NRC in the last several days has been intensively visiting Roma settlements in the Eastern part of R. Macedonia. The visits were organized at noon and the evenings.

During these visits, Roma citizens were enabled to be informed about their rights during the course of the Census in RM. They were given informative materials with recognizable elements of Roma’s cultural riches and t-shirts with the slogan “We are Roma, Proud are we of who we are”.

The reception of NRC’s motivating team by the Roma population from the settlements was very open with a harmonic atmosphere for a real dialogue and exchange of information. Roma settlements in the following cities were visited: Radovis, Sveti Nikole, Stip, Vinica, Kocani, Delcevo, Crnik, Pehcevo, Berovo, Veles, Prilep, Kavadarci, Strumica (most of the Roma settlements, near Strumica).

We registered that the lives of Roma in these settlements has become even more difficult than before. Working possibilities are available only during summer season work. Poverty is still the largest reason for absence or exclusion of Roma children in school. The image of poverty is mostly general in these cities; however there are still specific problems in some cities. Larger percentage of the citizens is not acquainted with the state processes that refer to them. There are cases where they are acquainted with the processes, but are disappointed from the results.

NRC’s campaign is organized in the right time for encouragement and awareness of Roma about their declarations and elimination of the manipulations that have been made to Roma with past censuses. The information have been extended for a larger participation of Roma high school pupils to registers as censurers..

We expect an open acceptance of the censurers in Roma homes for a better future of the younger generations.

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