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ROMA CENTRe
2000-2005
SOS HOTLINE FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE NIKŠIC
Our special gratitude goes to people who inspired us by taking care of others
and gave us strength to come to many good decisions!!!
First of all, we thank Indiri Kajošević and Sudee Marsh Jacquot
for their friendly cooperation,
helping us to bring our idea to life in January 2000.
We are particularly grateful to our dear partners from Kvinna till Kvinna with
whom we have been cooperating since March 2001: Lisa Mossberg, Hanna
Drvota, Krestina Ekstrom, Kristin Olson, Karin Grahn,
Anna Lidstrom and Christina Wassholm.
We also appreciate the contribution of 43 members and assistants who have
worked closely with the Centre throughout all these years.
43
Friends,
In your hands you hold a truly resourceful report writ-
ten with an ambition to serve as a guidebook to five-
year work and functioning of the Roma Centre. It tells
about our thoughts and ideas, circumstances, devel-
opments and activities originated from the demand
for social support and changes in the community. The
report thus represents readable and important mate-
rial which accumulated over the years. The decision
about how to represent the material was a hard one,
however, we have chosen this method which will,
hopefully, help achieve our goals in a practical way.
This publication presents the work of a group of
women and their viewpoints in written or spoken
form, recording the events as they occurred during
the last five years. The report can be regarded as an
attempt to leave the trace of changes that took place
in the society, as well as to give account of the role
and status of SOS Hotline Niksic, and, more specifi-
cally, Roma Centre.
As the results of our work became evident, first to
ourselves and beneficiaries of our services, and then
to other subjects in the community, we realized how
important it was to maintain them transparent. Our
desire is to define our work in the context of social
relations, always bearing in mind the responsibility
we feel towards Roma Center activists and towards
all those who supported the work of the Centre. We
hope this publication will grasp and convey, at least
in part, sense of solidarity and fellowship nurtured in
all these years of the Centre functioning.
This report would have never seen the light of day
if there had not been hard-working and supportive
people who contributed to the work of the Centre
with their enthusiasm and who deserve out special
gratefulness.
Above all, I want to express our gratitude to Kvinna till
Kvinna for having faith in our work. It has been much
appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Natasa Medjedovic,
Programme Coordinator
SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of
Violence Niksic
44
About Us
SOS Hotline for women and children, victims of violence
– Niksic is a local, independent, feminist-oriented, non-
governmental organization established in February,
1998. The organization is operating on north-east area
of Montenegro in Niksic which is second town in Mon-
tenegro in number of citizens. The local community is
very traditional and strictly observes patriarchate prin-
ciples.
Our vision is:
Society free of violence and discrimination.
In the accordance with our vision, we work actively on
the realization of our Mission of promoting and protect-
ing the rights of women and children, as well as resist
actively all forms of discrimination and violence. Our
organization is chiefly focused on the capacity building
of women enabling them to participate in all segments
of society development. In order to make equal par-
ticipation of women possible and sustainable, we must
achieve objectives which are strategically significant:
• elimination of violence over women and children
• creating of safe, friendly and supportive environ-
ment for women and children in which community pro-
tects, cares and is responsible for women and children
SOS Hotline has implemented more than 40 projects so
far and has contributed through its main activities to
achieving of equality and promotion of human rights
for women.
Through development and promoting of partnership
with local and municipal services, institutions, Govern-
ment, international organizations and through design-
ing of local strategies, we make conditions to response
more effectively to violence, discrimination and in-
equality. By targeting critical needs and problems such
are violence over women, access to elementary educa-
tion, basic health protection,… we help marginalized
groups of women (victims of violence, Roma women,
women from rural regions, refugees and displaced
women) to discover and use their own strength and
skills in order to demand jointly promotion and ap-
plication of mechanisms for supporting women on all
levels.
Contacts with SOS Hotline – Niksic can be established
via e-mails: sosnk@cg.yu and romacentar@cg.yu
or via telephone numbers:
+381 83 213 358 and + 381 213 086.
Our address is:
St. Vuk Karadzic 97, 81 400 Niksic, Montenegro
45
AD
Six years ago, back in the summer of 1999, the activists of SOS Hotline for Women and Children, Victims of Violence –
Niksic entered a whole new world – a world of poverty and isolation of needing Roma population. Despite the fact that
this world was to be found in the near vicinity of the town, it was the first time for some of us to walk into the house of
Roma and talked to the people who had, either, lived in this place for decades or fled their homes in Kosovo when the war
broke out.
Even today we recall the affection and warmth that welcomed us, happiness on the faces of children, kindness shown
by women and men on one hand, and, on the other, the intensity of emotions and impressions left by the images of des-
titution, summer heat, dust and choking atmosphere of the place. The visits we had paid then and the contacts we had
established with women and children, and everything we had seen and heard on that occasion consolidated into a base
for creating a future model for working with Roma women and children. Although young and without experience at the
time, we were led by the strong desire to communicate with a different kind of world. It seems today that we were driven
by an inexplicable impulse.
The emotions experienced and findings gathered directly from the houses of Roma people and their settlements were
built in the pilot undertaking – the Roma Centre project, which was embarked on in January 2000.
48
The agenda of the activites
IRC
Jan - Jun 2000:
“There are five Roma settlements located on the outskirts of the town. The cramped Gynaecological counselling
shacks in mud made of wooden and card boards and tin, similar in appearance and department, General Medi-
surrounded by waste dumps, accommodate 130 Roma families, who belong to local cal Practice department,
Paediatrician counselling de-
population or are displaced persons from Kosovo.” partment, Psychological guid-
ance department and Legal
Nada Koprivica, field officer counselling department.
