Roma women hold managerial positions in only four out of 142 institutions monitored at national level, while the employment rate of Roma women stands at 0.47%, said representatives of HERA-Association for Health Education and Research on Thursday during a presentation of the findings from the report of the state of play of Roma women in the labor market.
“Analysis produced disappointing results, low employment rate and poor representation of Roma people in top position. The Municipality of Shuto Orizari, home of the largest Roma population, employs in the local self-government 18 people of whom 8 are Roma, but none of them are in managerial position,” said Sibela Mamudvska from the group for equal employment opportunities.
The analysis, participants said at the presentation, aimed to monitor employment rate of Roma women in public institutions at national level.
The research proved the unemployment rate of Roma women at national level, standing at 49.7%.
“Of the 30 monitored employment centers only the ones in Gostivar and Negotino have a single Roma person on staff. We’ve also noticed alarming gender inequality in most of the monitored institutions, some of which have no Roma people on staff, such as the Health Ministry, the Ministry of Local Self Government, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, which points to serious lack of appropriate policies for eliminating inequality and discrimination,” Mamudovska stressed.
Presentation organizers called on improving employment rate of Roma women in 2021 in all institutions at national level and achieving gender equality.
“Employment of Roma women should be top priority in national policies regarding the Roma population. There’s need for effective measures to improve local policies and Roma employment measures and ensure dignified and sustainable employment. Therefore, we’ll increase cooperation with public institutions to influence the achievement of these priorities and improve participation of Roma women in the labor market by promoting already existing measures and policies,” she added.
The findings from the report of the state of play of Roma women in the labor market were presented at a conference on Thursday, organized as part of the project on providing equal employment opportunities for Roma women, financed by Swedish foundation “Kvinna Till Kvinna.”
