbooks for the youngest. They say that they believe that the local self- -government wants to help, but that the problem is their lack or organization. They also believe that the education of their members is a necessity, so that they can write their projects themselves and participate in domestic and international competitions. All members of the association share the hope that in the future, with the support of the City of Pančevo and the Roma Inclusion Ofice, a large number of Roma problems will be solved. Even though they face a lot of hard work and effort, the members and associates of this association do not waver in their ight to provide the Roma a life worthy of man. Pamela Uzelac Unemployment as the source of all problems staring in Father and Son Simić Radovan from Kačarevo is a member of this association: We have been members of the JUBAN association for several years. There are around 120 households and we are all unemployed. We mostly do seasonal jobs. We were also engaged in the Public works, with the help of our president, Miroslav Jovanović. The young people in our village, mostly, after inishing elementary school don t continue their education, they start to work, like us, Nikola Simić mostly seasonal work, due to the lack of funds. There are a lot of self-taught repairmen, masons and farmers. I graduated from the Mechanical Engineering High School, and after thirty years at Utva I got ired. My son graduated from the Secondary Chemical School, but he still can t ind a job. Nikola Simić, the son of Radovan Simić, still hopes to ind a job: Five years ago I graduated from the Chemical Lab Technician department. I am registered with the National Employment Service, but there are no jobs. I would like to have a job in my ield of work, but right now I would be glad to get any kind of job. I don t want to lose hope, I believe I will start to work somewhere soon. The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 25

26 Culture TEACHING CENTRE OF THE GRUBB FOUNDATION OPENED IN NOVI SAD The newly opened teaching centre of the GRUBB foundation (Gipsy Roma Urban Balkan Beats) in Novi Sad was promoted at the Trifun Dimić library in Šangaj. The GRUBB Foundation aims to educate young Roma through artistic and educational programs, in all three of its centers: Belgrade, Niš and now Novi Sad. The event was attended by Dragan Kojić, the director of the City Library in Novi Sad, Marina Žilić-Ilić, a writer and painter, Dobrila Karauli, the manager of the GRUBB foundation, as well as a large number of youngsters and young Roma. Preparing to perform The GRUBB foundation support and shelter The GRUBB foundation was established in 2006 in Great Britain. The founder and i- nancier of the foundation is Mrs. Caroline Roboh, from England. The oficial name of the GRUBB foundations comes from Gipsy Roma Urban Balkan Beats. It is an institution for Roma children, which enables them to become integrated into society through different types of art. It all started with small ordinary workshops, where Roma children came to rap. This was a place where they found shelter from the street. In time more and more children came and the Roma hip-hop group called GRUBB was created. The group currently has its own musical and is performing around the world, in Canada, America, France, England. Encouraging young talent According to manager Dobrila Karaulić, the goal of the foundation is based, irst of all, on all of these children i- nishing school, and inding a decent job after that, in order to become integrated into society more easily. Currently around 730 children have passed through all three centers. They pull each other into a life full 26 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

27 Culture We don t want the life we had, we want to change it, so it can be better for all the Roma, that they can inish faculties and schools! GRUBB Stories of happiness and joy, where they socialize, sing and dance. At the GRUBB teaching centers we truly and deeply believe that the demolition of boundaries between education, art, fun and work is the driving force of social integration. Talent comes from believing in what you do, said one of the users of our center, and today he is one of our music teachers. A performance of the hip hop section We are proud of our students and their achievements, and so we consider it extremely important to provide them with encouragement in showcasing their talent. The voice of a young person should be heard loud and clear, they are our future, stated Dobrila Karaulić. Tradition in a new outit The GRUBB group is a combination of urban, modern hip hop sounds and traditional Roma music. These young talented people without formal musical education create and write lyrics themselves. So far they have had large international success. Their numbers are engaged and they speak of the dificult position of the Roma, about culture and tradition. Apart from music and dance workshops, GRUBB has workshops which deal with encouraging young Roma to write and and engage in art photography. On this occasion the book of young authors called GRUBB Stories was presented. This is the irst in a series of books which have been written and illustrated by a group of young Roma aged between 13 and 23. Their inspiring and very emotional stories are the result of a yearlong creative writing program, based on the model of the renowned British organization, First Story. The book promotion was accompanied by an exhibit of photographs taken during the About town project by young Roma. And truly, this promotion was marked by the words from the invitation: The stories, photographs, music, dance and voices of young Roma, both individually and united, send a strong artistic, honest message to the observer, that the love they sellessly share is what makes life worth living, as do these types of events. Judging by the smiles of those present, this enrichment of spirit has made them happier. As it has made us. Pamela Uzelac The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 27

28 Culture 28 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

29 THE STORY OF AN OLD HORSE TRADER Roma crafts Production and trade were once ways to survive. At fairs one didn t just trade, one made friends and conversation. Socializing and conversing with others were once a greater pleasure, than is the case today. Fairs were places where great life stories, friendships, even loves came to be. In no other country was trade such a fun time, as it was in Serbia. A seventy-two-year-old horse trader from Ruski Krstur, Triva Novaković, remembers his famous trading days with a smile on his face. *How was your relationship with the trading craft born? - My family traditionally engaged in horse trading. When I was seven, my father kept horses. I didn t want to go to school. I was attracted to the horses and I only had eyes for them. My love for the horses was greater than anything else. My father had ive of us, but no one loved the horses as much as I did. Working with the horses demanded a lot of commitment and care. Even though I was young, I didn t mind. My father often went to fairs, and I went with him. We got up at night, around one or two. Under the moonlight, with no lights, with Three days of a fair, one horse, four owners We went to a fair in Šid and sold a horse to this man. The fair lasted for three days. After two days, that same man came up to me, to sell me that same horse. I laughed, but I couldn t tell him. In the three days of the fair, that horse exchanged four owners, and came back to me. You have to keep quiet in trading, in order to succeed. A gypsy would cheat a gypsy, it happened a million times. It would often come to blows, because of cheating. The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 29

