Civil society monitoring report on the quality of the national strategic framework for Roma equality, inclusion, and participation in Czechia.
Date: 2023-08-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers
Subjects: Czechia, Roma, access to education, anti-discriminatory measure, civil society, equal treatment, ethnic discrimination, housing, job access, monitoring report, poverty, right to health, social integration

Civil society monitoring report on the quality  
of the national strategic framework  
for Roma equality, inclusion, and participation  
in Czechia 

Prepared by: 
Romanonet 
June 2022 

Justice 
and Consumers 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers 
Directorate D - Equality and Union Citizenship 
Unit D1 Non-Discrimination and Roma Coordination 

European Commission 
B-1049 Brussels 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Civil society monitoring report on the quality  
of the national strategic framework  
for Roma equality, inclusion, and participation  
in Czechia 

Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers 
2022 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manuscript completed in June 2022 

LEGAL NOTICE 

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute endorsement of the contents 
which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be 
made of the information contained therein. 

PDF  

ISBN 978-92-68-00752-5 

doi: 10.2838/421089 

Catalogue number DS-04-23-281-EN-N 

How to cite this report: 
Roma Civil Monitor (2023) Civil society monitoring report on the quality of the national strategic framework for Roma 
equality, inclusion, and participation in Czechia. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. 

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2023 

© European Union, 2023 

Reuse is authorised provided the source is acknowledged and the original meaning or message of the document is not 
distorted. The European Commission shall not be liable for any consequence stemming from the reuse. The reuse policy 
of European Commission documents is implemented by Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the 
reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 54).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The report was prepared for the umbrella NGO RomanoNet by Mr Jan Husák of the NGO 
Romodrom,  and  Ms  Selma  Muhič  Dizdarevič  of  the  Faculty  of  Humanities  of  Charles 
University. 

The  report  was  prepared  as  part  of  the  initiative  “Preparatory  Action  -  Roma  Civil 
Monitoring - Strengthening capacity and involvement of Roma and pro-Roma civil 
society  in  policy  monitoring  and  review”  implemented  by  a  consortium  led  by  the 
Democracy  Institute  of  Central  European  University  (DI/CEU),  including  the  European 
Roma Grassroots Organisations Network (ERGO Network), Fundación Secretariado Gitano 
(FSG), and the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC). The initiative was funded by the 
European  Commission’s  Directorate-General  Justice  and  Consumers  (DG  Just)  within 
service contract no. JUST/2020/RPAA/PR/EQUA/0095. 

The report represents the findings of the authors, and it does not necessarily reflect the 
views of the consortium or the European Commission, who cannot be held responsible for 
any use which may be made of the information contained therein. 

 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... 7 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 8 
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 10 
1.  PARTICIPATION ............................................................................................... 12 
1.1.  Roma participation in the NRSF preparation ................................................... 12 
1.2.  Roma participation in the NRSF implementation, monitoring, and evaluation ...... 13 
1.3.  System of policy consultation with civil society and stakeholders ...................... 15 
1.4.  Empowerment of Roma communities at the local level..................................... 16 
1.5.  Capacity-building of Roma civil society .......................................................... 16 
2.  RELEVANCE ....................................................................................................... 18 
2.1.  Fighting antigypsyism and discrimination ....................................................... 18 
2.2.  Education .................................................................................................. 19 
2.3.  Employment .............................................................................................. 21 
2.4.  Health care ................................................................................................ 22 
2.5.  Housing, basic services and environmental justice .......................................... 23 
2.6. 
Income support (social protection) ................................................................ 24 
2.7.  Social Services ........................................................................................... 25 
2.8.  Child protection .......................................................................................... 26 
2.9.  Support and awareness of Roma art, culture and history ................................. 27 
3.  EXPECTED EFFECTIVENESS ............................................................................... 28 
3.1.  Coherence with related domestic and European policies ................................... 28 
3.2.  Responsibility for NRSF coordination and monitoring ....................................... 29 
3.3.  Quality of the plan ...................................................................................... 29 
3.4.  Funding   ................................................................................................... 30 
3.5.  Monitoring and evaluation ............................................................................ 31 
3.6.  Assessment of the expected effectiveness and sustainability ............................ 31 
4.  ALIGNMENT WITH THE EU ROMA STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK .............................. 33 
4.1.  Reflecting diversity among Roma .................................................................. 33 
4.2.  Combination mainstream and targeted approaches ......................................... 37 
4.3.  Usage of instruments introduced by the Council Recommendation .................... 37 
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................ 39 
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 42 
ANNEX 1: LIST OF PROBLEMS AND CONDITIONS ..................................................... 44 
ANNEX 2: THEMATIC MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF MINISTRIES ............. 54 

 
 
 
 
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 

Civil Society Organisation  
European Social Fund Plus 2021-2027 
European Structural and Investment Funds of the Czech Republic 

CSO 
ESF+ 
ESIF CR  
Government Council  Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs  
IROP 
NGO 
NRIS 
NRSF 
OP JAC 
OPE+ 

Integrated Regional Operational Programme 2021-2027 
Non-Governmental Organisation 
National Roma Integration Strategy 2015-2020 
National Roma Strategic Framework 2021-2030 
Operational Programme Johannes Amos Comenius 2021-2027 
Operational Programme Employment Plus 2021-2027 

7 

 
 
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The  new  ‘Strategy  for  Roma  Equality,  Inclusion  and  Participation  2021-2030’  (NRSF), 
which  the  Czech  Government  adopted  in  May  2021,  represents  a  shift  in  the 
implementation of the goals of Roma integration, primarily because: (a) it places greater 
emphasis  on  the  participation  of  Roma  men  and  women  in  the  implementation  of  the 
objectives  of  the  NRSF  through  the  cross-cutting  objective  of  greater  representation  of 
Roma  men  and  women  in  decision-making  processes  (emancipation,  inclusion,  and 
participation);  (b)  it  explicitly  recognises  antigypsyism  as  a  cross-cutting  theme;  (c)  it 
defines the provision of capacity and resources for the implementation of the NRSF as an 
additional cross-cutting objective. Another positive aspect of the NRSF is the decision to 
collect data necessary for a quality evaluation of the impacts and effectiveness of the NRSF 
itself.  

On  the  contrary,  we  perceive  shortcomings  in  the  area  of  support  for  maintaining  and 
strengthening  Roma  identity,  especially  in  the  area  of  voluntary  declaration  of  Roma 
nationality, for example, in the census. This concerns the lack of working with the majority, 
which is often mentioned in the  NRSF  only in the case of monitoring discrimination and 
not  much  as  regards  integration  policy.  Integration  cannot  be  expected  to  take  place 
unilaterally,  and  therefore  recommendations  from  EU  bodies,  such  as  the  horizontal 
objective  and  the  instruction  of  the  ‘Recommendations  of  the  Council  of  the  European 
Union on Roma Equality, Inclusion and Participation’, which promotes positive narratives 
about  Roma,  including  those  who  may  be  seen  as  role  models,  interaction  between 
different population groups, and a better understanding of the problems that Roma men 
and  women  face,  should  also  be  implemented.  Furthermore,  networking  measures 
between Roma and pro-Roma NGOs, as well as Roma and mainstream civil society, need 
to be strengthened. 

Participation  

In the area of participation, we assess the NRSF as very beneficial. A number of strategic 
and specific objectives, measures, and resources emphasize the increased participation of 
Roma men and women in many aspects of the  NRSF. Roma women and Roma men  do 
participate  in  monitoring  committees,  working  groups,  and  platforms  of  the  individual 
operational programmes of the ‘European Structural and Investment Funds of the Czech 
Republic’ (ESIF CR) and in the national coordination structures.  

Relevance 

The main contribution of the NRSF may be the comprehensive monitoring and combating 
of  antigypsyism,  including  through  the  establishment  of  the  ‘Committee  for  Combating 
Antigypsyism’  under  the  Government  Council  for  Roma  Minority  Affairs  and  the 
strengthening of measures against antigypsyism in strategic documents.  

In the field of education, it is positive that the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is 
expected  to  define  and  meet  specific  indicators  in  terms  of,  for  example,  reducing  the 
number of segregated schools by 50% in the next period of implementation of the NRSF. 
However, there is a lack of measures that specifically target Roma girls and Roma parents. 
Another  shortcoming  is that  the vast majority of special education centres  (which  issue 
recommendations for the education of pupils in a special regime) are an integral part of 
schools,  which  leads  to  segregation.  In  the  area  of  employment,  there  is  a  need  to 
strengthen employers’ awareness of how to prevent discrimination.  

In the area of health care, the participation of Roma men and women in the development 
of  objectives  and  measures  has  been the  weakest  –  and  must  be  strengthened.  In the 
area of housing, we see the extension of the issue of discrimination to the whole housing 
market, not just to socially excluded localities, as positive. Furthermore, the NRSF expands 
the  participation  of  NGOs  as  housing  providers  compared  to  previous  Roma  strategies. 

