On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination aims to draw the attention of the public and responsible institutions to the situation in informal settlements where Roma people mostly live. This problem represents systemic, racial and ethnic discrimination and is the result of decades of neglect for the rights and needs of the poorest citizens living on the margins of our society.
Complaints to the Commission by the Roma community and Roma civil society organizations about unequal access to goods and services on the basis of ethnicity and race, which relate to the conditions in informal settlements, are becoming more frequent.
“The conditions in which Roma people live are very poor, often below the level of the proclaimed standards of adequate housing. These are long-term settlements with unclear ownership status, outside urban planning, which lack basic infrastructure, and the services of the state system are difficult to access. A large percentage of Roma do not have documents proving ownership of their dwelling. The largest number (95%) of them live in cities, but they are more concentrated in poorer areas (ghettos) or in suburban areas,” the Commission says.
It adds that these are poorly developed settlements with poorly built houses, without access to water, sewage, paved roads, electricity and other basic communal services available in the modern world. All of this contributes, as stated, to an unequal starting base and life opportunities compared to other citizens living in a developed neighborhood, settlement, district or city. As a result of poor housing conditions, a number of other social problems also arise, such as social exclusion, insufficient inclusion of children in education, difficulties in accessing work, health, social rights and other public services.
Poor housing conditions are both a matter of children's rights and a matter of gender equality. Women and children from these settlements face systemic discrimination that prevents equal opportunities and emancipation.
Despite the efforts made so far by the state, as well as domestic and international organizations, the housing situation of Roma in the RSM is still worrying.
The problems in Momin Potok, the Shtip Dispensary, and the Kocani Old Barracks are just some of the problems that have been ongoing for years and for which, unfortunately, there are only declarative commitments.
If housing is a universal human right that is recognized internationally in over a hundred national constitutions around the world, the essence of realizing the right is the humanistic realization that human life is more than just bare existence, that is, that it also implies adequate housing that meets certain standards. The right of every individual is a safe home and community, as part of the prerequisites for a peaceful and dignified life. Housing is a prerequisite for realizing all other rights.
Housing issues, apart from at the central level, are part of the competences of many institutions at the local level. According to the competences and responsibilities of the local self-government unit, the municipality is directly responsible for the local economic and urban development of the municipality.
Housing problems among the Roma community have also been identified in the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination through several complaints submitted by domestic and international organizations. Several opinions on established discrimination have been adopted by several municipalities and institutions, and one general recommendation has also been adopted.
The Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination, as an equality body, will continue to protect the rights of marginalized groups in accordance with the provided legal bases, including ethnicity and national origin, strongly encouraging citizens to demand respect and realization of their human rights.
Improving the situation in informal settlements requires serious engagement, investments and inter-institutional cooperation. We request that the competent institutions act in accordance with the recommendations of the Commission, to adopt and implement plans to improve the situation in informal settlements, primarily by providing basic conditions such as water, sewage, electricity, urbanization of the settlements, as well as programs for the social inclusion of people from these settlements.
Link - https://tocka.com.mk/vesti/502222/nasite-prava-nasata-idnina-tokmu-sega-10-dekemvri-megjunaroden-den-na-covekovite-prava
