Human Rights of Armed Forces Personnel Box 10.3: Roma and Sinti in armed forces The European Court of Human Rights has noted that Roma require special protection “as a result of their turbulent history and constant uprooting the Roma have become a specific type of disadvantaged and vulnerable minority.” 370 Armed forces can provide an example of how to promote inclusion and ensure non-discrimination against Roma minorities while emphasizing their role in the national defence. In Serbia, for instance, research has shown that Roma communities highly trust and respect military institutions, and that the Serbian Army is perceived as an egalitarian and open institution when it comes to employment.371 In 2014, 0.19 per cent of professional staff of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Army voluntarily declared themselves as Roma, which was a higher percentage than for many other ethnic minorities in the country. These Roma professionals were employed across all categories of employees, and included individuals with master’s (1.56 per cent) and bachelor’s (7.81 per cent) degrees and high school diplomas (62.5 per cent). Roma civil society also participated in the creation of security policies, such as Roma women’s organizations contributing to the National Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 – Women, Peace and Security in the Republic of Serbia, which includes numerous references to “women from multiply discriminated and vulnerable groups,” such as Roma women.372 To perform cohesively and effectively in the field and to respect the principle of nondiscrimination, the armed forces should adequately reflect society’s composition, while having a vision that transcends the different identities of their members. As a visible symbol of national unity, the armed forces can act as a positive force. By applying successful models of inclusion, they can facilitate the respect for linguistic, cultural and ethnic differences within society. A country’s armed forces aim to instil in their members a shared and common purpose. Minority rights will be violated, however, when armed forces seek only to assimilate or suppress minorities, rather than ensuring their rights to practice their culture, religion and language within the military as in wider society. one, from the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism (ECRI) has been included due to its comprehensive nature. The definition can be found at: https://rm.coe.int/ecri-general-policy-recommendation-no-15-on-combating-hate-speech/16808b5b01, p 14. 162 370 Paragraph 181 of the D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic, application no. 57325/00, Grand Chamber judgment of 13 November 2007 specifies this as follows: “The vulnerable position of Roma/Gypsies means that special consideration should be given to their needs and their different lifestyle both in the relevant regulatory framework and in reaching decisions in particular cases”, and referred to “an emerging international consensus among the Contracting States of the Council of Europe recognizing the special needs of minorities and an obligation to protect their security, identity and lifestyle, not only for the purpose of safeguarding the interests of the minorities themselves, but also to preserve a cultural diversity of value to the whole community”. 371 Jelena Radoman and Marina Tadic, Roma Women and Men and Security Sector in the Republic of Serbia, (Belgrade: Public Policy Research Centre and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, 2014), http://www.publicpolicy.rs/ documents/4ad35ff7057dde2b65c37e7270862f80c3ec9cdb.pdf. 372 Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, “National Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 – Women, Peace and Security in the Republic of Serbia (2017-2020),” Belgrade, 2017.