8 

 
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

However,  in  the  future  it  will  be  necessary  to  include  the  disabled,  the  elderly,  and 
homeless  Roma  men  and  women  in  housing-support  policies.  In  the  area  of  social 
protection,  shortcomings  are  greatest  mainly  due  to  the  lack  of  assessment  of  the 
individual needs of Roma men and women and the blanket setting of policies according to 
social-benefits and poverty-related policies.  

Expected effectiveness 

The  NRSF  strengthens  solidarity  on  the  national  level  by  stressing  the  connection  with 
other  fundamental  national  documents  such  as  the  National  Recovery  Plan  and  other 
programme documents of the respective ministries. However, it remains to be seen if all 
the measures will be implemented successfully.  

In terms of monitoring and evaluation, the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic 
draws up the NRSF and is the central coordinator of its implementation within the public 
administration  structure,  the  non-profit  sector,  and  research  institutions.  The  lack  of 
capacity, resources, and mandate of this body poses many threats to its functional ability 
to coordinate and implement the NRSF, including monitoring mechanisms. The systematic 
and  consistent  representation  of  regions  and  local  governments  has  long  been 
problematic. Compared to previous strategies, significant progress has been made in the 
funding  of  the  NRSF  through  ESIF  CR.  The  NRSF  also  uses  specifically  targeted 
interventions,  whereas  the  previous  orientation  was  associated  with  general  (i.e.,  not 
Roma-focused) funding and logically then with the purposeful obscuring of the specificity 
of Roma women and men. 

Alignment with the EU Strategic Framework 

The  new  ‘EU  Roma  Strategic  Framework'  has  shifted  the  focus  of  the  overall  strategic 
objective  from  the  socioeconomic  integration  of  marginalised  Roma  to  a  three-pillar 
strategy  of  equality,  inclusion,  and  participation.  The  Czech  NRSF  fully  reflects  these 
objectives and incorporates them into its measures.  

However,  it  is  not  equally  targeted  at  all  Roma  groups  identified  by  the  framework. 
Although  Roma  women  feature  prominently  in  the  NRSF’s  agenda,  there  is  a  lack  of 
support for the networking of Roma women and direct support for the establishment and 
functioning  of  Roma  and  pro-Roma  women’s  NGOs.  Measures  are  insufficient  for 
senior/elderly Roma women, as they are not defined as a specific target group. It cannot 
be said that objectives and measures targeting the Roma population with disabilities are 
present in the NRSF.  

At  the  stage  we  are  now  evaluating,  the  NRSF  manages  to  strike  a  balance  between 
general  and  targeted  approaches,  and  thus  deflects  the  (unjustified)  assertion  by  the 
majority society that resources are disproportionately devoted to the Roma community. 

9 

INTRODUCTION 

This report focuses  on the evaluation of the  ‘Strategy for Roma  Equality, Inclusion and 
Participation  2021-2030’  (NRSF),  which  was  adopted  by  the  Government  of  the  Czech 
Republic in May 2021. The proposed objectives in NRSF define future steps for supporting 
the  implementation  of  policies  that  the  Government  of  the  Czech  Republic  and  its 
institutions should undertake to support Roma women and men in cooperation with Roma 
civil society. This basic objective has not been sufficiently promoted in the implementation 
of previous Roma integration strategies, for several reasons. In particular, previous Roma 
strategies did not build on municipal and city policies and did not sufficiently involve Roma 
and pro-Roma NGOs. Funding sources for the pre-2020 national Roma strategies have not 
been clearly identified. The implementation of previous Roma integration strategies was 
often promoted beyond national and European policies. Instead of following an overarching 
national  Roma  strategy,  a  social  inclusion  strategy  or  strategies  at  the  regional  or 
municipal level have been promoted, without a specific focus on Roma men and women. 
This has led not only to the non-implementation of previous Roma integration strategies 
but also to their ineffective linkage to other national documents and policies. This is also 
evidenced by the Report on the State of the Roma Minority in the Czech Republic for 2020,1 
which states that there has been no significant change in the institutional arrangements 
for Roma integration in recent years.  

The  insufficient  implementation  of  previous  Roma  integration  strategies  has  also  been 
linked to the lack of readiness of Roma and pro-Roma NGOs to participate effectively in all 
phases  of  the  implementation  of  the  Roma  strategy.  This  acknowledgement  is,  among 
other things, contained in the previous ‘National Roma Integration Strategy up to 2020’ 
(NRIS, adopted in 2015) in Objective 13.2, “Support capacity building of Roma civil society 
organisations  to  meaningfully  engage  in  dialogue  and  participate  in  the  design, 
implementation  and  monitoring  of  the  Roma  integration  process”.  NGOs  and  other  key 
actors  in  the  promotion  of  integration  and  inclusion  policies  and  measures  still  lack  a 
“professional support system” that would enable them to respond effectively to legislative, 
strategic, European, national  or local policy changes. Such a  ‘system’ requires not only 
linked  decision-making  but  also  building  the  professional  capacity  of  NGOs.  Therefore, 
Roma  and  pro-Roma  NGOs  and  other  representatives  of  Roma  civil  society  have  long 
advocated for the strengthening of the professional and staff capacities of NGOs, as well 
as municipalities, regions, and state authorities, to achieve long-term and effective results.  

National Roma Strategic Framework  

The NRSF (May 2021), approved by the Government of the Czech Republic, contributes to 
these  goals.  It  is  built  on  thematic  chapters  that  focus  on  reducing  or  eliminating 
inequalities and persistent problems in the main social areas: housing, employment, health 
and education, while cross-cutting attention is paid to creating conditions for greater Roma 
representation in decision-making processes and positions (emancipation, inclusion, and 
participation), promoting equality and combating antigypsyism. Supporting capacities and 
resources for the implementation of The NRSF is listed within it as a necessary component 
for success in the cross-cutting strategic objective: Ensure capacities  and  resources for 
the implementation of the Strategy.  

1  Report  on  the  State  of  the  Roma  Minority  in  the  Czech  Republic  for  2020  (2021).  Available  at: 

https://www.vlada.cz/cz/ppov/zalezitosti-romske-komunity/aktuality/zprava-o-stavu-romske-mensiny-v-
ceske-republice-za-rok-2020-192596/  

10 

 
 
INTRODUCTION 

Members of the Government Council for Roma Affairs,2 with the support of the umbrella 
organisation RomanoNet,3 which brings together several prominent pro-Roma and Roma 
organisations, criticised the submitted draft NRSF, citing the lack of active and dignified 
participation  of  Roma  civil  society  in  the  preparation  and  drafting  thereof. Work  on  the 
new NRSF was carried out from June to November 2020. Representatives of civil society 
members of the Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs, Roma and pro-Roma NGOs, 
and Roma experts – along with representatives of ministries and the Department of the 
Office  of  the  Government  Council  for  Roma  Minority  Affairs  and  the  Secretariat  of  the 
Government Council for National Minorities of the Office of the Government of the Czech 
Republic – actively participated in the content and promotion of the NRSF. 

The  NRSF  2021-2030  was  approved,  including  the  task  part,  by  a  resolution  of  the 
Government of the Czech Republic on 10 May 2021.4 

About this report 

This  report  was  prepared  by  the  RomanoNet  association,  which  was  established  in 
February 2017 as an umbrella group to coordinate the activities of non-governmental and 
non-profit  organisations  working  with  the  Roma  minority  in  the  Czech  Republic. 
RomanoNet’s  mission  is  to  promote  an  integration  policy  that  emphasises  respect  for 
human  rights,  equality,  the  participation  of  Roma  people  in  public  life,  and  their 
involvement  in  decision-making  processes.5  RomanoNet  currently  has  11  member 
organisations. Membership is institutional, not individual.  

The report was informed by the participant observation of the report’s editor (Jan Husák), 
who  was  involved  in  the  whole  process  of  preparation  and  drafting,  and  present  at  all 
meetings and consultations6 presented in the report. The authors are aware of the possible 
risks of this method and have taken care to make the description in the report as objective 
as  possible,  free  from  subjective  assessments  and  possible  bias.  This  methodological 
approach  was  complemented  by  the  study  of  relevant  Czech  and  foreign  literature, 
research, and other documents.  

Another  source  informing  this  report  was  over  30  meetings  with  representatives  of  the 
non-profit and civil society sector within the RomanoNet network (for more details,  see 
the chapter on Participation), the central theme of which was the preparation, design, and 
implementation of the NRSF. The authors consulted with NGOs involved in the RomanoNet 
umbrella  on  the  draft  report,  and  their  comments  were  taken  into  account  and 
incorporated into the final version of this report.  

2 The Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs is a permanent advisory and initiating body of the 

Government in the area of Roma integration. 

3 http://romanonet.cz/  

4 See Annexe 1. 

5 RomanoNet: About us [online]. 2022 [cited 2022-06-11]. Available at: 

http://www.romanonet.cz/index.php/o-nas  

6 Working bodies of the Ministry of Education, OPE, OEP JAC, IROP, the Ministry of the Interior, etc., 

as well as platforms created by representatives of NGOs and Roma civil society.  

