tion has contributed to a sense of alienation among The ODIHR Contact Point addresses these issues either Roma from political life in their countries. directly through its programmes or by promoting the establishment of institutional frameworks at local and
Discrimination and racial violence: Anti-Roma national levels designed to advise governments and bias has negative effects on access to employment, ed- administrations on policy-making on Roma affairs. In ucation, housing, and health care. In several countries, doing so, the Contact Point co-ordinates closely with Roma have been targets of racial violence, including other international organizations and NGOs and seeks racially motivated murder. Unlawful treatment of to involve Roma in all its activities. Roma by police is a widespread problem. Recent years have seen the resurgence of centuries-old prejudices in relation to current processes, such as enlargement of Activities the European Union, reform of asylum and immigration laws, reform of social-welfare systems, and in the The ODIHR carried out activities in 2004 in the follow- area of land and urban management in regions or mu- ing areas: nicipalities.

Education: In many countries, Roma children en- Implementing the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti Within the OSCE Area; counter widespread discrimination and rejection in
public schools. It is not unusual for these children to be forced into schools reserved for the mentally disabled. Enhancing the participation of Roma in public and political life;
The future long-term consequences of this can be high- Addressing problems related to crisis situations. ly detrimental to positive advancement in the societies in which they live. 1. Implementing the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti Within the OSCE Area
Living conditions: Roma face widespread discrimination with regard to access to housing and health care. The resulting extremely poor living conditions give rise to high incidence of disease and malnutrition. The OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situa- While OSCE participating States themselves are the tion of Roma Within the OSCE Area: In response to main actors responsible for implementing the detailed the problems described in this section, the OSCE adopt- recommendations contained in the Action Plan, the ed an Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma ODIHR’s Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues is the and Sinti Within the OSCE Area in December 2003 that main body responsible for assessing and reporting on calls on participating States to take steps to ensure that implementation of the Action Plan. In 2004, a number such minority groups are able to play a full part in pub- of countries made progress in implementing their com- lic and political life and that discrimination against mitments, in particular through the adoption of legis- them is eliminated. The ODIHR is the primary OSCE lation to combat discrimination and the establishment body responsible for reporting on implementation of of institutional means to enforce such legislation. How- the Action Plan, as well as for providing advice on par- ever, not all countries took full advantage of the Ac- ticular aspects of thereof. tion Plan, and much remains to be done to ensure that
Roma and related groups enjoy equal rights with all other citizens in the societies in which they live. 72