OSCE Invites Stakeholders to Discuss Increased Access of Roma and Sinti Children to Early Education

In March 2009, ISSA participated in a consultation meeting in Warsaw organized by the Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues of OSCE/ODIHR.  The aim of the meeting was to discuss and plan activities supported or co-organized with other stakeholders in order to realize the objectives of the MC Decision of 6/08  to promote the access of Roma and Sinti children to early education. The meeting included an overview of existing policies, initiatives and experiences, as well as lessons learned and good practices for ensuring equal access of Roma and Sinti children to early education. Methods for promoting early education as well as ways to reach out to Roma and Sinti communities, school authorities and the general public were closely examined, as well as steps for moving forward from pilot projects to systemic change.

The meeting was attended by small teams of representatives of education authorities from several participating States, such as Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden, experts in early education, representatives of international organizations and civil society organizations active in the area of education. ISSA was represented by Aija Tuna, Program Director.

Several important points were raised during the discussions, such as the need to raise awareness of both the general public and Roma on the importance of the early years and education in general; the ultimate need to increase involvement of Roma and Sinti communities in all activities concerning them and to increase their ownership of the sustainability of the initiatives and responsibility for the future of their children; the need to improve professional development of teachers, especially in the areas of multicultural and bilingual education; the need to reconsider and diversify forms of provisions for young children to make sure they are relevant and sensitive to the needs of the communities, etc.

The MC Decision was adopted in 2008 under the Finnish Chairmanship of the OSCE. Its follow-up is among the priorities of the current Greek OSCE Chairmanship for 2009. The decision is guided by the idea that there is a need to invest more in and prioritize a strategic area which has the potential to lead to a breakthrough in the situation of Roma and Sinti in the long run. Ensuring an equal and successful start in education for Roma and Sinti children by promoting access to early education is seen as a priority. The MC Decision tasks both the participating States and the ODIHR to increase their efforts and promote equal access of Roma and Sinti children to early education. Since this is closely connected to one of ISSA’s strategic goals – that of promoting access and equity of care and education for young children in the region - ISSA is happy to explore partnership opportunities with participants in this meeting and with other key actors.

The recently launched ODIHR Status Report on the Implementation of the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area points to the challenges of discrimination, marginalization and segregation which still prevail for Romani children when they enroll in local school systems. The ODIHR Status Report can be accessed at: http://www.osce.org/odihr/item_11_33130.html.

For more information on ISSA’s work with Roma and ISSA’s participation in this event, please contact Aija Tuna at atuna@issa.nl.