Workshops for women:
School of democracy,
Women’s identities,
My body and myself,
Learn about your rights,
Customs, dogmas and I and
The truth I shall convey
The lie I will not say.
Workshops for children:
Green peace
Dreamshop
The alphabet of children’s
rights
March 2000:
Party on March 8 for Roma
women.
CIDA,
Jul 2000-Feb 2001:
Gynaecological counselling
department, General Medi-
cal Practice department,
Paediatrician counselling
department, Psychological
guidance department and
he opening of the Roma Centre gave Roma women and children for Legal counselling department.
the first time alternative location where they were provided with Workshops for women:
possibility to learn and gain new skills, discuss their problems in a I am a woman,
friendly atmosphere and receive help and support. My life story,
Expressing understanding and solidarity, IRC supported the work of Tailoring and sewing,
Women’s Clew (knitting,
the Centre in the first, the most important six months of 2000. Those six months embroidery and crocheting),
proved we were on the right path as our concern and fear disappeared and we and Women’s eco-related
knew that both we and our partners had reached the right decision. creativity.
Ninety Roma women and around 60 children, brought together from both lo- Workshops for children:
cal population and groups of the displaced, filled up the premises of a rented Music workshop,
house on a daily basis. The house was situated outside the Roma settlements Dance workshop,
and deliberately chosen as such to give response to the social isolation and Play leads to knowledge
seclusion of Roma women. Green peace.
49
“In July of the same
year we got as one of
our most important
associates the agency
The first organized programmes CIDA”
in the Centre were:
The agenda of the activites
OSIM • Medical counselling department specialized in gynaecological problems,
Podgorica matters of general practice and paediatrics
Jul / Dec 2000: • Psychological guidance department
Info Centre. • Legal counselling department
August 2000: • 11 series of educational workshops for women and five series for children
The visit of the representa-
tives
of “Women’s Commission”: After having very positive experiences in the first six months, SOS Hotline
Indira Kajosevic, Niksic, started to cope with even greater challenges. The continuing growth
Mary Diaz, Suzan and Mary of the number of beneficiaries, Roma women and children, demanded new
Anne. activities, new partners and allies. In July of the same year we got as one of our
UNICEF most important associates, the agency CIDA, whose representatives reached
Aug 2000 /Aug 2001: a hand of partnership and helped us make our pilot project become a stable
Remedial classes: and sustainable idea.
Serbian language, Math-
ematics, Biology and Science
Pre-school preparation
For children aged 6 to 8,
Basic education for girls.
November, 2000:
Seminar: «Educational Needs
of Roma children»
December 2000:
Performance: “Roma children
entertain you”,
Distribution of New Year’s
presents for children. The appallingly low percentage of only 8% of Roma children who were made
CARE International part of primary formal education in 2000 compelled us to approach with all se-
Dec 2000/Jun 2001: riousness the problem of education of Roma children, especially Roma girls. In
The luncheon programme for
children in the Roma Centre, August, 2000, in the association with UNICEF, we raised the question of Roma
Kindergarten programme for children’s right to primary education for the first time. Our next move was to
Children aged 3 to 5, design the programme “Informal education/Remedial Classes for Roma Chil-
Transportation of children. dren”, intending to alleviate the approach to primary education for the chil-
dren and to develop others supportive programmes.
50
Meanwhile, it was most natural that the positive rumours spread about the successful local initiative in Niksic,
attracting the attention of our future partners which would be found among both local and international orga-
nizations.
One of the cooperators in 2000 was the Foundation Open Society Institute of Montenegro that supported our
programme “Info Centre” planned to motivate the local community for solving of numerous problems of Roma
population.
In December 2000, under the patronage of Care International, we
managed to procure luncheons and transportation for the children
in the Centre.
The Centre was open all seven days of week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and
it successfully functioned owing to the engagement of 25 women.
51
“Roma children entertain you” was the first New Year performance in Niksic
to be given in public on December 29, 2000 (“Mileva Lajovic Lalatovic” primary school)
52
The agenda of the activites
The Roma Centre walked into the New Year, 2001, with 157 women and 160 children
January 2001: who belonged to local population or were displaced persons. The activities of the Centre
Listing of Roma families in
Niksic. continued to develop and modify.
Kvinna till Kvinna,
March/Dec 2001:
Gynaecological counselling Despite having taken some important actions and having worked on develop-
department, General Medi-
cal Practice department, ing the programmes, along with establishing some essential relationships and
Legal counselling department. contacts, 2001 was the year of the equal dynamics of developing for Roma Cen-
Educational workshops: tre. We were about to confront new challenges and achieve significant goals.
I am a woman, During the previous year we had learned a lot and we tried to apply the learned
Women’s eco-related creativity, to the projects and tasks in the year ahead.
Women’s Clew and The year 2001 was especially marked by the initiation of cooperating with the
Tailoring and Sewing. Swedish foundation for women, Kvinna till Kvinna.
March 2001: In March 2001 we knew we had become stronger and more capable of sup-
Party on March 8 for Roma porting and encouraging Roma women who had been overwrought by poverty,
women. having to flee their homes, discrimination and abuse. And we built a bridge to
OSIM
Podgorica bring together women from one of the most developed European countries and
Apr 2001/ Jan 2002: women of Roma nationality who belong to the poorest women in the world.