11 

 
 
1.  PARTICIPATION 

1.1.  Roma participation in the NRSF preparation  

The Department of the Office of the Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs and the 
Secretariat  of  the  Government  Council  for  Nationalities7  (Office  of  the  Government 
Council), which is also the National Roma Contact Point (NRCP), prepared the first draft of 
the NRSF, which was open for public consultation at the end of April 2020. The consultation 
was to take the form of an online questionnaire with a set of questions related to the draft 
text of the NRSF document. This formalised procedure limited the active participation of 
Roma  civil  society  in  the  preparation  and  drafting  of  the  NRSF.  This  procedure  was 
consistently  criticised  by  some  members  of  the  Government  Council  for  Roma  Minority 
Affairs (Government Council) and by Roma and pro-Roma NGOs, to whom the final draft 
of the  NRSF was submitted for comments after consultation with representatives of the 
relevant  ministries.  Representatives  of  Roma  civil  society  took  a  negative  stance  about 
this procedure by the Office of the Government Council, demanding that they, along with 
the representatives of the ministries, be able to actively participate in forming the content 
of the draft and not merely be presented repeatedly with the finished draft of the NRSF. 

The  criticism  by  Roma  civil  society  representatives  was  further  supported  by  the 
conclusions  of  the  evaluation  of  the  2015-2020  NRIS,  which  was  prepared  by  the 
representatives of the Roma civil society in the Government Council. The Roma civil society 
representatives  insisted  that  conditions  be created  for  their  effective  participation  in  all 
phases of the implementation of Strategy, deeming it essential for determining changes 
in the approach of the Office of the Government Council. Roma civil society members also 
stressed that, due to the lack of their active and dignified participation, the effectiveness 
of the Roma strategies to date had been negligible.  

Members of the Government Council, with the support of the RomanoNet umbrella group 
called  the  Government  Human  Rights  Commissioner  (whose  competencies  cover  the 
improvement  of  the  position  of  Roma  communities  and  their  integration)  to  revise  the 
draft  Strategy.  They  also  insisted  that  representatives  of  the  Government  Council, 
together with representatives of Roma civil society, actively participate in the formation of 
the  content  of  the  NRSF.  They  recalled  that  effective  cooperation  with  Roma 
representatives is an important and prerequisite for the effectiveness of the NRSF in line 
with EU recommendations, and that the chosen formalised procedure does not allow for 
their actual participation in the implementation of the NRSF.  

The  first  meeting  of  representatives  of  the  Government  Council,  NGOs,  and  other 
representatives  of  Roma  civil  society  was  organised  by  RomanoNet  on  24  June  2020. 
During this meeting, working groups were formed according to the strategic goals outlined 
in the draft NRSF. In addition, the basic content of the objectives and measures for each 
of the strategic objectives in The NRSF was proposed, along with the justification of their 
necessity  and  the  period  of  implementation,  responsibility,  and  co-responsibility  of  the 
relevant  ministries  and  organisations.  This  scope  of  work,  implemented  by  Roma  civil 
society representatives, was a necessary precondition for meeting the deadline set by the 
Government of the Czech Republic for submitting the NRSF for its approval.  

It  was  agreed  between  the  Office  of  the  Government  Council,  representatives  of  the 
Government Council, and NGOs that participation in the implementation of the NRSF would 
be set up as a transparent and open process, with their input throughout the process of 
drafting the NRSF.  

7 The department is part of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic. 

12 

 
 
 PARTICIPATION 

More than 30 joint meetings on all strategic objectives contained in the task part of  the 
NRSF  were  held  by  the  civic  members  of  the  Government  Council  and  RomanoNet 
representatives.  The  broader  group  that  participated  in  the  development  of  the  NRSF 
included  organisations  and  individuals  representing  the  interests  of  particular  groups  – 
i.e.,  Roma women, LGBTIQ+ Roma men and women, Roma children, and other groups 
with whom the organisations work within their professional focus (e.g., Roma seniors). A 
number of meetings were also initiated to promote the goals and measures proposed by 
Roma civil society representatives in the NRSF with key ministries – the Ministry of Labour 
and  Social  Affairs,  the  Ministry  of  Education  and  Science,  and  the  Ministry  of  Regional 
Development  –  and  to  link  the  NRSF  with  other  ministerial  strategies,  especially  with 
representatives of ministries responsible for the implementation of the ‘National Recovery 
Plan’, ‘Social Inclusion Strategy’, ‘Education 2030 Strategy’, etc. Particular attention was 
paid  to  the  monitoring  of  data  on  Roma  men  and  women  and  the  adoption  of  specific 
measures targeting Roma. These meetings were the most problematic for representatives 
of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. 

As a result of these meetings with the representatives of the ministries, a consensus was 
reached, with the great input of representatives of the European Commission (DG EMPL), 
about the need for a more effective focus of the NRSF to reflect the current needs, social 
and economic situation and diversity of Roma men and women, a rigorous evaluation of 
the NRSF based on new data sets, and a more effective flow of funds towards Roma.  

1.2.  Roma participation in the NRSF implementation, monitoring, and 

evaluation  

The approach applied by ministries in implementing previous Roma integration strategies 
was not perceived by Roma civil society as effective due to their minimal involvement and 
insufficient  and  effective  cooperation  with  representatives  of  the  government  and 
ministries.  To  address  this  shortcoming,  many  meetings  were  held  with  top 
representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry 
of Regional Development, Office of the Ombudsman, Office of the Government, Ministry 
of the Interior, and Ministry of Industry and Trade. All the meetings were held in parallel 
with implementation of the NRSF drafting. From these meetings a consensus emerged that 
the  participatory  approach  was  insufficiently  promoted  by  civil  society.  To  strengthen 
effective cooperation, it was agreed that the Roma participation would involve a two-way 
flow of information based on the active involvement of Roma in the implementation and 
monitoring of NRSF. 

The implementation of the  NRSF and its understanding has been the subject of further 
discussions related to the necessary  of representation of  Roma men and women in key 
departments  of  state  and  regional  administration,  especially  in  the  Office  of  the 
Government responsible for implementing and coordinating the  NRSF. This requirement 
has been incorporated into the task planned in the NRSF, since to achieve this goal it is 
necessary  to  create  sufficient  professional  capacity  among  Roma  civil  society 
representatives,  including  conditions  that  guarantee  a  responsible  and  task-oriented 
environment. During negotiations, the ministry representatives who were involved came 
to  understand  that  the  problems  of  the  social  and  economic  integration  of  Roma  were 
more complicated than they had originally anticipated. Meaningful Roma men and women’s 
involvement  was  seen  as  desirable  at  all  stages  of  integration  processes  because  it 
promotes  stakeholder  involvement,  leverages  their  unique  knowledge,  and  promotes  a 
concept that is ultimately both less costly and more effective. This requirement has been 
embedded in the NRSF, for example, through strategic goals that strengthen the active 
involvement of Roma in implementing the measures in the approved NRSF and monitoring 
of the NRSF, for example, through the Committee for the Implementation of the Roma 
Integration  Strategy  and  the  Monitoring  Committee  for  the  activities  of  the  Agency  for 
Social Inclusion. The establishment of a Commissioner for Roma Affairs with the aim of 
strengthening the professional and implementation anchoring of social inclusion and Roma 

13 

CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK 
in Czechia  

integration  policies  can  be  considered  a  fundamental  change  that  is  reflected  in  the 
implementation of the entire NRSF. 

The involvement of Roma in paid positions in the state administration has been hindered 
by a longstanding lack of professional capacity among Roma and the perception of state 
administration as having an inhospitable, even hostile environment. Therefore, The NRSF 
places considerable emphasis on the representation of Roma in the implementation of the 
Strategy, in decision-making processes at the local, regional and national levels,  and in 
maintaining state budget funding for the position of coordinator for Romani affairs – a field 
worker for the municipality or its contributory organisation that ensures the integration of 
Roma in the municipality. The NRSF considers the participation of Roma in the working 
bodies of the operational programmes in the 2021-2027 programming period and in the 
advisory and consultative bodies of the state to be essential. In order to strengthen the 
effectiveness of the NRSF, the various ministries responsible for the implementation of the 
NRSF are obliged to develop plans for the implementation of the relevant NRSF objectives, 
which  will  be  continuously  evaluated  in  cooperation  with  representatives  of  Roma  civil 
society. From the interim findings of the representatives of Roma and pro-Roma NGOs, 
emphasis  was  also  placed  on  methodological  support  for  local  authorities,  especially 
municipalities, in ensuring the integration of the Roma minority, including the financing of 
such activities.  

The Office of the Government Council is insufficiently strengthened in terms of mandate, 
institutional capacity, human resources, and budget. It is therefore severely limited in its 
role as an effective advocate for Roma inclusion in all relevant policy areas and in engaging 
key institutions at the national level. Measures to strengthen the capacity and expertise 
of  the  Office  of  the  Government  have  been  taken  to  ensure  the  coordination  of  the 
implementation of the NRSF. 

Recognizing that the Office of the Government does not have sufficient capacity to ensure 
the  implementation  of  the  NRSF  at the  national, regional  and  especially  local  levels,8  a 
measure was proposed by the representatives of the citizen members and subsequently 
adopted  by  the  Government  to  strengthen  the  effectiveness  of  the  Office  of  the 
Government for the implementation of the NRSF through a project that will ensure capacity 
(financial  and  human)  at  all  key  levels  for  the  implementation  of  the  measures  and 
objectives of the NRSF. 

The  NRSF lists indicators for meeting the strategic goals with the  participation of Roma 
men and women that are relevant for meeting the specific and strategic objectives. Several 
meetings have been convened by the Human Rights Commissioner and representatives of 
Roma civil society with representatives of the Ministry of  Labour and  Social Affairs, the 
Ministry of Education and Science, IROP, the Czech Statistical Office, the Ministry of the 
Interior and the Public Defender of Rights (Ombudsman) regarding the collection of more 
accurate  data  on  Roma.  The  conclusion  of  these  meetings  was  aimed  not  only  at 
expressing the risks associated with the complexity and sensitivity of collecting information 
related  to  ethnicity,  but  especially  at  creating  the  necessary  conditions  for  collecting 
information, at least at the level of qualified estimates, across the relevant ministries. In 
the  Strategy,  measures  are  taken  to  strengthen  ethnic  data  collection  across  all  key 
strategic objectives.  

8 The insufficient capacity of the Office of the Government has been repeatedly pointed out to the 

members of the Office of the Government. This requirement was also stated in the previous Roma Integration 
Strategy to 2020 in Specific Objective 12.1.: a) Strengthen the Office of the Government Council for Roma 
Minority Affairs by one functional position to ensure methodological support related to the methodological 
guidance of regional coordinators, Roma advisors and field workers dedicated to Roma integration at the 
regional and local level. 

 
 
 
 PARTICIPATION 

Across all NRSF thematic objectives, tracking, evaluation and data monitoring, including 
evaluation,  is  central  to  fostering  change  in  all  key  areas.  It  is  certainly  not  within  the 
scope of this report to go into the extent of detail on all the objectives and actions defined 
in the NRSF; however, we consider it important to at least outline the directions that are 
considered important in the NRSF.  

In  line  with  the  Antigypsyism  objective,  the  focus  is  on  monitoring  and  analysing 
discrimination  and  court  decisions  in  civil  and  criminal  proceedings  related  to 
discrimination  and  hate  crimes.  Under  Education,  the  NRSF  places  importance  on  the 
collection and monitoring of data on discrimination and segregation in education, and on 
the flow of public funds and their effectiveness with links to the effectiveness of inclusive 
measures. In Housing, emphasis is placed on monitoring the number of homeless people 
according  to  the  ETHOS  definition  developed  by  the  European  Federation  of  National 
Associations  Working  with  the  Homeless  (FEANTSA)  or  the  number  of  housing  benefits 
paid. Under the strategic objective Employment, emphasis is placed on monitoring support 
for  socially  excluded  Roma  in  accessing  the  labour  market,  the  evaluation  of  active 
employment policy instruments, and the need for research into the causes of economically 
inactive  Roma  women.  The  implementation  of  representative  quantitative  research  on 
health and healthcare is pursued in the health area and in the strategic objective Capacities 
and Resources for the implementation of NRSF to monitor grant calls targeting Roma, the 
socioeconomic  situation  of  Roma,  multiple  discrimination  against  Roma  women,  and 
multiple discrimination against Roma LGBTIQ+ persons. 

The information obtained on the representation of the Roma minority in problematic areas 
(housing,  education,  health,  employment,  capacity,  and  antigypsyism)  will  help  in  a 
fundamental  way  to  continuously  monitor  and  evaluate  the  impact  of  policies  and 
measures, activities, and specific programmes. The analysis of the data thereby collected 
will also aim at expressing the effectiveness of the correlation between the resources used 
in  the  implementation  of  the  targeted  measures  and  the  changes  produced  to  refine 
reporting and assess the costs and benefits of the NRSF. 

The  emphasis  on  data  mining  is  an  exciting  opportunity,  and  its  advocacy  is  ground-
breaking in the history of the Czech Roma strategies. It encourages thinking about data 
in new ways and will therefore challenge how data are refined, stored, used and protected. 
A  particular  priority  is  the  development  of  the  necessary  evidence  base  to  enable  the 
Government to determine whether the interventions that are implemented are optimally 
designed  and  targeted,  and  whether  they  meet  the  objectives  of  the  NRSF  within  the 
defined limits. 

1.3.  System of policy consultation with civil society and stakeholders 

The NRSF became a starting document for participation in negotiations not  only on the 
content of operational programmes and calls but also for negotiations on the direction of 
national documents of key ministries, especially the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of 
Labour and Social Affairs, the IROP, and the Recovery Plan. In support of this objective, a 
number of meetings with these ministries have been initiated and held with the demand 
that the Roma minority be actively involved in the implementation of the objectives of the 
NRSF.  

The  system  of  consultation  and  dialogue  that  has  been  put  in  place  has  enabled  the 
meaningful participation of Roma and provided an opportunity to influence strategic efforts 
to implement integration.  

In  agreement  with  representatives  of  the  OPE+,  OP  JAC,  and  IROP  operational 
programmes, the NRCP ensured the participation of citizen members of the Government 
Council for Roma Minority Affairs in the bodies of the respective operational programmes, 
wherein the scope and nature of their involvement and responsibilities were determined 
within these platforms (e.g., in the Monitoring Committee of the OPE+, OP JAC, and IROP, 
the IROP Working Group “Educational Infrastructure”, the OP JAC Planning Commission, 

15 

CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK 
in Czechia  

and  in  other  working  groups  of  these  bodies).  In  addition  to  such  Roma  involvement, 
conditions  have  been  created  for  their  participation  in  expert  national  platforms  with  a 
specific focus, whether led by the relevant departments of the ministries or government 
bodies themselves.  

1.4.  Empowerment of Roma communities at the local level 

The NRSF is a government document that imposes obligations only on the Government of 
the Czech Republic, ministries, and other bodies directly subordinate to the state authority. 
The  NRSF  expects  that  these  bodies  will  implement  the  approved  strategy  and  that 
municipalities will create at least the space for its implementation. However, as it follows 
from the relevant resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic, municipalities are 
exempted  from  the  obligation  to  implement  this  strategy  for  several  reasons:  a)  the 
Constitution of the Czech Republic guarantees a degree of autonomy to municipalities and 
therefore obligations cannot be imposed on them that would impair their right to decide 
on certain matters independently, b) municipalities create their own strategies that focus 
on  different  areas,  in  accordance  with  the  Act  on  Municipalities,  which  obliges 
municipalities to take care of their citizens and the all-round development of their territory. 
Certainly, many other reasons could be found, but all of them would lead to the conclusion 
that it is necessary to create conditions at the municipal level for specific support for the 
Roma and to initiate negotiations with municipal representatives on this matter on the part 
of locally active representatives of civil society and other important persons and entities.  

At  the  municipal  level,  some  municipalities  provide  support  to  NGOs  through  their 
programmes and strategic plans. The specific focus of these  forms of support and plans 
only sporadically addresses the specific needs of Roma. A systematic plan for cooperation 
is not included in the NRSF in relation to the existence of systemic mechanisms that define 
the  scope  and  activities  of  non-governmental  non-profit  organisations  at  the  level  of 
regions  and  municipalities  within  the  social  services  network  or  community  planning  of 
municipalities.  Therefore,  it  is  not  possible  to  consider  this  support  as  sufficient  and 
effective, as evidenced by numerous pieces of research and the still existing demands of 
municipalities aimed at improving the situation related to Roma. 

1.5.  Capacity-building of Roma civil society 

The  current  NRSF  does  not  include  a  clearly  defined  plan  for  cooperation  between 
mainstream  organisations  and  those  focusing  on  Roma  issues.  Such  cooperation  takes 
place  sporadically  between  organisations  (e.g.,  the  membership  of  the  Roma  women’s 
group Manushe in the Czech Women’s Lobby). However, ensuring capacities and resources 
for  the  implementation  of  the  NRSF  is  a  key  requirement  that  runs  through  it,  with  an 
emphasis on supporting Roma and pro-Roma organisations as the main implementers of 
measures  outside  the  structure  of  state  bodies.  As  an  example,  we  can  mention  the 
following measures: 

G.1.6  Provide  methodological  guidance  to  regional  coordinators  for  Roma 
affairs.  

G.2.4 Create an ad hoc working group of the Government Council for Roma 
Minority Affairs to support Roma women.  

A.1.4  Creation  and  implementation  of  a  programme  to  support  Roma 
platforms. 

A.1.5 Support for activities to strengthen Roma participation in elections. 

In cooperation with representatives of the operational programmes, especially the OPE+, 
conditions  were  specified  for  defining  Roma  and  pro-Roma  organisations,  including  the 
umbrella group, and conditions for specific support for their activities in accordance with 
the goals of the NRSF. For example, it was advocated that under Priority 2 OPE+ specific 

 
 
 PARTICIPATION 

calls for  the capacity building of Roma and (pro-)Roma NGOs and support for activities 
aimed at the Roma minority in accordance with  the NRSF will  be announced  (measures 
A1.2, A1.5, B1.4, B2.2, C1.2, F6.1, and G5.4.).  

On  24  August  2020,  the  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Social  Affairs  issued  a  new  call  for 
proposals, No. 137, (‘Capacity Building of Roma and Pro-Roma Non-Profit Organisations 
for Involvement in the Preparation and Implementation of Programmes cofinanced by EU 
Funds’), still under the 2014-2020 Operational Programme Employment (OPE). Within the 
framework of this call (with a total allocation of 30 million CZK, equivalent to 1.22 million 
EUR),  support  was  provided  to  Roma  and  pro-Roma  organisations  such  as  Slovo  21, 
Romodrom, IQ Roma Servis, and Vzájemné soužití (Life Together). This call was the first 
attempt  to  specifically  support  NGOs  in  the  area  of  participation  in  the  activities  of 
monitoring  committees,  working  groups,  and  platforms  of  the  individual  operational 
programmes of the ESIF CZ and in national coordination structures and their involvement 
in:  

a)  The preparation and implementation of the Partnership Agreement and operational 

programmes co-financed by EU funds,  

b)  the process of preparation and implementation of national/regional/local strategic 
documents focused on or closely related to  the integration of the Roma minority 
(at the national level, in particular the Social Inclusion Strategy; at the local level, 
e.g., within the framework of the so-called local partnerships), 

c)  working groups created by municipalities involved in taking a coordinated approach 

to socially excluded localities),  

d)  the cooperation of Roma and pro-Roma NGOs with the public administration in the 
areas mentioned in the above bullet points; e.g., in the form of seminars, talks or 
conferences, or in 

e)  supporting  the  networking  of  Roma  and  pro-Roma  NGOs  and  strengthening 

partnerships with other cooperating organisations. 

With the adoption of specific objective viii (a) of the ‘Regulation of the European Parliament 
and of the Council laying down common provisions on the […] European Social Fund Plus’s 
the operational programmes, there has been a significant shift in the perception of  the 
participation of Roma men and women not only in the design of the NRIS (as illustrated in 
this report) but also in the implementation of measures, data collection, monitoring, and 
reporting. These fundamental rights of Roma are a key element of the positive relationship 
between the state and civil society, whose position in decision-making and participation in 
the implementation of the NRIS has been strengthened.  

17 

 
 
2.  RELEVANCE 

2.1.  Fighting antigypsyism and discrimination  

The sixth monitoring cycle of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance 
(ECRI)  2020  report  on  the  Czech  Republic9  contains  a  recommendation  that  is  closely 
related  to  the  fight  against  antigypsyism  –  namely,  data  collection,  which  has  been  a 
weakness of previous strategies but was corrected in the new NRIS. In Recommendation 
16, the ECRI states that authorities should expand and improve their measures for Roma 
integration and inclusion, including by collecting comprehensive and gender-disaggregated 
data in relation to Roma in the areas of education, employment, housing, and health. Data 
informed  consent,  self-identification, 
collection  should 
confidentiality,  and  exclusive  use  to  promote  Roma  equality.  Indeed,  LEGALNET  in  its 
Discrimination in the Czech Republic 2021 report highlights that the lack of any definition 
of race or ethnicity makes any attempt to collect ethnic data difficult.10  

follow  the  principles  of 

Antigypsyism  is  identified  in  the  NRIS  as  the  main  cause  of  discrimination  and  social 
exclusion  of  Roma,  undermining  integration  in  all  key  areas.  Antigypsyism  has  been 
identified in the draft as a significant cause of problems and barriers in all key thematic 
areas. Antigypsyism has been identified by citizen members as a deep-rooted way of acting 
that is reflected in social and cultural attitudes, making it particularly powerful. While it is 
constantly  adapting  to  changing  economic,  social  and  political  conditions,  it  exists  at 
institutional,  social,  and  interpersonal  levels.  In  general,  antigypsyism  is  built  on 
humiliation,  which  can  lead  to  attitudes  that  may  be  malicious  but  may  also  be 
unintentional and even unconscious.  

Attempts  to  map  the  issue  of  antigypsyism  more  comprehensively  within  and  across 
thematic areas prove highly problematic without relevant data. Members of civic society 
were fully aware of this risk and therefore took action in the NRIS to support research and 
reporting to better understand and map it.  

To  support  this  goal,  the  NRSF  defines  measures  aimed  at  refining  statistics  on  hate 
crimes,  monitoring  complaints  and  court  decisions  about  discrimination,  surveys  of 
victimisation,  and  evaluating  legislative  and  non-legislative  materials  submitted  to 
ministries or the Government of the Czech Republic. 

The measures that will lead to a reduction in the level of antigypsyism are based on  the 
consistent monitoring and evaluation of antigypsyism based on data and research on hate 
crimes  against  Roma  people  and  the  monitoring  of  court  decisions  in  criminal  and  civil 
proceedings regarding discrimination and hate crimes. The analysis of these data will serve 
to  project  effective  interventions  and  necessary  solutions  against  manifestations  of 
antigypsyism, in particular in legislation, policies, and measures relevant to the thematic 
area. 

Antigypsyism is not seen as a separate thematic area in its own right in the  NRIS, thus 
care is consistently taken to integrate it as a horizontal priority into existing policies and 
activities in the NRIS and in the fight against discrimination. In this respect, it is important 
to strengthen the knowledge of antigypsyism among key actors, especially municipalities, 
educators, civil servants, and judges.  

9 ECRI (2020) Report on the Czech Republic (6th monitoring cycle), available at: https://rm.coe.int/sixth-

report-on-the-czech-republic-czech-translation-/1680a0a2b6  

10 European Network of Legal Experts in gender equality and non-discrimination (2021) Country report, 
Non-discrimination, Czechia, p. 28, available at: https://www.equalitylaw.eu/downloads/5475-czechia-country-
report-non-discrimination-2021-1-29-mb  

18 

 
 
 RELEVANCE 

To this end, measures are to be taken to strengthen education about hate crime as part 
of  curricula  at  all  levels  of  education,  including  pre-school  teacher  training.  Equally 
important is the training of police officers, judicial officers, and employees of the Prison 
Service of the Czech Republic, the Labour Office of the Czech Republic, and employees of 
state  and  local  government  and  employees  of  organisations  co-funded  from  the  state 
budget. A key objective here is the prevention of antigypsyism within state administration 
structures. 

An  equally  important  role  is  awarded  to  strengthening  civil  society  in  submitting  and 
promoting proposals and recommendations to strengthen the fight against antigypsyism 
and to increase the effectiveness of active intervention in relevant policy and legislative 
processes, and in collecting data and reporting on cases of antigypsyism and discrimination 
through  the  establishment  of  the  Committee  for  Combating  Antigypsyism  at  the 
Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs. 

The NRIS is introducing a set of targeted measures to effectively monitor, prevent, and 
combat  hate  speech  directed  against  Roma  and  to  more  effectively  punish  prejudicial, 
dehumanizing, or stereotyping speech. This goal is to be achieved, for example, through 
a  recruitment  campaign  by  the  Police  of  the  Czech  Republic  aimed  at  members  of  the 
Romani minority, the continuation of an initiative (HateFree) aimed at critical reflection on 
media  content  in  relation  to  Romani  people,  and  the  adoption  of  a  definition  of 
antigypsyism in the strategic documents of the Czech Republic. 

All planned measures in this area can be considered relevant and correct in content. They 
are aimed at obtaining data in this area that will help identify appropriate ways of mapping 
the full range of its manifestations and practices, with the subsequent aim of  increasing 
the  meaningful  participation  of  Roma  in  the  design  and  implementation  of  effective 
policies.  

2.2.  Education 

Perhaps  the  most  frequently  mentioned  measure  in  Report  on  the  State  of  the  Roma 
Minority for 2020 is the implementation of the recommendation “combat […] segregation 
in schools”. Particularly in Member States that have a high proportion of Roma pupils, a 
systematic, comprehensive, and long-term approach is needed to combat segregation in 
schools and classrooms, which remains a pressing problem that is undermining the success 
of other inclusion measures. 

In this area, more specific goals supported by measurable indicators are expected from 
the institutions that are involved, and especially from the Ministry of Education and Science 
(e.g.,  a  reduction  in  the  number  of  segregated  schools  by  50%  in  the  next  period  of 
implementation of the NRIS, or similar). The expectation of changes based on data is one 
of  the  necessary  conditions  for  measuring  success  not  only  in  this  area.  However,  as 
discussions  with  ministries,  including  the  Ministry  of  Education,  have  shown,  tracking 
ethnic  data  will  be  problematic.  This  is  also  why  it  was  agreed  to  track  data  based  on 
educated  guesses  and  to  refine  them,  a  task  that  will  have  to  be  accomplished  in  the 
subsequent period. The description of the key factors behind the continuing segregation 
in  education  is  divided  into  several  main  themes:  (1)  structural  conditions;  (2)  key 
mechanisms of segregation; and, (3) intervening factors. In this model, the key factors 
contributing to the segregation of pupils have been identified at (a) the local level, (b) the 
legislative  level,  and,  (c)  the  professional  diagnosis  of  children  and  pupils.  In  order  to 
reverse these tendencies, strategic objectives were adopted that are aimed at increasing 
the  participation  of  Roma  children  in  pre-school  education  (C.  1),  eliminating  the 
discrimination and segregation of Roma in education, institutional education and care (C. 
2), ensuring reliable data concerning the agenda of Roma children, pupils and students in 
education, institutional education and care (C. 3), improving and staffing the system of 
counselling in the field of education in institutional education and care of Roma children, 
pupils and students, including youth (C. 4), increasing the level of education of Roma (C. 
5), and ensuring conditions for the meaningful use of leisure time of Roma children, pupils 

19 

CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK 
in Czechia  

and  students,  especially  in  the  field  of  leisure  and  artistic  education,  sports  and  other 
leisure activities, supporting mutual integration and the prevention of risky behaviour and 
socially pathological phenomena (C. 7).  

According  to  the  2019  EC  Communication  on  the  Implementation  of  National  Roma 
Integration Strategies, there is a need to target Roma girls, their parents, and teachers in 
order to combat gender stereotypes and reduce early school leaving, as well as to support 
the  transition  to  and  completion  of  upper  secondary  and  further  education,  including 
through career guidance for Roma students and their families. Furthermore, the Report 
states  that  the  Czech  Republic  does  not  apply  the  measure  “support  for  parental 
involvement”. The NRIS does not adopt a specific measure for parental involvement, but 
their  participation  is  key  in  relation  to  the  rationale  for  some  of  the  measures.  The 
recommendation of the Council for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma in the EU 
in measure 6(e) supports the introduction of measures for effective parental involvement 
in the education of Roma pupils and the establishment of relationships between schools 
and  communities,  including  the  involvement  of  mediators  and  teaching  assistants. 
Measure  C.1.1  of  the  NRSF  refers  to  the  existence  of  programmes  aimed  at  the  active 
participation  of  parents  and  their  awareness  of  the  opportunities  and  importance  of 
education, including their evaluation, as a criterion for fulfilment in paragraph c). However, 
this is the only measure that focuses directly on Roma parents.  

Measure C.7.3 “Supporting extracurricular and leisure activities for children and parents 
from socially disadvantaged environment” states that it is necessary to build community 
centres, which will involve community members, and to give them responsibility for their 
functioning.  However,  the  number  of  such  centres  in  socially  excluded  locations  is 
insufficient. The Ministry of Education’s support is also missing, despite the positive impact 
the  community  centres  at  schools  have  on  improving  school  and  student  outcomes, 
including  their  families.  Reports  on  the  situation  of  the  Roma  minority  in  the  Czech 
Republic,  as  well  as  monitoring  reports  by  international  organisations,  regularly  draw 
attention  to  the  problematic  transition  from  primary  to  secondary  education,  where  a 
higher proportion of Roma students drop out of the educational process. In order to tackle 
this problem, schools and other involved parties should create, among other measures, 
motivational holiday programmes, and support cooperation between schools and families.  

Roma girls are not specifically supported in the NRIS.  

The above objectives were consulted in the framework of a meeting with representatives 
of  OP  JAC  and  OPE+,  the  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Social  Affairs,  and  the  Ministry  of 
Education and Science, as well as with representatives involved in the ’Expert Forum on 
the Implementation of the Judgment D. H. and Others vs. Czech Republic’, the Platform 
for Social Housing which advocates for affordable and social housing, and representatives 
of  the  European  Commission  and  other  stakeholders.  Based  on  the  results  of  the 
negotiations  and  the  long-term  efforts  to  bring  about  changes  in  education,  backed  by 
scientific findings, the measures are appropriately  defined and their implementation will 
lead  to  the  desired  progress  in  key  educational  topics  aimed  at  all  groups  of  children, 
pupils, and students. However, it is desirable that this area is implemented with the direct 
participation of  Roma men and women and NGOs and  that it is not implemented in the 
belief that education is a specialised tool designed to improve the situation.  

Furthermore, the number of Roma children diagnosed with mild mental disabilities is still 
high.  Even  though  (according  to  the  Ministry  of  Education’s  Report  on  the  survey  of 
qualified estimates of the number of Roma pupils in primary schools) the overall proportion 
of Roma pupils educated according to the ‘Framework educational programme for pupils 
with mild mental disabilities’ decreased from 30.6% in 2015/16 to  24.40% in 2019/20, 
this figure is still high and has not changed significantly since the criticism of the European 
Court of Human Rights in 1997. Support for pupils with special educational needs according 
to  Section  16  of  the  Education  Act  is  implemented  mainly  in  the  form  of  counselling, 
consulting activities, or individual education, which measures are submitted in the form of 

 
 
 RELEVANCE 

recommendations  by  school  counselling  facilities.  The  recommendations  specify  the 
individual  tools  (support  measures)  for  enabling  the  inclusion  of  such  pupils.  A  more 
detailed definition is regulated in Decree No. 27/2016 Coll., on the education of pupils with 
special educational needs and gifted pupils, and in other methodological documents of the 
Ministry  of  Education.  In  the  matter  of  the  recommendations  of  the  above-mentioned 
expert departments, the issue of the appropriateness of diagnostics based on tests,  i.e., 
the insufficient ability of school counselling centres to distinguish mild intellectual disability 
from  so-called  social  disadvantage,  is  still  under  discussion.  This  inability  leads  to  the 
erroneous results of the diagnosis of mild mental retardation and the resulting incorrectly 
applied  education  of  children  according  to  the  Educational  Framework  with  modified 
outcomes,  or  the  latter’s  inclusion  outside  the  regular  educational  stream  in  schools  or 
classes established under Section 16(9) of the Education Act. In addition to the above, the 
lack of financial resources reflected in the limitation of the scope of support measures that 
is provided, especially the reduction of the cost associated with teaching assistants due to 
the sharing of their services or by limiting entitlement to their services, can be considered 
problematic.  Another  long-term  problem  is  the  lack  of  availability  of  quality  teaching 
assistants, the failure to establish the position of social pedagogues in school legislation, 
and  the  continuing  lack  of  professional  training  for  teachers,  especially  in  the  area  of 
working with specific groups of pupils, such as Roma. 

For these reasons, the area of segregation and over-diagnosis of Roma children deserves 
increased  attention  and  the  designation  of  specific  and  measurable  goals.  For  these 
reasons,  the  topic  of  child  diagnosis  and  its  implementation  is  addressed  in  the  NRSF 
through monitoring the number of Roma pupils in education within diagnostic institutes, 
educational institutes, and children’s homes with school. Preventive measures may include 
the  continuous  training  of  staff  involved  in  the  provision  of  counselling  services  or 
expanding the capacity of school counselling facilities. 

From this perspective, it is necessary to point out the systemic factors that contribute to 
the segregation of pupils. The first of these is the fact that the vast majority of special 
education centres that issue recommendations for pupil education under Section 16(9) of 
the Education Act are an integral part of schools. This fact is irrevocable unless there is a 
change  in  legislation,  which  cannot  be  influenced  by  the  adopted  Strategy.  Equally 
important  is  the  continuous  monitoring  of  the  diagnostic  tests  that  are  carried  out  and 
their results, the targeting of the financial resources allocated to ensure effective inclusive 
measures,  increasing  the  expertise  of  teachers, and  the  provision  of  additional  support 
positions  (teaching  assistants  (C.6.3),  psychologists  (C.4.2)  and  social  pedagogues 
(C.4.1)). 

2.3.  Employment 

Support  for  a  comprehensive  solution  to  Roma  unemployment,  supplementing  and 
expanding  qualifications,  strengthening  the  legislative  and  practical  implementation  of 
socially  responsible  public  procurement,  support  for  tools  to  address  cases  of 
discrimination,  flexible  forms  of  employment,  and  support  for  entrepreneurs  are  topics 
considered central to the NRIS and for which consensus was found in many meetings with 
representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and especially the Ministry of 
Industry and Trade. With regard to the number of Roma youth NEETs (not in employment, 
education or training), there is need for active labour policies to be tuned to address their 
needs through individual counselling and advice. In the context of access to the labour 
market,  public  employment  services  need  to  be  reformed  in  order  to  provide  practical 
support to Roma jobseekers when transiting from unemployment to the labour market, 
learning  new  skills,  or  upskilling.  Employment  issues  are  addressed  in the  NRSF  under 
Strategic  Objective  E.  Within  Strategic  Objective  E,  we  find  specific  objectives  and 
emphasis  on  strengthening  the  business  environment  in  order  to  create  functional 
mechanisms  for  creating  more  dignified  and  effective  conditions  and  expanding 
opportunities for social entrepreneurship and for NGOs as a major employer, and taking 

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in Czechia  

measures that will drive sustainable employability through developing competencies and 
the self-employment of disadvantaged people.  

To develop new social enterprises, to increase the chances of Roma in socially responsible 
procurement  procedures, or to improve the skills and competences of Roma, especially 
youths and women, measures have been taken to increase education and to improve the 
competences needed for employment in the labour market. These include effective policy 
programmes to support the employment of Roma (especially young people and women) 
and providing opportunities for retraining under active employment policy programmes, 
including specific conditions for the employment of Roma. To strengthen the participation 
of  Roma  businesses,  emphasis  is  also  placed  on  promoting  conditions  for  Roma 
participation in socially responsible public procurement and programmes to support people 
at  risk  of  losing  their  jobs.  Equally  important  is  the  focus  on  monitoring  employment 
discrimination and comprehensively addressing Roma unemployment. 

The proposed measures can be considered clear and necessary, as they are derived from 
the needs that were identified during the negotiations with representatives of Roma and 
(non-Roma) entrepreneurs, social partners, and other stakeholders in the area. In addition 
to the above, the measures aim at the breadth of all relevant target groups. Compared to 
previous strategies, the focus is not primarily on supporting activities within the framework 
of  active  employment  policy,  as  its  implementation  has  not  brought  significant 
improvements, but is still more of a tool for cheap labour provided by Labour Offices for 
municipalities.  

Although the  NRIS is clear on this point and accepts the seriousness of the problem of 
access  to  the  labour  market  for  Roma  men  and  women,  in  our  opinion  it  does  little  to 
educate the majority, especially employers. Labour activation programmes for NEETs are 
lacking.  

2.4.  Healthcare 

Measures in the NRIS relating to health are not cross-cutting in nature and do not have 
the  ambition  to  define  health  as  an  area  where  there  are  concurrent  factors  (multiple 
discrimination) that may create barriers to equal access across the areas represented in 
the  NRIS.  Health,  which  has  so  far  received  little  attention,  has  not  been  sufficiently 
emphasised  in  the  breadth  of  consultations  between  Roma  civil  society  representatives 
and Ministry of Health representatives, as reflected in its narrow understanding focused 
only  on  issues  in  terms  of  discrimination  and  unequal  of  lack  of  access  to  health  care, 
illegal sterilisation, or health inequalities and literacy. 

The NRIS addresses the area of health under strategic objective F. Based on the strategic 
objective, the NRIS formulates these specific objectives: 

•  F.1 Ensure redress for illegal sterilisation of women 
•  F.2 Improve access to and participation in health care among Roma 
•  F.3 Ensure representative quantifiable data on health and health care among 

Roma in all regions of the Czech Republic 

•  F.4 Ensure the availability of health services in time, place, capacity and price, 

specifically for socially excluded populations, including Roma 

•  F.5 Ensure the availability of addiction services for Roma substance users 
•  F.6 Ensure that domestic and gender-based violence in Roma families and among 

Roma LGBTIQ+ people is addressed 

Not  included  in  the  NRIS  is  the  ‘Council  Recommendation  on  Equality,  Inclusion  and 
Participation of Roma’ in the EU’s Recommendation 9(d), which aims to combat the digital 
exclusion of all Roma in accessing health care services, including by bridging the digital 
skills  gap  needed  to  access  health  information.  Although  this  is  a  partial  measure,  we 

 
 
 RELEVANCE 

believe it is worth recalling in the context of the more general issue of increasing the digital 
literacy of the Roma population.  

2.5. 

 Housing, essential services and environmental justice 

The  most  pressing  problem  in  designing  the  draft  measures  was  the  identification  of 
appropriate  indicators  for  measuring  progress  and  monitoring  barriers  to  access  to 
housing. Existing studies and sources of information mainly focus on residents of socially 
excluded localities, which represents only one section of the whole spectrum of problems, 
and therefore this view is insufficient. A starting point for overcoming this narrow focus is 
the collection of data on discrimination in the housing market, carried out across the full 
breadth of the housing market (measure D.1.1).  

In  addition  to  the  above,  there  was  a  consensus  among  the  negotiating  parties  on  the 
need to boost public investment and strengthen the responsiveness to energy efficiency 
improvements in the housing sector through the transition to clean energy.  

For each objective, the NRIS sets out at least one measure, but often more, to achieve it. 
Compared to previous Roma strategies, it expands the participation of NGOs as housing 
providers.  

The NRSF aims to create effective conditions for cooperation between non-governmental 
non-profit organisations and private property owners and investors in providing affordable 
and decent housing.  

The  aim  of  the  measure  is  to  involve  NGOs  in  addressing  housing  needs  by  creating 
conditions for NGOs in the form of soft loans (within the State Investment Support Fund) 
and to ensure the availability of housing even in places where municipalities do not have 
the capacity to develop and support housing for the target group/Roma. Furthermore, the 
involvement of NGOs was defined by measures aimed at the housing support system and 
prevention  of  housing  loss,  the  establishment  of  social  real  estate  agencies,  and  the 
creation of conditions for the implementation of guarantee funds, which will extend support 
for  calls  focused  on  housing  development  (social  housing,  housing  first,  Regional 
Development Strategy, which includes a Guarantee Fund for social housing, etc.).  

The Law on Social Housing, which has not yet been adopted by the Parliament of the Czech 
Republic, was intended to strengthen the right to housing and is considered in  the NRIS 
to be a key prerequisite for an effective social and economic policy. The state of housing 
in the Czech Republic does not show signs of a sudden market emergency but reflects the 
unadjusted  and  unresolved  housing  and  social  situation  since  the  early  1990s,  which 
affects the most vulnerable groups of people, especially  Roma men and women. In this 
area, therefore, measures have been adopted focusing on the legality of the rules for the 
management of municipal housing (D.1.2), and the prevention of discriminatory rules for 
the provision of municipal housing, which has been financed from the funds provided by 
the  State  Fund  for  Investment  Support  and  other  public  sources  (D.1.3;  D.1.4).  An 
important part of the success of the approved measures in the area of housing is built on 
the  monitoring  of  homelessness,  the  effectiveness  and  efficiency  of  housing  benefits, 
access to housing for Roma, and their representation in segregated areas.  

Measures have also been taken to examine whether current housing policy instruments 
(social benefits) are sufficient and do not limit support for multiple households (D. 2.4; 
D.3.1).  

The insufficient rate of housing construction in the Czech Republic is an important  factor 
in  relation  to  increasing  overall  housing  affordability.  However,  deepening  regional 
disparities lead to the need for regionally differentiated instruments and measures, which 
should be developed especially in localities with a large Roma population. With regard to 
the above, it is necessary to adopt measures to strengthen housing affordability (D.2.1; 
D.4.1; D.4.5; D.4.6; D.4.7). 

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in Czechia  

All  the  measures  taken  in  the  area  of  housing  can  be  considered  sufficiently  clear, 
adequate, fundamental, and correctly designed.  

However,  there  is  still  insufficient  and  appropriate  scope  for  the  ministries  to  provide 
incentives through financial instruments and subsidies to groups of owners who, provided 
the  rules  of  state  support  are  respected,  can  become  significant  providers  of  social 
housing. This conclusion is also supported by the energy poverty challenge, which focuses 
on broadly defined vulnerable households, with no attempt to reduce the disproportionate 
burden of specifically targeted interventions as regards the most vulnerable groups, which 
undoubtedly include, for example, elderly households. 

All the policies and measures of the entire NRSF contain general recommendations that 
apply  to  the entire  population  of  Roma  men  and  women,  with special  attention  paid  to 
children, women, and LGBTIQ+ people in particular, with no apparent effort to address, 
for example, persons with disabilities or the elderly, who represent a significant group of 
persons without adequate specific assistance.  The equitable inclusion of all people from 
Roma  target  groups,  whereby  all  people  enjoy  the  same  level  of  protection  through 
programmes, policies, and activities, has not yet been achieved. In addition, the ‘Council 
Recommendation  on  Equality,  Inclusion  and  Participation  of  Roma  in  the  EU’  in 
Recommendation  10(f)  also  targets  support  for  homeless  Roma  men  and  women  in 
particular  in  terms  of  provision  of  social  services  and  access  to  mainstream  services. 
According  to  the  available  information,  it  is  not  known  how  many  of  the  homeless 
population are of Roma origin and how this origin affects their situation, and they are not 
targeted by any of the NRSF measures. 

The NRSF should consider in future the ‘Council Recommendation on Equality, Inclusion 
and  Participation  of  Roma  in  the  EU’  10  h)  on  the  promotion  of  integrated  housing 
programmes  targeting  marginalised  Roma through  measures  such  as  combining  micro-
credits  for  housing  construction  and  maintenance  with  financial  literacy  and  savings 
programmes, construction training, and activation measures.  

2.6.  Social protection 

At the time of the drafting the NRSF, the Constitutional Court, at the proposal of a group 
of 17 Senators, repealed a modification of the law on material need concerning so-called 
zones without housing benefits for the neediest households. Although it is not relevant for 
this report to examine the details associated with the implementation of this legislation, 
the consequences of which are reflected in the lives of many individuals and families living 
particularly  in  segregated  parts  of  municipalities,  it  is  considered  appropriate  to  take  a 
brief ‘look’ at the reasoning of the Constitutional Court. The Court has stated, inter alia, 
that  in  assessing  the  constitutionality  of  this  legislation,  there  has  been  discriminatory 
treatment  of  persons  in  breach  of  Article  3(1)  and  Article  4(3)  of  the  Charter  of 
Fundamental Rights and Freedoms and, in specific cases, a de facto emptying of the right 
to  assistance  in  material  need  necessary to  ensure  basic  living  conditions  under  Article 
30(2),  as  well  as  a  violation  of  the  constitutional  principle  of  equality  in  dignity  under 
Article 1.  

