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Employment challenges of women from Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities

Employment challenges of women from Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities
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Salihe Gajtani-Osmankaq

Finding a job, for a Roma, Ashkali or Egyptian woman, is not easy, or, in other words, it is many times more difficult compared to a woman from any other community, considering that segregation is still present in societies. transitional, as is Kosovo.

The basic principles of the implementation of the Package for social justice towards the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities are equality, non-discrimination, equal treatment and opportunities, but unfortunately this still continues to lag in practice. The goals from this Package are still far from reaching the goal.


The figures tell us that the women of other communities are also faced with unemployment, although not like those of Roma, Ashali and Egyptian, where nearly 90 percent have never had a job. But, even in extremely small cases where they have been part of the labor market, they are faced with challenges such as informality (work without a contract), very low wages, etc. Employees from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities report being paid less, even if they perform better in their jobs. They also claim that they are not treated the same as other employees, just because of their ethnicity, especially when it comes to promotion.

Even in the Strategy for advancing the rights of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo, it is clearly stated that the employment situation for persons belonging to these communities is more difficult compared to other communities, while the workplaces in which they are engaged, are often temporary, mostly physical that do not require high skills and are not well paid. When this is added to the low involvement of communities in social welfare schemes and the insufficient use of social services, it turns out that alleviating poverty among the Roma and Ashkali communities presents itself as a very serious challenge. Unemployment and poverty are among the main factors that have multiple effects on the lives of Roma and Ashkali communities. Whereas, the consequences or effects arising from unemployment and poverty are reflected in almost all other areas of priorities, such as in education, health and housing, it is emphasized in the document published by subordinate institutions of the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo.

The underrepresentation in public institutions of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities is also seen as a factor in the inefficient implementation of the Law on Protection from Discrimination and the Law on Public Officials.

The labor law, which aims to regulate the rights and obligations from the labor relationship, determines that discrimination is prohibited in employment and profession, in relation to employment recruitment, training, employment promotion, employment conditions, disciplinary measures, the termination of the employment contract or other issues from the employment relationship regulated by this law and other laws in force.

Various reports state that employers, in the public and private sectors, do not publish their employment data, nor are they required to set diversity targets, and report on their progress on a regular basis. Until there is such a requirement in the law for all employers, the situation is not expected to change in favor of fulfilling the criteria for diversity in employment.

In the meantime, anti-gypsyism and prejudice against the non-majority communities, that is, the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians, will continue to prevent the employment of qualified personnel from this community, let alone those who are less educated.

From the measures taken by the government in 2023 to subsidize the long-term employment of Roma and Ashkali communities in the private sector by institutions, 23 people have been included in the active measure; salary subsidy, of them 5 Roma, 6 Ashkali and 12 Egyptians. The budget for the engagement of these 23 people for six months in salary subsidy was 23 thousand 460 euros.

Also, 10 people have benefited in the active measure; work experience, of which one is Roma, 5 Ashkali and 4 Egyptian. The budget for the engagement of these 10 people for (6) months in practical work is 10 euros.

During 2023, 104 people from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities were mediated in employment in public institutions. and it turns out that, on average, every eighth employee is a woman.

The employment of the communities living in the municipalities in the north of Kosovo, i.e. North Mitrovica, Zveçan, Leposaviq and Zubin-Potok, should be mentioned the scheme of measure 1.8 "Government for Families", which was first presented in July 2022, and for which was allocated 10 million euros. In February of this year, through this scheme, a special measure was launched to support employment for citizens in the four municipalities in the north. The subsidy was set at the level of 70 percent of the gross salary for the first six months up to the amount of 350 euros, and for 2 jobs.
Seven months from the beginning of the scheme, until August 30, 2024 of this year, the employment of 263 people has been mediated and supported in the four municipalities, while 428 vacancies have also been declared. The ethnicity of these employees is not defined in the reports drawn up by the institutions.

Family-friendly policies in the workplace are seen to remain a deeper challenge for the Egyptian Roma Ashkali community considering their involvement in employment, "More Choices" is a good opportunity.

Meanwhile, we, as members of the Women's Economic Forum, through this project aim to influence between advocacy and the creation of employment opportunities for women from these communities.

The author is the deputy director of the Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian Women's Network

The article is supported by the project: More Choices through Family-Friendly Policies implemented by the Riinvest Institute – Women's Economic Forum, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).