Info Centre The Roma Centre became an example of women’s solidarity and unity regard-
OSIM less cultural and economic differences. Working with Kvinna till Kvinna we drew
Podgorica up a programme targeting Roma women whose objective was to improve their
Apr 2001/ Feb 2002: way of living in Niksic and make their integration into the community easier.
Remedial classes:
English language, Geogra-
phy, History, Biology,
Chemistry.
May 2001,
I seminar : “Being members of Roma ethnic group, Roma
“Inclusion of Roma Children women, who are deprived of any right, suffer dou-
in the Educational System”; ble discrimination – on the national and gender
September 2001. basis. They are illiterate, unaware of the impor-
II seminar: tance of taking care of their own health and do not
“Inclusion of Roma Children have access to information. They spend life con-
in the Educational System”;
May – Sep 2001: fined within the house, giving birth to children and
Campaign of Enrolling of serving a family which functions by the extremely
Roma children in primary patriarchal customs and values that give male
schools. family members unlimited power. Roma women
Jul 2001: are married off in puberty, as early as 15 years of
One-day outing to the age, upon which they assume the roles of mother
seaside for young Roma and housewife. The parents choose the future hus-
women. band, negotiate conditions of the marriage and
September 2001: the amount of money they will receive for their
Appeal to stop discrimination
against 10 Roma students of daughter….” Annual report 2001
primary school
“Mileva Lajovic Lalatovic” Niksic.
54
“Info Centre” continued working in 2001. The activists on duty talked to 180 Roma women in a period of a
year and a half, which makes 95% of the total female Roma population in Niksic. Supported by the Foundation
Open Society Institute - Montenegro
The implementation of the project “Informal education/Remedial classes for Roma children” increased the num-
ber of the children who entered primary schools by four times comparing to the previous year (see the chart).
80
70
60
50
40
30
20 The agenda of the activites
10
UNICEF
0 Sep 2001/Jan 2002:
Remedial classes:
Serbian language, Mathe-
The implementation of the project activities required engagement of the matics, Biology and Science,
school personnel and thus initiated for the first time one of the models of the Pre-school preparation for
co-operation between governmental and non-governmental sector. This was children aged 6 to 7,
the first attempt to actualize cooperation among various sectors in solving the Basic education for girls.
problems of Roma children. Nov 2001 /Feb 2002:
Campaign of Vaccination
of Roma children
OSIM
Podgorica
The implementation of the project “May I answer, teacher?” began in April Nov 2001/March 2002:
2001. This project provided help to Roma children attending high grades of “Research on Growth and
primary schools (from fifth to eighth) in mastering the subjects. Development
of Roma Children in Niksic”.
The Roma Centre organized seminars and initiated the first public discussions OSIM
on the topic “Inclusion of Roma Children in the Education System”. SOS Hotline Podgorica
Niksic was the first to introduce convening of the relevant subjects of the local Dec 2001/Feb 2002:
community with the purpose to work on solving the problems of discrimina- Preparation and printing:
Annual report on the work
tion and education of Roma children. We worked on sustaining the feeling of of Roma Centre in 2001
social care and responsibility for outrageously large number of children who December 2001:
were not included in the formal educational system. The lecturers were Ph.D. Distribution of New Year’s
Bozidar Jaksic from the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory and Ph.D. presents for children.
Sulejman Hrnjica who taught at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade.
55
In April 2001, we began the Campaign for the Enrolment of Every Roma Child in primary schools. In the period
from May 1 until the end of September, we managed to enrol 34 Roma children in the “Mileva Lajovic Lala-
tovic” primary school for the school year 2001/02 which is five times more comparing to four last years. This
demanded for the intensive field work in the Roma settlements, making pressures on the state institutions
and continuing contacts with international and local organizations.
35
30
’97/’98
25
’98/’99
20
’99/’00
15
’00/’01
10
’01/’02
5
0
In November 2001, the Roma Centre started implementing the project “Research on Growth and Develop-
ment Standards of Roma Children in Niksic”.
The first campaign of the vaccination of Roma children up to 10 years of age who had not been inoculated
before. This campaign included 63 children.
Monitoring the first days of the newly enrolled 34 children in the first grade of the “Mileva Lajovic Lalatovic”
primary school, we unexpectedly came to know that 20 of them had not been vaccinated before. This, how-
ever, was only the beginning as we discovered after investigating on the field that 70% of Roma children had
never been vaccinated. SOS Hotline Niksic reacted urgently to this state of affairs, initiating the vaccination of
children which was carried out by the Health Centre personnel in the premises of Roma Centre.
56
57
In 2001, the Centre
activists made a
census of Roma
population, going
from door to door.
58
The agenda of the activites
Kvinna till Kvinna Upholding firmly the objectives of our Mission, we continued our special work with
Jan/Dec 2002: Roma women and children. Despite the accompanying problems, we knew that only
Gynaecological counselling persistency and work can breathe life to hopes and realize ideas we shared with our
department, beneficiaries. SOS Hotline Niksic entered 2002 as the organization which attracted
Legal counselling department, the earnest attention of the public in Montenegro through the activities of the Roma
Tailoring and Sewing, Centre.
Women’s Clew The activities and projects commenced in 2001 continued to be implemented suc-
I am a woman, cessfully in 2002.
Self-help groups.
March 2002:
8 March party. With the financial support of Kvinna till Kvinna foundation, the Centre for
CIDA Roma women, which was designed to support the integration of Roma wom-
Feb 2002/Feb 2003: en into the community, continued to work in 2002, concentrating 93 women.
