Strategic Orientation Improving the conditions and opportunities for employment and decreasing of the unemployment of the Roma community, and integrating of this community into the mainstream society. It is proposed that all future measures and activities, in addition to reducing the unemployment of the Roma community to be dimensioned within the existing policies that are implemented by the relevant institutions. Context-actual conditions The employment situation of Roma remains one of the most worrying factors that impede their full participation in the society. Although there is little improvement in the employment rates and activity of Roma, they still have unemployment that is almost twice as high as the national average, and even higher among Roma women. In view of this, we can see progress in the area of public employment, which is made from 0.33% in 2005 to 2.56% in 2012. Although are no systematic and consistent data to measure the progress in the field of active employment measures, yet fragmented data of national action plans for employment suggest that the participation of Roma has been increased in these measures. Moreover, the work of the Roma information centers (RIC) contributed to improve the public awareness about employment opportunities. However, some of the major flaws in the Strategy for Roma, and the total involvement of Roma in the labor market can be seen in: No reducing of ethnic differences in rates of employment and unemployment; Negligible or imperceptibly increase in loans and credits for employability of Roma; Lack of specialized programs for employment of Roma; Low/High offering of literacy programs, and qualification and retraining of unemployed Roma in accordance with their needs/opportunities. As part of the transition countries in the region, including in this country, a significant number of Roma have lost their jobs and realistically they have the least chances to find a new job. The main problem is located in the difficulty to join and re-enter the labor market. In general, the Roma are living "day by day" with earned assets without paying contributions that would include them in legal streams of the state and would have ensured them certain rights. This picture is enriched by the social "safety net" that covers the minimum needs of those who receive it, stimulating simultaneously the gray economy. In this way, the users of any benefits granted by the state gain the psychology of dependence on social benefits, which makes it difficult to re-enter into the regulated labor market.
Strategic Orientation Improving the conditions and opportunities for employment and decreasing of the unemployment of the Roma community, and integrating of this community into the mainstream society. It is proposed that all future measures and activities, in addition to reducing the unemployment of the Roma community to be dimensioned within the existing policies that are implemented by the relevant institutions. Context-actual conditions The employment situation of Roma remains one of the most worrying factors that impede their full participation in the society. Although there is little improvement in the employment rates and activity of Roma, they still have unemployment that is almost twice as high as the national average, and even higher among Roma women. In view of this, we can see progress in the area of public employment, which is made from 0.33% in 2005 to 2.56% in 2012. Although are no systematic and consistent data to measure the progress in the field of active employment measures, yet fragmented data of national action plans for employment suggest that the participation of Roma has been increased in these measures. Moreover, the work of the Roma information centers (RIC) contributed to improve the public awareness about employment opportunities. However, some of the major flaws in the Strategy for Roma, and the total involvement of Roma in the labor market can be seen in: No reducing of ethnic differences in rates of employment and unemployment; Negligible or imperceptibly increase in loans and credits for employability of Roma; Lack of specialized programs for employment of Roma; Low/High offering of literacy programs, and qualification and retraining of unemployed Roma in accordance with their needs/opportunities. As part of the transition countries in the region, including in this country, a significant number of Roma have lost their jobs and realistically they have the least chances to find a new job. The main problem is located in the difficulty to join and re-enter the labor market. In general, the Roma are living "day by day" with earned assets without paying contributions that would include them in legal streams of the state and would have ensured them certain rights. This picture is enriched by the social "safety net" that covers the minimum needs of those who receive it, stimulating simultaneously the gray economy. In this way, the users of any benefits granted by the state gain the psychology of dependence on social benefits, which makes it difficult to re-enter into the regulated labor market.
Roma%20Strategy%20in%20Macedonia%202014-2020.docx