Praxis published the report Protecting Roma against Discrimination within the project “Contribution to Social Inclusion and Combat against Discrimination of Marginalized Population in Serbia” funded by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Decades-long social exclusion has been particularly enhanced by extreme poverty that affected a number of Roma as a result of armed conflicts.  Despite the fact that the legal framework in some areas is satisfactory and that the state has shown initiative to improve the situation of Roma through various inclusive measures, the awareness of the general public is such that the Roma are often perceived as second-rate citizens. A high level of intolerance, prejudice and stereotypes about Roma expressed by the majority population, the media, representatives of public authorities at national and local level, are constantly present. Therefore, Roma people mainly prefer to accept a life in isolation, struggling to secure a minimum of livelihood.

This report addresses the issue of discrimination in the exercise of social and economic rights. The experience in this field is based primarily on the strategic cases handled by Praxis since the adoption of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, and the report analyses these cases to present the current situation in practice, attitude of public authorities and recommended steps for improving the existing situation.

Download the report: Protecting Roma against Discrimination