General Medical Practice Roma women resumed improving their skills and polishing their talents.
department,
Paediatrician counselling Discouraging findings about 60% of Roma women delivering children at
department, homes, which was the fact we found out at the very beginning of our work,
Psychological guidance depart- made us realize that this problem could be fought only by the tireless and
ment. persistent work of gynaecologists and the Centre activists. This kind of work
Workshops for women: yielded results and three years later the number of home deliveries was de-
Customs, dogmas and I,
Women’s eco-related creativity. creased to unbelievable 2,7%. In the year 2002, the first PAP tests were done
Programmes for children: by 11 Roma women as a new type of a health control for them.
Green peace, Dreamshop,
Entertaining activities Beside the professional counselling departments, educational and creative
for children aged 3 to5 workshops, we started the pilot programme of multiethnic character in 2002,
and transportation for children. called the Self- supporting Groups The programme was attended by girls and
UNICEF women of different ethnic background (Montenegrin, Muslim, Serbian, Roma
Feb /Aug 2002: and Egyptian), but with similar experiences and age.
Remedial classes:
Serbian language, Mathemat-
ics, Biology and Science,
Preparation for enrolling
in primary schools,
Basic education of Roma
women and workshops on
children’s rights:
for Roma teenagers and
young married couples.
60
From February to December, women and children visiting Roma Centre con-
tinued to use services of three medical counselling departments: paediatrics,
general practice and psychological guidance department. In this way we were
providing health care and prevention for three years in a row for a large num-
ber of members of Roma community in Niksic. This project also included orga- The agenda of the activites
nization of the creative workshop for women and children, transportation for May / Sep 2002:
all under seven-year-old Roma children who attended certain programmes in Campaign of enrolling chil-
the Centre. The project was funded by the Canadian Embassy (CIDA). dren in primary schools.
May 2002.:
The visit to NGO “A Place
for Women” in Nis.
June – September 2002:
Campaign of Vaccination
of Roma children.
FOSI
Podgorica,
Sep 2002/Jan 2003:
Remedial classes:
Mathematics, Serbian language,
Biology and Science,
Preschool preparation pro-
gramme for children aged 6 to 7.
September 2002:
One-day outing to the sea-
side for children who attend
Roma Centre continued the successful cooperation with UNICEF through the proj- the Roma Centre’s pro-
ect “Informal education/Remedial classes for Roma Children”. grammes.
Seventy-one children who attended the primary school or the courses at the La- December 2002:
bour University also attended the remedial courses of the school subjects which Distribution of New Year’s
were organized in the Roma Centre. presents for children younger
than 7 who attend kin-
Twenty-seven children went through the programme of preparation process for dergarten and preschool
enrolling in the first grade in the school year of 2002/03. The experiences gainedactivities.
through the work of the Roma Centre showed that Roma children expressed amaz-
ing persistency and will to learn in the friendly and supportive environment. Seventeen Roma girls learned to
read and write through the Programme of Elementary Education of Girls.
In 2002 we initiated the process of inciting members of Roma community to active participation in solving the
problems. The workshops for learning about rights of children were attended by 21 teenagers and eight young
married couples.
The project was funded by UNICEF and, later, by the Foundation Open Society Institute – Montenegro.
The project “May I answer, teacher?” included the organization of the programmes of remedial classes for Biol-
ogy, Chemistry, History and English language for 11 children who attended high grades of primary schools in
Niksic. These children completed the grades with positive marks.
61
In August 2002, SOS Hotline Niksic organized
one-day outing to the seaside in Ulcinj for 105
Roma children older than seven years of age who
attended the programmes in Roma Centre, the
most of whom had never seen the sea before.
The second Campaign for Enrolling of Roma Children in the Primary Schools in the school year 2002/03 began
Twenty-eight children were enrolled in the “Mileva Lajovic Lalatovic” primary school. The Centre volunteers
interviewed parents, gathered required documentation, provided health certificates, took children for the
testing, accompanying them to school and back to the settlements during September.
“Research on Growth and Development Standards of Roma Children in Niksic” that had been initiated in No-
vember of the previous year, was completed on the last day of March in 2002. During these months we compared
our results obtained in the field with the International Standards for Growth and Developing of Children, Standards
for major population in Montenegro and results obtained for the control group comprising the children of the
major population in Niksic.
The research which based on the measuring of the body height and weight as the most accurate indicators of the
health conditions of the population showed that almost one third of Roma children in Niksic suffered from malnu-
trition which is the undeniable consequence of extremely harsh living conditions of Roma families. This data was
an appeal to all relevant social subjects to wake up from lethargy and take direct actions towards solving number
of problems that Roma community copes with.
Аnother vaccination treatment was organized in
the period from June to September in the cooper-
ation with Health Centre – Dispensary for children
in Niksic. Forty-one children from newly born to
the age of five were vaccinated with compulsory
DTP vaccine (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis).
62
All of us involved in the realization of the Roma Centre were aware that the
social integration of Roma women was making a slow progress.
The agenda of the activites It is true that since long time ago we were not the only organization which spoke
up for positive social changes. In 2002 there were other NGOs with the same
Kvinna till Kvinna, views known for their advocacy of children’s rights, and rights of Roma chil-
Jan /Dec 2003: dren as well. Non-governmental organizations with Roma membership were
Gynaecological counselling also being organized, but the members were largely male. If there happened
department, to be a woman working in a Roma NGO, the division of tasks was strictly tradi-
Legal counselling depart- tional. The men were leaders and they had access to information and training
ment, opportunities. The social status of Roma women remained unchanged.