30 Roma crafts four or ive carts, and two-three horses tied to the carriage, we went far away. The largest fairs then were in Šabac, Ruma, Šid, Sombor and Bačka Topola. We attended those with no regard to the weather conditions. While we traveled, we would ind ields full of mown clover. Even though it is against the law, even dangerous, we would take that clover, stuff it on the horses and leave. We had to make due. I remember even now how people shouted after us then: Our clover is gone, the gypsies took it!. *What did you do at the fairs? - We traded at fairs. There were different goods, crafts and cultures. You could ind everything in one place. I think back now, how beautiful the horses were. Horse meat was valuable, as it is today, nothing has changed. Italians and Frenchmen used to come to the fairs and buy horse meat for pig farms. They fed pigs with that meat. They would cook it in a cauldron, add some wheat and give it to the pigs. There used to be an old farm in our village too, whose owner bought horses from me. It doesn t exist today. When we sold our horses, we bought new ones, old and skinny ones, in order to feed them and sell them for a better price. I had a big ield, we held them there and fed them for two months until they reached the right weight. *How many horses did you own? - I couldn t tell you the exact number. Only God knows. I sold my last horse two years ago. I had two lovely race horses, I had to sell them too unfortunately. I now have my darling Cherry, who is my cure for everything, she s keeping me alive. I can t describe how much that mare loves and respects me. *How dificult was it to ind a buyer? - Horse drawn carriages used to be the main vehicles for transportation. There were no tractors, cars, motorcycles. We used to hitch a horse, put a wooden plough on and plough a ield. We would go to the woods, pile on a cube or two, and bring the wood home on a horse cart. There were no trucks in the military, only cavalry. We could sell horses easily, like cars today. Although, it was easier to buy a horse who didn t want to work and obey. We mostly bought such horses. 30 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina

31 Roma crafts Horse traders or matrapazi The Roma have been and remained good traders. They have a great convincing ability, which brought them success. Many people around the world have heard of the old horse traders. The horse traders are people who engage in breeding and trading horses. The Roma horse traders are so experienced in masking horses that they can disguise some animals (horses, mules or donkeys) and sell them to their former owners, without fearing they will be recognized. It is know that in Banat the horse traders skillfully organized thefts and trading of horses, from which they earned a lot. They would cut the manes and tails of horses or they would braid them, they would hit them with spurs, would harness them with sharp ties, and sometimes they would cook cheese, and stick it hot to the horse s back, forehead or elsewhere, and there the hair would fall off, and new, white hair would grow in it s place. In this way the Roma horse traders would turn a horse without markings into a horse with markings. They used to be present in almost all parts of the world. Today their number has shrunken signiicantly, they are almost extinct. The very word dzambas (horse trader) has more meanings. It has its roots in the Persian language, and its basic meaning is cattle farmer. Dzambas also denotes reckless people, and there is also a last name Dzambas, which is mostly present with orthodox Serbs. This name was for the irst time used for cattle farmers who freely walked the Ottoman Empire. *How did you make a good horse out of a bad one? - A bad horse usually didn t like his owner, he pushed him away and didn t want to obey. When I bought such a horse, I would make him work night and day with no food. Even though he is an animal, he would realize he can t live without me. I would give him food slowly, pet him and comb him, he would feel I meant no harm. Afterwards, I would scrape the horse s teeth with large emeries, to make them younger. I had a temperamental, live horse who wouldn t allow anyone near him. I didn t know what to do, and I remembered to take a liter of brandy before the fair, placed his head against a tree and tilted it until he drank all of it. The horse was calm then for the next 24 hours, and after that got back to his own ways. I would do the same with horses which had asthma. I lifted their head, poured a liter of oil, and the horse is as good as new. With horses that were too old, I would cut their mane, paint their hooves, tie them braids. I wouldn t sell horses like that for a lot of money, I would usually tell the buyer what the case was. Regarding that, I would like to tell you an interesting story. Back in 1964/65, our neighbor had a black horse, about twenty years old. Usually a horse can live from twenty to twenty ive years. I wondered what I could do with him, if I bought him. There was no hair color back then. There were only textile colors. So, I found some black coloring, I painted my horse from top to bottom, I hid the grey hairs and made him into a regular stallion. Of course, this was a great risk. A lot could happen, it the buyer found out. *Could you live off of horse trading once? - You could live very nicely. There was good money to be made. I don t know if you remember the old red bill with the horse s head. Well, for one horse, I got ive of those bills. You can imagine how nice life was then. *Do you have someone to inherit the horse trading trade? - Unfortunately, I don t. I have a son, but he loves cars, like I used to love horses. Young people are not so interested in this trade today. There are some, but very few. Recently, I saw a man in the neighboring village, he had four, ive horses, he loves them like I do. If I were younger I would keep the tradition going, but I am running out of strength. Pamela Uzelac The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 31

32 Roma crafts 32 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina