Romi v Ljubljani - različnost perspektiv/Roma in Ljubljana – Diversity of Perspectives
The content reflects the views only of the author, and the e-RR project partner consortium cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.Country/partner countries
Slovenia
Project lead partner/organization and contact person (e-mail, links) project website
Mirovni inštitut, Ljubljana
Project coordinator: Dr. Majda Hrženjak
e-mail: majda.hrzenjak@guest.arnes.si
tel: +386 1 234 77 20
http://www.mirovni-institut.si/
Project information – start and end date (if available)
1. 1. 2007 - 31. 12. 2008
Summary (goals and purposes of the project)
The research study Roma in Ljubljana – Diversity of Perspectives is the first study on the Roma in the area of the City of Ljubljana (Mestna občina Ljubljana – MOL). Since the Roma residing in the MOL area are predominantly immigrant Roma, except for the Strojan family that has resided there since 2007, this study is also the first study on immigrant Roma in Slovenia. Relating to existing studies was therefore not possible, it was necessary to organize field work and acquire direct information from the immigrant Roma in Ljubljana by qualitative methods of focus groups, biographical narrations and semi-structured interviews.
The research included the Ljubljana Roma living in the settlements in Rakova Jelša, Koželjeva and Litijska road as well as those living in various scattered dwellings in Ljubljana. The research includes the Roma originating from various countries of origin (Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo), while in sampling the equal representation of gender, generations and immigration stage was taken into account. The purpose of the research was to re-direct the attention from the dominant professional and political discourse which folklorises the Roma and deals with them in the discourse framework of “social problem” towards the question how the Roma define their own situation in the city and what are their proposals for its improvement. The testimonies of the Ljubljana Roma show that the Roma in Ljubljana do not benefit from protection as a special ethnic community, and in addition to that, they are facing social exclusion as immigrants. On the one hand, they are facing typical problems of immigrants, such as: the regulation of personal legal statuses, the distrust of local population towards “foreigners from the Balkans”, especially the Roma, housing problems, discrimination at employment, exceptional difficulties with schooling of children due to the lack of language proficiency and due to the lack of the existence of support programmes which would enable a free language course for new immigrants.
Results of the project
The project identified the problems which the Roma minority in Ljubljana is facing, and gave recommendations for the improvement of their living situation. Interviews and conversations with male and female Roma members living in Ljubljana as well as with the representatives of Roma societies in Ljubljana have shown, that the key issues the Roma are facing are complex, interconnected and persist trough generations. The Roma see the following issues, among many others, as their basic problems in Ljubljana: the lack of inclusion in shaping, implementing and evaluation of politics and projects that may improve their living conditions, the lack of recognition by the Roma society of Slovenia, the lack of relevant information, or knowledge where to acquire it, the lack of public premises for the Roma minority members to meet, such as officess and many others.
Who will benefit from this project (target group)
The research included the Ljubljana Roma living in the settlements in Rakova Jelša, Koželjeva and Litijska road as well as those living in various scattered dwellings in Ljubljana. The research includes the Roma originating from various countries of origin (Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo), while in sampling the equal representation of gender, generations and immigration stage was taken into account.
Sources of funding
Mestna občina Ljubljana
Open Society Institute
Link
http://www.mirovni-institut.si/data/tinymce/Publikacije/Romi%20v%20Ljubljani/KON%C4%8CNO%20PORO%C4%8CILO1%20OBLIKOVANO.pdf