Tailoring and Sewing,
Women’s Clew,
Natural Hygiene and
Step by Step.
UNICEF
Feb/Jul 2003:
Serbian language, Our main focus in 2003 was
Mathematics, placed on the developing of
Biology and Science, the potentials of Roma wom-
Kindergarten en Niksic. We spent many
for children aged 3 to 5 hours talking to them in or-
and Preschool activities der to develop initiatives they
for children aged 6 to 7. had suggested as something
March 2003.: they would benefit from. We
were convinced that the con-
Roma Centre visited by ditions were right to intro-
the members of NGO “A duce one of the possible ac-
Place for Women”. tions towards the promotion
April – June 2003: of the Roma women’s rights
Campaign of vaccination and it was the increasing of
of Roma children. their participation in the pro-
May 2003: cess of making changes.
Trip to Ostrog Monastery Owing to donations of
for Roma women. Kvinna till Kvinna, we man-
May – September 2003: aged to implement training
programme “Step by Step”.
Campaign for enrolling of This project provided willing,
Roma children enthusiastic and talented
in primary schools. young Roma women with
November 2003: gaining information and
The attendees of “Step by skills referring to NGO sector.
Step” programme visited This was the beginning of
women NGOs in Belgrade. forming small basis of wom-
December 2003: en who would be the future
Distribution of New Year’s ambassadors of changes
presents. within families and society.
64
“Women’s Clew” is the programme who brought together new women members in this year as well and provided
them with the opportunity to engage in handiwork and socialize in the relaxed atmosphere. Handicrafts such are
knitting, embroidery, tailoring and sewing made possible for women to develop their talents, interact with other
attendees and help supporting of their families. After analysing results for the previous three years, we came to
conclusion that over 150 Roma women gained skills of sewing, knitting and embroidering.
250
200
Total number
of Roma women in Niksic
150
Mastered skills of sewing, knit-
100 ting and embroidering in Roma
Centre
50
0
The legal counselling department gave significant contribution to the promotion of the Roma population status
in Niksic over the previous four year by assisting its members to gain entitlement to the various rights, e.g.
right to obtain citizenship and identification documents and right to vote. One of the indicators of its success-
ful operating was the fact that over 98% of Roma people in Niksic had owned personal documentation by the
end of 2003. In the same time, that percentage was less than 30% in Montenegro as a whole.
100
80 99% of Roma people
in Niksic own ID card
60
25% of Roma
40 people in Montengro
own ID card
20
0
The gynaecological counselling department also continued with providing its services. In four years about 60%
of Roma women increased their knowledge about reproductive health and importance of medical preven-
tive and control checks.
65
One of the most popular programmes in the Roma Centre “Natural Hygiene” began in 2003 whose attendees were
members of the various nationalities.
“I am thrilled with this programme. I have always loved using different creams and lotions and now…can you
imagine….I even know how to make some of them. This has been really an excellent and useful idea and I am
to keep coming along with my friends.”
Sladjana, 25, a refugee from Mostar
“I love to come. It is useful and I don’t need to buy Pavlovic cream anymore for my kids. I thank Branka for teach-
ing us. I can make face masks and creams at my home…in fact, I can make everything I need.”
Fekrije, 25, from Niksic
66
The attendees of the pro-
gramme were trained to
prepare natural products
for face and body treat-
ment by the pharmacolo-
gist we engaged. The spe-
ciality of this programme
was gathering for work-
shops in the mountains.
In the summertime, we
would organize one-day
outings to the nearby hills
or mountains. There wom-
en collected medical herbs
while later in the Centre
they learned how to dry
and preserve them.
67
“Informal Education/Remedial classes for Roma Children” continued with realization in the Roma Centre in the first
six months of 2003.
The kindergarten and preschool programmes for the children age from six to seven and remedial classes pro-
gramme for the subjects of Serbian, Mathematics, Biology and Science were attended by 118 children, age from
three to 15, along with 13 girls who attended the classes of writing and reading.
The intensive, daily-based, three-year work with the preschool children and the help provided to children with
studying of considerable school material contributed to the significant progress made by the children who were
enrolled in the “Mileva Lajovic Lalatovic” primary school.
Number of children
Number of children % of children who
School year who continued
enrolled continued education
education
1997/98 1 0 0
1998/99 5 1 20
1999/00 7 0 0
2000/01 10 4 40
2001/02 34 13 38,2
2002/03 28 10 35,7
2003/04 22 11 50
The Campaign of Enrolment of Roma Children in the school year 2003/04
encompassed 27 children, 22 of whom began attending the first grade
classes of “Mileva Lajovic Lalatovic” primary school.
The Campaign of Vaccination of Roma Children encompassed 14 infants born in the
period from 1 April 2002 to March 31 2003 who had not been previously vaccinated
and 29 children who had not been regularly vaccinated in the previous years.
68
The agenda of the activites
2004 was the year when our “project vision”, which had guided us through all
Kvinna till Kvinna,
Jan/Dec 2004: previous years, started taking definite form. We believed this vision could be re-
Gynaecological alized in the year ahead as well and we had every right to do so as the Centre
counselling department, lived up to the expectation. After implementing the programme “Step by Step”
Legal counselling department, for a year and eight months, the Roma Centre established the first Roma NGO
Natural Hygiene, consisting of female members, which was probably its most important accom-
Women’s Creativity and plishment. The Centre for Roma initiatives confirmed aspiration of Roma wom-
Step by Step. en to stop being falsely considered as hopeless and submissive human beings.
