Greater inclusion to fight social exclusion
of vulnerable groups in the Balkans
BRUSSELS, 26 June 2006 - Balkan
countries aspiring to join the European Union must do more to help Roma,
refugees and internally displaced - but assistance must be integrative
and target the whole community, or risk isolating these impoverished and
marginalized groups further, says a new report from the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP).
[pdf* format - 3.6 MB], presents for the first time a wealth of survey data on the situation of Roma, refugees and IDPs in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH), Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia, including the UN-administered province of Kosovo. It offers a comprehensive and statistically rich picture of the problems vulnerable groups face in the region - and puts forward pragmatic, concrete policy advice on what governments, the international community and representatives of vulnerable groups themselves can do to break this vicious cycle of poverty and exclusion.
As the Balkan region looks to a more prosperous future after a decade riven by conflict, ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left behind is imperative to these countries' maintaining social cohesion and eventually joining the EU, said Kalman Mizsei, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Regional Director for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
"This report comes at a key moment, with Montenegro's recent emergence as an independent state, with the future status of Kosovo to be determined, with Bulgaria and Romania on the cusp of joining the EU," said Mr. Mizsei. "As the future of the Balkans is being decided we must take the opportunity to address the needs of the most vulnerable and eradicate these deep pockets of poverty which threaten the social cohesion of this fragile, post-conflict region."
Crucially, At Risk does not limit its analysis to the at-risk groups themselves - it also examines the socioeconomic status of 'majorities living in close proximity'. "Exclusion of society's vulnerable takes place at the local level, in the constant interaction with other groups. In order to foster inclusion it is vital that we understand these interactions," said Andrey Ivanov, lead author of the report. "What's more, the majority populations living side by side with Roma or displaced groups often face some of the same risks - examining the overall picture can outline the common challenges that need to be addressed."
The report therefore advocates 'group sensitive area-based approaches' - policies that take groups' specifics into account but address them in the context of local, territorially-defined frameworks. Such an approach offers the potential to integrate, and not segregate.
"The importance of inclusive policy interventions that target the specific needs of the at-risk group but emphasize an integrative approach is particularly evident in this region, where - tragically - group identity has so often been defined along ethnic lines and has helped to fuel conflict," said Mr. Mizsei.
Fulfilling the Decade promise
At Risk builds on the work of Avoiding the Dependency Trap, UNDP's groundbreaking 2002 report on the Roma in Central Europe, which offered a deeper, more complex view of the Roma by providing quantitative data that complemented the human rights paradigm with a development perspective.
Roma are a diverse people, with an estimated eight million living in Europe. But in all countries of the region they are among the most likely to live in absolute poverty, to receive less education, to be shut out of the job market, to suffer worse health.
In response the governments of Central and Southeast Europe launched in 2005 the Decade of Roma Inclusion to work toward eliminating discrimination and closing the unacceptable gaps between Roma and the rest of society. The area-based development focus espoused by At Risk offers a way to fulfil this pledge, said Mr. Mizsei.
"The Decade of Roma Inclusion has resulted in many important achievements on the level of policy and advocacy, but we have yet to see much in terms of practical implementation," said Mr Mizsei. "The recommendations contained in this report can spearhead efforts to translate these political commitments and good intentions into action."
UNDP hosted a conference with partner Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in November 2005 to explore measures for addressing the challenges facing Roma in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, which provided the basis for the recommendations in At Risk.
Towards a 'Decade of the Displaced'
In addition to Roma At Risk addresses the situation of the displaced - refugees and IDPs, a significant vulnerable group in the Balkans. The 1990s was one of the most tumultuous periods in the recent history of the region, with the collapse of the Yugoslav Federation followed by a decade of violence and ethnic strife, which in turn resulted in the displacement of millions.
Unlike Roma, displaced persons were not necessarily vulnerable before their displacement - most had property, homes, jobs. Displacement brings a double blow: in addition to becoming refugees or IDPs, the displaced lose their middle-class status and find themselves among the most excluded in society. At Risk argues that like the Roma, the displaced need priority attention, and underscores the importance of resolving their legal status to achieve real advances in poverty reduction and overcoming exclusion.
As humanitarian assistance for the displaced is being phased out but appropriately crafted development programmes have yet to come on line, the report advocates for the creation of a broader framework of international support to address the vulnerability of refugees and IDPs in the region. A 'Decade of the Displaced' could help mobilize governments to approach these issues in a systematic manner.
"A concerted, joint effort is required to address the needs of the displaced - although I believe that working together we can ensure that it will not take ten years to achieve this goal," said Mr. Mizsei.
To download the report, please visit: www.undp.org/europeandcis/vulnerability
For more information or interview requests, please contact Zoran Stevanovic, Regional Communications Specialist (zoran.stevanovic@undp.org + 421-2-59-337-428) or Denisa Papayova, Communications Associate (denisa.papayova@undp.org + 421-2-59-337-162).
UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. For more info on UNDP: http://www.undp.org