Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?16Jun2014
OSCE supports a research on the perception of the Roma population on the security sector reform
BELGRADE,16 June 2014 – The study ‘Roma women and men and security sector reform’ that depicts the position of the Roma population in the context of the security sector reform was presented this week in Kragujevac, Belgrade and Nis.
The study addresses major security problems of the Roma community in Serbia and contains recommendations for policies and measures the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence should undertake to respond to specific security threats of the Roma population in Serbia.
The presentations were organised by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and its implementing partner Public Policy Research Centre.
“One of the most fundamental functions of the state is to provide security for its citizens. Security sector reform works towards making relevant institutions more accountable and civil society plays a vital role in this process. The study is addressing the security sector reform in Serbia from a very specific angle that is from the position of the Roma population and I do hope that it will be useful for policy makers”, said Governance Adviser of the Democratization Department of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Karin Wagner.
Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, Director of the Public Policy Research Centre emphasized that the ‘aim of the study was to contribute to improving security of Roma women and men in Serbia and to complement existing measures envisaged by the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for improving the situation of Roma’.
The presentations gathered approximately 50 participants, including representatives of the Ministry of Interior, local self-governments, civil society organisations and journalists.
Photo: Karin Wgner, Governance Adviser of the Democratization Department of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Press Conference in Media press centre, Belgrade, June 11, 2014.
The study "Roma Women and Men and the security reform in Serbia is available here.
Related article "Roma and Community Policing" is avalibale here.