Vulnerability of Roma Children in the Municipality of Shuto Orizari

Executive Summary

After the adoption of the new Law on Local Self-government, Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, was divided onto seven municipalities. One of them is the municipality of Shuto Orizari. This community was build up after the Skopje earthquake in 1963. According to the 1994 census on the territory of Shuto Orizari there were 16.907 inhabitants, of whom majority were Roma, as follows: 11.308 Roma, 1.698 Albanians, 1.016 Macedonians, 60 Turks, 37 Serbs and others. Shuto Orizari is the largest community inhabited by Roma people not only in the Balkans but also in Europe.

The experience from the investigations carried out so far, indicates that majority of the population is socially endangered, which causes increased liability to social problems. The 1994 census revealed only 1.549 employed persons. As we suppose, the socio-economic crisis after 1994 has already contributed to the rise in the number of unemployed persons.

From the data accessible at the community level we may conclude that population is extremely uneducated. During the census in 1994, 3.956 adult illiterate persons were evidenced. Low educational level of the adults presents important obstacle that makes it impossible for them to register in the Employment Bureau for effectuation of their basic rights.

Vulnerability of Roma Children in the Municipality of Shuto Orizari  (pdf, 6.66 MB)