The roundtable, organised by Dignita Foundation on 07th June 2024, Sofia, Bulgaria, presented the main risk factors that make marginalised Roma communities from segregated settlements vulnerable to violence against women and human trafficking. The event was attended by representatives of state institutions (the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office, the National Investigation Service, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Agency for Social Assistance, the State Agency for Child Protection, the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, the National Council for Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence, the National Focal Point for Drugs and Drug Addiction), diplomatic missions, representatives of civil society organisations and the media.
Together with the National Network of Health Mediators, Dignita Foundation presented an in-depth assessment of needs and vulnerabilities to trafficking and gender-based violence against women in two settlements - Karmen neighborhood, Kazanlak and Druzhba neighborhood, Novi Pazar. The assessment was based on desk research, including household mapping, focus groups with community representatives and interviews with community leaders and experts.
The following factors of vulnerability to violence against women and gender-based violence were highlighted :
- Poverty - data show a low percentage of regulated employment in both settlements - around 17% of residents in Karmen, Kazanlak are employed under a civil or other form of employment contract. In Druzhba, Novi Pazar, only about 20% of respondents are employed on a contract basis and are self-employed. A higher proportion of those in employment are men. Another key indicator of high poverty levels is poor living conditions, including lack of running water in households and lack of electricity.
Among the serious consequences of the environment described above, are conflicts within the family, which lead to violence, dependence on moneylenders and the need to seek a livelihood in containers.
- Early marriage and and early child birth are extremely serious factors in terms of the consequences for women and girls. The surveys conducted in Karmen, Kazanlak show a high fertility rate (82.4%) and 21.3% of teenage girls are either living on a family basis with a partner or are already divorced. In Druzhba district, Novi Pazar, 45.4% of the women in the households surveyed had their first child as children, i.e. before the age of 17.
The serious consequences indicated by these data are related to the girl's financial dependence on the boy and his family, vulnerability to forms of labour exploitation and lack of educational opportunities.
- Lack of education or early school leave are major factors that highlight the high level of vulnerability of women from marginalised communities in both communities. According to a cited survey of 193 households in the district Karmen, in the 19-28 age group, 5.1 % had not attended school, 16.2 % had not completed education degree, 37.5 % had only completed elementary school, 32.4 % had completed primary school and 8.8 % had completed secondary school. Among the members of the households surveyed in Druzhba, Novi Pazar, the majority (53.5%) had not completed education degree or had completed only primary education.
o These data decrease the chance of labour market inclusion and confirm the first identified factor - poverty, as well as the total financial dependence of the girls on the family of the boy with whom they live, and their vulnerability to forms of exploitation (sexual and labour).
- Drug abuse leads to risky behaviour, manifestations of aggression, severe cases of physical violence in the family. Data from the survey in Kazanlak indicate a massive drug distribution among adolescents and adults in Karmen and surrounding settlements. A decrease in the age users of psychoactive substances was noted in both communities.
- Failure to recognise and accept domestic violence. Based on the focus groups and interviews conducted, it was found that in certain marginalised communities, the patriarchal model and the fear of rejection by the family, on the one hand, define the dominant role of the boy/man and, on the other hand, lead to high degrees of acceptance and normalisation of domestic violence.
The final part of the event was devoted to recommendations for follow-up action by the relevant institutions and organisations to address the identified risks and vulnerability factors. Recommendations were made at three main levels: national and local level.
Recommendations at national level:
- Comprehensive, systemic and multisectoral policies to address the multiple root causes of gender-based violence against women;
- Education and awareness-raising among children and young people from an early age on human rights, discrimination and gender-based violence against women. Introduction of comprehensive curricular on health and sex education in schools;
- Equal access to quality education and measures to address school dropout;
- Programmes and accessible prevention and counselling services for the prevention of drug abuse and the treatment of people with addictions;
- Increased investigation and prosecution of psychoactive substance production and distribution networks and trafficking in women for sexual exploitation.
Local recommendations:
- Coordination among stakeholders for prevention, early identification of cases of gender-based violence against women;
- Establishment accessible community-based counselling and prevention services;
- Expanding the network of crisis centres and services for victims of domestic violence;
- Building the capacity of health mediators to recognise indicators of domestic violence, drug abuse, trafficking for sexual exploitation;
- Systematic, ongoing work to assess vulnerability and strengthen the capacity of health mediators and informal community leaders to recognise, report and refer cases of gender-based violence against women;
- Systematic, targeted work with families to address discrimination against girls and women and to introduce rights and benefits of equality at individual, family and community levels.
The round table was organised as part of the project "I rise, too! Empowering women and girls from Roma communities to recognise trafficking for sexual exploitation as a form of gender-based violence“, implemented in partnership with the National Network of Health Mediators and with the financial support from the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations.