Article from http://www.romove.cz Printed 30.05.2023 16:10
Czech mayor gets Council of Europe prize for assisting Romany integration 30-10-2013 Daniela Lazarova
The Czech Republic is often criticized for failing to address the problems
of its Romany minority and give the Roma equal access to education, work
and housing. While the authorities frequently point out that addressing
these problems is a long an uphill task, the mayor of Obrnice, a small town
in north Bohemia, has just proved that it can be done. She has been awarded
the Council of Europe’s DOSTA! prize for innovative work in combating
anti-Romany sentiments and assisting Romany integration.
When Drahomíra Miklošová first moved to the town of Obrnice,
cohabitation with the Roma community was so bad and relations in the town
so tense she seriously considered settling elsewhere. In the end she not
only stayed, but became active in local politics. Seven years ago she was
elected to the town council and has devoted all her time and energy to
making the town a better place for everyone – first and foremost the
long-ostracized Roma community. On Wednesday she travelled to Strasbourg as
the only Czech mayor to receive the Council of Europe’s DOSTA! prize for
assisting Romany integration. Ms. Miklošová says the way to achieve
results is by working with whole families – and above all – by giving
the Roma work.
“The Roma are given work opportunities in community service, they are
active as street workers, as assistants to the local police force in
helping to curb street crime. I feel it is important to give people
responsibility for something. We also make a point of working with
families, getting parents to send their children to school – and giving
them access to extra-curricular activities, music, dance, painting classes.
In the past two years this has brought results and I am proud of the fact
that all the children who finish primary school in Obrnice now go on to
study at higher-level schools."
All this requires money and Drahomíra Miklošová says she cooperated
closely with the government’s agency for social inclusion and a number of
NGOs in order to obtain finances and advice in implementing her plans. They
were financed in part from EU funds and in part from state subsidies. One
of the most important decisions was to secure council housing for Romany
families, preventing real estate owners from sponging off the state by
pocketing housing benefits. The mayor says that money alone would not have
been enough had there not been enough will on the part of her co-workers
and the town’s inhabitants to bring about change.
“It is essential for the town council to really commit to addressing
these problems. This cannot be taken for granted and where there is no real
will it’s just not going to happen. You have to work to build bridges and
bring down existing barriers, to use every opportunity to present the
Romany culture –on children’s days, at senior citizen’s events, on
holidays – the more people know about the Romany culture the higher your
chances of doing away with prejudice. Of course it doesn’t always work
–you get all kinds of people. But you need to keep at it –rise above
the cultural differences and address any problems that arise.”
Drahomíra Miklošova says that while she is proud of how much the town
has achieved in assisting Romany integration in the past decade, plenty
still remains to be done. Nevertheless, at a time of high unemployment and
growing racial tensions in the north and eastern parts of the country the
town of Obrnice is being set as a bright example to others.
The original article can be found at: http://romove.radio.czcz/en/clanek/26205 Copyright © Radio Praha, 1996 - 2003 |