Roma in Czechia:

The estimated population of Roma in the Czech Republic is 262,000 or 2.4% of the population. Approximately half of them live integrated into the mainstream population, while the other half are concentrated in neighborhoods facing different degrees of marginalisation and exclusion. The socio-economic and symbolic exclusion do not always match, and neighbourhood inhabited by many Roma are often perceived as socially excluded, despite the fact that they do not concentrate too many poor people.

As the analysis demonstrates, the concept of social exclusion/inclusion and a territorial approach focused on socially excluded localities dominate the policy discourse in the Czech Republic, including the policies aimed at Roma integration. It should not be ignored that Roma civil society, some parts of non-Roma civil society, and a significant part of the Roma population have continuously criticised the domination of this non-ethnic concept and have stressed that Roma integration policies should also take into consideration the specific situation of Roma as an ethnic group facing direct and indirect discrimination and lack of participation. The consequence of this non-ethnic approach is the vagueness of Roma-specific policies and regulations and a lack of monitoring of the effectiveness and impact of the support for Roma and the progress in their integration and inclusion. The new 2021 National Roma Strategic Framework constitutes a paradigmatic shift in the approach to Roma inclusion, as it introduces Roma-specific targets and financial allocations.

Key problems:

Despite the adoption of the Antidiscrimination Act, there are still serious reservations about the effective enforcement of the norm, and discrimination against Roma remains omnipresent in the Czech Republic. Instruments that could help effectively combat discrimination, such as the provision of free legal aid or the possibility of the Public Defender of Rights bringing its own public interest lawsuits to court are missing. Negative attitudes towards Roma in Czech society and anti-Roma speech seem to be increasing.

Segregation in housing and education continues to be a serious issue. The number of Roma children educated according to a reduced curriculum remains disproportionately high and every fourth Roma pupil is educated in a segregated setting. No significant impact for Roma children in terms of their desegregation has been visible in the schools to date and, according to the Ministry of Education, the inclusive process is just beginning. Especially alarming, therefore, are the most recent statements by politicians that funding for inclusive education should be revised yet again.

Czech Strategy of Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma (Roma Integration Strategy) until 2030. Analytical Part & Task Part (Government of the Czech Republic, in Czech)

RCM Coordinator:

RCM coalition members:

RCM 2 (2021-2025) reports:

Roma Civil Monitor (2022) Civil society monitoring report on the quality of the national strategic framework for Roma equality, inclusion, and participation in Czechia. ENGLISH – ROMANI – CZECH

Poster presenting main findings of the report (2022):

RCM 1 (2017-2020) reports:

Roma Civil Monitor (2017) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategies in Czech Republic: Focusing on structural and horizontal preconditions for successful implementation of the strategy. ENGLISH – CZECH

Roma Civil Monitor (2018) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategy in Czech Republic: Assessing the progress in four key policy areas of the strategy. ENGLISH – CZECH

Roma Civil Monitor (2020) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategy in Czech Republic: Identifying blind spots in Roma inclusion policy.  ENGLISH – CZECH

Civil Society Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy and Decade Action Plan in 2012 in Czech Republic – ENGLISH

Roma Civil Monitor 2017-2020 country fiche: Czechia

Decade of Roma Inclusion (2005-2015) report:

Decade of Roma Inclusions (2013) Civil Society Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy and Decade Action Plan in 2012 in the Czech Republic. ENGLISH