ANNUAL REPORT 2004 Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues port and assistance by national authorities, aid agen“The Action Plan is intended to reinforce the ef- cies, and international organizations. Notwithstanding forts of the participating States and relevant this, there have been a number of initiatives recently OSCE institutions and structures aimed at ensur- by Roma organizations and various governments de- ing that Roma and Sinti people are able to play signed to improve representation structures and con- a full and equal part in our societies, and at sultation mechanisms, both at the national and inter- eradicating discrimination against them.” national levels. OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and elections Roma and Sinti Within the OSCE Area In co-operation with the European Commission and the Council of Europe, the ODIHR has been conducting a long-term programme called "Roma under the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe". The 2003-2005 2. Enhancing the participation of Roma in public and political life phase of this programme, called “Roma, Use Your Ballot Wisely!”, encourages Roma and related groups to become more active participants in public life at all stages of the decision-making process. In recent years, Roma have begun to participate more actively in society in general and in political life in par- As part of this programme, the ODIHR trained a group ticular. Nonetheless, the scale of participation is still of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians from five OSCE partic- very limited. The number of Roma participating in elec- ipating States to be short-term election observers. tions, either as voters or as candidates, is still dispro- While the trainees were taught skills necessary for portionately low. This under-representation is partially working as domestic or international observers, the due to institutional obstacles and the general margin- training also focused on electoral behaviour of Roma alization of Roma within the societies in which they and similar communities and the problems related to live. Another significant factor, however, is a lack of their political participation. knowledge by many Roma of their civil and political rights and of the existing institutional means to make One of the keys to removing barriers to the political effective use of those rights to influence politics in participation of Roma and similar communities is first their home countries. to have a better understanding of those obstacles and their causes. The short-term observers trained by the ODIHR can make an impact by monitoring elections in “…for Roma, with Roma…” their own countries. The data they collect about the problems facing national minorities is necessary to fill OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of in the details about how and why such communities Roma and Sinti Within the OSCE Area are excluded from the electoral process. Only when that picture becomes more complete will it be possible to find solutions. Without coherent institutional representation, Roma are typically not involved in the decision-making The ODIHR seconded Roma observers to monitor nu- processes aimed at improving their living conditions; merous elections in 2003 and 2004, including a group rather, they find themselves treated as objects of sup- of 12 who observed the re-run of the presidential elec- 73