FOSI Podgorica Having founded the Centre for Roma Initiatives, the attendees of the training
March /May 2004: “Step by Step” proved their wish and capability to change their lifestyles. The
“Brief school on Gender foundation of CRI initiated a process that we had been planning for a long time
Equality for Roma women” and a goal we had tirelessly strived to achieve, making exactly step by step. This
Topics: accomplishment gave a new direction and a new dimension to our project strat-
History of women’s movement egy. The Roma Centre was given, as some like to call it, “a sister organization”.
in world and in our country, Our most important concern and responsibility was assisting its members to re-
Meaning of sex and gender,
Discrimination and gender
spond to various opportunities, challenges and threats around them. We were
equality, Techniques of domi- to help them build their capacities, but neutralize their weaknesses. This was
nation, Women’s leadership, difficult, yet inspiring task.
Public appearance, Women After the completion of the programmes “Tailoring and Sewing” and “Women’s
and violence, Women and Clew” which helped 74% of Roma women and girls to master the technique of
education. these handicrafts, we organized the course which joined them all and called it
FOSI & UNICEF “Women’s Creativity”. The monitoring of the course that merged all women’s
March /Dec 2004: handicrafts was taken over in 2004 by a Roma woman who was previously trained
Kindergarten for children
aged 3 to 5 and
for this type of work. This specific instance was the beginning of the actual appli-
Preschool classes cation of our long-term strategy with the purpose to present opportunities and
for children aged 6 to 8. transfer responsibility to now empowered Roma women.
Remedial classes:
Serbian language, The programme “Natural Hygiene” still drew the attention of women and girls,
Mathematics, therefore we decided not to change its creative, entertaining and economically
Biology and Science and advantageous character of a multiethnic workshop. This programme was regu-
Workshops on children’s larly attended by 13 women.
rights.
May – September 2004: In conclusion, let us mention that the Roma Centre programmes for Roma wom-
Campaign for enrolling en providing individual counselling in the area of reproductive health and legal
of Roma children protection were continued under the patronage of our donors Kvinna till Kvinna.
in primary schools.
3 September 2004:
Centre for Roma Initiatives
and Roma Women NGO
established in Niksic.
September – December 2004:
Campaign of Vaccination
of Roma children.
December 2004:
Distribution of New Year’s
presents for children.
70
“The Roma Centre’s activists have always supported me in everything. They have been my teachers, instructing
me all the time. I have attended many seminars and visited many NGO-s in Serbia and Montenegro with them.
This experience taught me a lot. I became aware of my rights and now I feel able to bring my own decisions.
Women from the Roma Centre has always been good to Roma people, they always gave a helping hand when
I needed it. My life would have taken completely different direction if there hadn’t been Roma Centre. My par-
ents would have forced me to get married, I would have been poor with many children to raise, and I wouldn’t
have known anything about my rights. I have a job now and I earn my living. I am the only 27-year-old Roma
girls in Niksic who haven’t been forced to marry.”
Husnija Hajrusi, Roma Assistant to the Roma Centre since 2000, now active member of the Centre for
Roma Initiatives
“My life has changed owing to the Roma Centre. It was only when I started coming to the Roma Centre when
I realized how much worth I am. My first employment in the Roma Centre was that of a housewife. After com-
pleting several trainings, I got another job as a workshop assistant and my life changed considerably. I became
more independent, more proud and sure of myself. My rights gradually became equal as of anyone else in the
family. I lead different kind of life from other girls in my community. We even founded the first Roma women
organization which makes me happy and strong. In fact, I feel stronger with every day that passes by…”
Fana Delija, the facilitator of the workshop “Women’s Creativity” in the Roma Centre and Centre for
Roma Initiatives’ coordinator
71
“Brief School on Gender Equality for female Roma activists in Montenegro”
Eleven young Roma women from Niksic, Herceg Novi and Berane attended five-day, intensive course on human
rights of women, gender and sex concepts, discrimination and gender equality.
The lecturers were Ljubinka Kovacevic from NGO Anima in Kotor, Natasa Medjedovic and Mara Tadic from SOS Ho-
tline in Niksic. The realization of the brief school was funded by the Foundation Open Society Institute.
In March 2004, the Roma Centre as part of SOS Hotline Niksic, became one of the implementing partners of
the project “Roma Educational Initiative (REI)” in Niksic. This initiative had multidisciplinary character and it
was realized by the joint forces of governmental and non-governmental sector.
Campaign of the Enrolment of Roma Children in Primary
Schools for the school year 2004/05 encompassed 27 children
Campaign of Vaccination encompassed 49 Roma children
72
How informed are Roma women
in Niksic about the Roma Centre?
The significance of the Roma Centre for Roma women in Niksic is illustrated by a number of data obtained
by the evaluative research that was carried out in the Roma settlements at the end of 2004. The research
based on the random sample included 77 Roma women who gave following responses in the question-
naire:
Question Yes % No %
Have you heard for the Roma Centre? 77 100 0 0
Do you know its location? 76 98,7 1 1,3
Do you know when it was founded? 41 53,2 36 46,8
Have you ever attended any of the Roma Centre 69 89,6 8 10,4
programmes?
Has any of your family members attended any of the 75 97,4 2 2,6
Roma Centre programmes?
The chart shows that every Roma woman heard about the Roma Centre,
while 90% of them were recipients of the Centre services in the last five
years. In as many as 97,4% cases, the Centre services were used by some
of the family members (children, mothers, sisters, mothers-in-law and sis-
ters-in-law). Despite being illiterate, almost 54% of Roma women knew the
exact year of establishing of the Roma Centre. More than 86% of Roma girls
and women from Niksic pointed out socializing and opportunity to learn
something new as the most important reasons for attending the Centre
programmes which leads to an easy conclusion that the Roma Centre in
Niksic is, above all, a place where Roma women feel safe.
73
The agenda of the activites
Kvinna till Kvinna
Jan/Dec 2005:
Legal counselling department
Gynaecological counselling
The review of the most important results
department,
Women’s Creativity and Step
achieved in the roma centre
by Step.
Brochure: Collection of
from 2000 to 2005
Women’s Knowledge
about Medical Herbs and
General Report on the Roma
Centre work
May – July 2005:
Campaign of vaccination of
Roma children.
May – September 2005:
Campaign for enrolling of
Roma children
in primary schools.
FOSI & UNICEF
Jan/Jun 2005:
Programme for children aged
3 to 5,
Preschool preparation for
children aged 6 to 7 and
Workshops on children’s
rights.
UNICEF
Nov 2005/Jan 2006:
“Research on the Inclusion of
Roma Children
in the Primary Education” in
Podgorica, Berane, Rozaje
and Niksic.
“Inclusion of Roma children Having completed the five-year work with Roma women and children, we
and the role of mothers.” entered 2005, the year of writing this report. Counselling departments, cam-
Kindergarten for children paigns, workshops for women, kindergartens, classes and trainings became the
aged 3 to 5 and Preschool basic activities of the Roma Centre and we continued implementing them in a
classes for children. safe and friendly atmosphere. We believe all these activities will be analyzed in
Remedial classes:
Serbian language, more details in one of the future reports.
Mathematics, However, the sixth year of implementation of a growing and developing project
Biology and Science. is the excellent opportunity to exhibit and compare figures, data and other suc-
December 2005. cess indicators, as figures sometimes can tell more than words.
Distribution of New Year’s The following part of the report contains comparative statistics for the period
presents for children. 2000 – 2005.
76
Figures and results of the Roma Centre programmes for women
1. The percentage of Roma women in Niksic who continuously attended
the programmes of the Roma Centre
Total number of Roma Number of Roma % of Roma women
Year women in Niksic women in RC in RC
2000 189 157 83
2001 189 102 54
2002 205 139 68
2003 205 98 48
2004 231 117 51
2005 202 103 51
250
200
150
100
50
0
As seen in the chart and diagrams, the Roma Centre gathered every year at least a half of Roma women abid-
ing in Niksic. This fully reliable data tells about great effort put in continual and careful designating and imple-
menting of the programmes with the purpose to meet the real needs and interest of Roma women in Niksic.
77
2. Legal assistance provision and results achieved by the legal counselling department of the Roma Centre
Legal counselling was a matter of great importance from the very beginning and the interest shown in it
was consequently was extremely high, as outlined by the chart.
Legal counsel was % of current pro-
Year Legal counsel was asked asked ceedings
2000 136 times 60,3 39,7
2001 224 times 55,8 44,2
2002 427 times 86,6 13,4
2003 411 times 89,8 10,2
2004 417 times 72,9 27,1
2005 357 times 79,2 20,8
3. Results of the activities referring reproductive health of Roma women
Long-term work of the gynaecological counselling department of the Centre in the area of reproductive
health of Roma women yielded substantial changes and results.
The success indicator is the current five per cent of Roma women giving birth at homes. This is 5,5 times less
comparing to 2000 when 28% of deliveries were carried out at homes or 12 times less comparing to 1999
and prior years, when 60% of women gave birth to their children outside hospital premises.
60
50
40
Before 2000 (%)
30 2000. - 2001.(%)
2001. - 2005.(%)
20
10
0
78
The following indicator of the positive changes in relation with this matter is the number of performed PAP
tests and the number of girls who went to the health centres for preventive gynaecological checkups. (The
graphs show the number of PAP tests performed in a year and the number of appointments made by Roma
girls at the Dispensary for women.)
30
25 2000 PAP test
20 2001 PAP test
2002 PAP test
15
2003 PAP test
10 2004 PAP test
5 2005 PAP test
0
14
12
appointments in 2000.
10 appointments in 2001.
8 appointments in 2002.
6 appointments in 2003.
appointments in 2004.
4
appointments in 2005.
2
0
4. Training in handicrafts and the results achieved by the Roma Centre in Niksic
In the period from July 2000 to December 2003, the handicrafts of knitting, crocheting, tailoring and sewing
were mastered by 150 Roma women from 202 of them living in Niksic or over 74 per cent.
79
Figures and results of the Roma centres programmes
for children for the period 2000 - 2005
1. The percentage of Roma children who continually attended the programmes of the Roma Centres
Age of children for Number of Roma
whom the pro- Number of chil- % of children
Year children in Niksic
grammes were dren in RC in RC
of this age
designed
2000 age 4-18 356 160 44,9
2001 age 4-18 351 146 41,6
2002 age 4-18 359 157 43,7
2003 age 4-15 298 118 39,6
2004 age 4-16 312 66 21,6
2005 age 4-12 216 87 40,3
The chart shows that the programmes of the Roma Centre in the previous six years were regularly attended by
approximately 40% of Roma children older than four years of age. Most children didn’t use to have opportunity
to spend time in a quality organized way, but here they were able to socialize, gain more knowledge and learn
the language of the major population. Considering the regularity of the programme attendance throughout all
these years, we can conclude with certainty that the activities we implemented were chosen in the accordance
with the real needs of the children.
2. Education of Roma children and the achieved results
Since the lack of formal education was one of the biggest problems of the Roma community, Roma Centre fo-
cused on organizing the various programme activities in the previous six years with the purpose to solve the
education problems of Roma children. These activities resulted in the significant increase of the number of Roma
children enrolled in the primary schools in Niksic (see the chart). At the beginning of our work, there had been 18
children in primary schools, whilst by the end of 2005, this number increased to 97.
50
40
2000. Children in
30 schools 2000 (%)
2005. Children in
20 schools 2000 (%)
10
0
80
The educational activities of the Roma Centre targeted children who lived in four Roma settlements (Budo
Tomovic I and II, Zeljezara and the settlement in the foot of Trebjesa), that is, children attending classes in
the “Mileva Lajovic Lalatovic” primary school. The fact analysis of the period before 2000 and the period
from that year on, demonstrates the following:
35 97/98 enrolled
30 98/99 enrolled
25 99/00 enrolled
00/01 enrolled
20
01/02 enrolled
15
02/03 enrolled
10 03/04 enrolled
5 04/05 enrolled
0 05/06 enrolled
As seen from the chart, in the last five years the figures multiplied remarkably compared to the previous
period as direct result of the continual work of the Roma Centre.
3. Health protection of the children and the achieved results
One of the positive and extremely important changes in the field of preventive health protection of children
is represented by the progress achieved in the vaccination of Roma children. In the cooperation with the
Dispensary for children in Niksic, the Centre has organized five, highly successful vaccinations of Roma chil-
dren since 2001. The chart presentation of the obligatory, yearly vaccinations of Roma children follows:
100
Roma children
80 in NK vaccinated in 2001 (%)
60
Roma children
40 in NK vaccinated in 2005 (%)
20
0
81
Data on Roma families in Niksic
Niksic homes 131 local and displaced Roma families with the breakdown of 72 local Roma families and 59
of displaced ones. Almost all Roma families live in the near vicinity regardless the origin and they are settled
in five settlements: Budo Tomovic I and II, Zeljezara, Brlja and the settlement in the foot of Trebjesa. Here is
the chart outline of the settlements and families residing in them:
Settlement Displaced families Local families Total
Budo Tomović none 11 11
Budo Tomović II 14 19 33
Željezara 7 none 7
Brlja 14 17 31
Settlement in the foot of 24 18 42
Trebjesa
Other (town, Ozrinici ...) 0 7 7
Total: 59 72 131
Roma family consists of usually six to ten members. Accordingly, 131 Roma families have 836 members in
total. Here is the chart presentation of the gender breakdown:
Gender Displaced persons Locals Total
Women 99 103 202
Men 81 117 198
Children 184 252 436
Tootal: 364 472 836
Children make more than half of the Roma community in Niksic. Here is the chart presentation of age break-
down of children:
Age Displaced persons Locals Total
Age 0-6 53 85 138
Age 7-10 59 73 132
Age 11-15 49 64 113
Age 16-18 23 30 53
Total 184 252 436
82
RECIVED FUNDS 2000-2005
RECEIVED FUNDS IN 2000.
USD DEM
IRC 30,000.00
CIDA 63,150.00
UNICEF 6,000.00
FOSI 3,600.00
CARE INTERNATIONAL 10,280.00
TOTAL: 30,000.00 83,030.00
RECEIVED FUNDS IN 2001.
USD DEM
KVINNA TILL KVINNA 36,050.00
FOSI 20,430.00
UNICEF 12,900.00
TOTAL: 69,380.00
RECEIVED FUNDS IN 2002.
USD EUR
KVINNA TILL KVINNA 26,869.00
CIDA 33,800.00
UNICEF 4,606.00
FOSI 3,020.00
TOTAL: 33,800.00 34,495.00
RECEIVED FUNDS IN 2003.
USD EUR
KVINNA TILL KVINNA 31,908.00
UNICEF 2,371.00
TOTAL: 34,279.00
RECEIVED FUNDS IN 2004.
USD EUR
KVINNA TILL KVINNA 38,287.00
FOSI 1,700.00
FOSI / UNICEF 8,484.00
TOTAL: 48,471.00
RECEIVED FUNDS IN 2005.
USD EUR
KVINNA TILL KVINNA 38,775.00
UNICEF 11,520.00
FOSI / UNICEF 2,004.00
TOTAL: 52,299.00
83
Received funds - 2000
70000
60000
50000 IRC
40000 CIDA
30000 UNICEF Received funds - 2001
20000 FOSI
10000 40000
CARE INTERNATIONAL
0 30000
USD DEM
Kvinna till Kvinna
20000
FOSI
10000 UNICEF
0
DEM
Received funds -2002
35000
30000
25000 Kvinna till Kvinna Received funds - 2003
20000 CIDA
15000 40000
UNICEF
10000
FOSI 30000
5000 Kvinna till
0 Kvinna
USD EUR 20000
UNICEF
10000
0
EUR
Received funds - 2004
40000
Received funds - 2005
30000 Kvinna till
Kvinna 40000
20000 FOSI
30000
10000 FOSI/UNICEF Kvinna till Kvinna
20000
UNICEF
0
EUR 10000 FOSI/UNICEF
0
EUR
Prepared by Dijana Pištalo
financial officer
84