The above extract from the Constitutional Court’s decision is an important prerequisite for 
looking at the legality of social benefits, including the restrictions that are associated with 
them.  Within  the  framework  of  the  draft  NRSF,  based  on  consensus  among  Roma  civil 
society representatives, measures have been adopted that are aimed at monitoring and 
the legality of procedures in the allocation of municipal and urban housing. This focus is 
linked  to  the  illegality  of  assessing  the  conditions  for  obtaining  housing  in  municipal 
administrations on the basis of criteria that exclude recipients of social benefits.  

To combat this situation, the NRSF has taken measures to monitor discrimination against 
Roma people in their access to housing, the legality of the rules for managing municipal 

 
 
 RELEVANCE 

flats,  and  the  rules  for  the  provision  of  flats  by  municipalities  that  have  been  financed 
(built/reconstructed) with funds provided by the State Investment Support Fund. 

The social benefit system may provide a person or household with a housing benefit under 
the conditions set out in the Act on State Social Support and the Act on Material Need. 
The basic housing benefit is the housing allowance, which is provided if the housing costs 
exceed 30% (35% in Prague) of the income of the individual or household. The housing 
supplement  is  a  reimbursement  of  justified  housing  costs  under  relatively  complicated 
conditions, serving to compensate for the income of low-income earners. In general, any 
person  (including  those  in  work)  whose  housing  costs  exceed  a  specified  percentage  is 
entitled  to  housing  benefit,  and  persons  who  are  unemployed  due  to  their  low  income 
derived  only  through  social  benefits  are  eligible  for  housing  benefit  too.  In  addition  to 
these benefits, it is also possible to receive an emergency aid benefit. The Act on Material 
Emergency Assistance, under which the emergency aid benefits are granted,  defines six 
criteria that must be met in order to receive the relevant emergency aid. It is clear from 
the  content  of  these  criteria  that  the  relevant  emergency  aid  may  be  granted  for  the 
purchase of a refrigerator, washing machine, bed, etc., for the costs of a child's education 
or  their  leisure  activities,  or  for  the costs  of  moving  to  adequate  housing  and  paying a 
deposit. In view of situations when there is no entitlement to this benefit and it is therefore 
at the discretion of the administrative body of the labour office whether to grant it, there 
was demand from civil society representatives that the provision of these benefits, which 
greatly assist in obtaining new housing, should be subject to monitoring.  

The NRSF certainly has its limitations, linked to the lack of data and the associated limited 
knowledge of the full range of measures that will enable Roma men and women to obtain 
adequate  social  support  and  access  to  services  in  accordance  with  relevant  national 
legislation. The focus of  the  NRSF is  ‘only’ on emergency benefits. This  ‘limited view’ is 
certainly not appropriate. It is the result of the narrow focus of policies that target Roma 
men and women in socially excluded localities, where the majority of those supported are 
welfare  recipients.  Thus,  the  NRSF  under  consideration  does  not  have  the  ambition  to 
combine  income  support  with  all  the  essential  policies  (e.g.,  education,  health,  etc.) 
considered  necessary  at  a  national  level  for  the  economic  and  social  integration  of  the 
people concerned. 

2.7.  Social services  

The  cross-cutting  strategic  objective  ‘To  ensure  capacities  and  resources  for  the 
implementation of the Strategy’ focuses in particular on strengthening the capacities and 
resources  of  regional  and  municipal  Roma  advisors  or  state  officials,  while  NGOs  and 
informal civic initiatives are seen as experts who should contribute to the implementation 
of  the  measures  that  are  adopted.  Social  services  provided  by  NGOs  support  social 
inclusion in all measures and policies, help individuals meet their needs, promote equality 
and  life  opportunities,  and  are  an  important  contributor  to  improving  quality  of  life, 
opportunities, and reducing the risk of dependence on formal social protection systems. 
While few question that NGOs are an effective tool for the delivery of social policies, the 
work  of  NGOs  has  proven  to  be  a  much  more  controversial  topic  due  to  the  deeply 
entrenched attitude that they are ‘only’ entities that should strive for effectiveness and be 
accountable  for  the  delivery  of  specific  activities.  For  example,  the  appropriateness  of 
adopting  a  specific  measure  focusing  on  strengthening  the  financial  well-being  or 
professional capacities of NGOs was not sufficiently discussed in the drafting of the NRSF. 
The absence of such a focus on support  for NGOs suggests the possible conclusion that 
NGOs are sufficiently financially secure and have sufficient professional capacity. Such a 
conclusion, however, does not hold up when knowing the background of Roma and pro-
Roma  NGOs,  which  have  long  sought  to  support,  for  example,  fundraising,  advocacy 
activities, and strengthening professional capacity in the areas of housing, employment, 
and others. OPE 2014-2020 has responded to this need with a call for the capacity building 

25 

CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK 
in Czechia  

of NGOs (call no. 137)11 and support for these activities in the 2021-2027 programming 
period.  

Several  measures  have  been  taken  to  strengthen  the  role  of  NGOs;  in  particular, 
strengthening  the  exchange  of  information  between  the  state  administration,  local 
government  and  NGOs,  the  participation  of  NGOs  in  consultation  processes  during  the 
preparation of the evaluation of the Roma integration strategy, and the involvement of 
NGOs in all key activities related to Roma.  

In order to reduce the financial burden on NGOs, measures have been taken, for example, 
to allow co-financing of projects from the state budget in the form of engaging volunteers 
at 10% of total project costs. 

While  this  measure  helps  non-profit  organisations  replace  the  form  of  co-financing  by 
offsetting  the  costs  associated  with  securing  human  capacity,  it  does  not  develop  their 
ability  to  strengthen  their  capacity  for  fundraising.  Indeed,  in  general,  NGOs  are 
experiencing an increase in demand for their services. They face specific challenges and 
challenging  conditions  related  to  fundraising,  greater  demands  for  compliance  with 
standards, and obstacles to project planning and implementation. Despite this, the support 
and quality of social services has not been addressed either in the NRSF or in discussions 
with representatives of ministries or Roma civil society representatives.  

We believe that this report is the most useful starting point for analysing this situation, 
especially  in  these  difficult  economic  times,  and  thus  enabling  NGOs  to  improve  their 
operational and financial efficiency in a way that will inevitably strengthen their position 
as  key  actors  responsible  for  Roma  integration  at  central,  regional,  and  local  levels, 
including financially. Such an analysis that would specifically address the needs of Roma 
NGOs  is  not  required  in  the  revised  Strategy,  although  it  is  not  available  in  the  Czech 
environment.  

2.8.  Child protection 

The protection, welfare, and well-being of children should be at the heart of social policies 
such as education, social welfare, and health care, especially for very young children. What 
is clear from the discussions and subsequent content of  the NRSF is the urgent need to 
strengthen  political  will,  particularly  at  the  national  and  local  level,  and  to  increase 
institutional  attention  in  order  to  break  the  vicious  cycle  of  stigma,  prejudice,  and 
conditions  of  discrimination  to  which  children  are  subjected.  The  portfolio  of  these 
demands reveals that, in particular, the health (NRSF, p. 78 ad.) of children, the dignity 
of housing (p. 59 ad.) and the quality of education (p. 45 ad.) are recurrent focal points 
of child protection based on defined needs.  

Although  the  NRSF,  in  measure  B.3.5,  envisages  identifying  the  impact  of  structural 
antigypsyism on Roma, with an emphasis, inter alia, on children, it does not reflect the 
comprehensiveness  of  the  ‘Council  Recommendation  on  Equality,  Inclusion  and 
Participation of Roma in the EU’ 3(d). In addition to this measure, in the area of health, 
the NRSF emphasises improving conditions in the provision of addiction care (F. 5.1), as 
well as within the thematic area “Capacity”, two measures have been taken to prevent the 
over-placement of children in institutional care (G. 2.7) and to promote the collection of 
data on the number and reasons for which Roma children have been placed in institutional 
care and in foster family care (G. 3.2).  

In  terms of  the protection of children, the NRSF does not have a goal that includes the 
creation of a wide range of other issue areas where children would become the main driving 
force for increasing interdisciplinary cooperation and coordination focused on children as 

11 https://www.esfcr.cz/vyzva-137-opz  

 
 
 
 RELEVANCE 

a specific group. In the NRSF, this lack of specific focus is evident  as it does not aim to 
define a specific objective for children and related specific activities. The above appeal is 
an  expression  of  the  growing  visibility  and  importance  of  child-related  issues  and  the 
increasing acceptance of child protection standards in all areas of international policy, and 
therefore requires the involvement of organisations and bodies that have not previously 
addressed these issues and children’s rights. 

2.9.  Promoting (awareness of) Roma art, culture and history 

The  emancipation  of  the  Roma  people  as  a  means  of  strengthening  legitimacy  and 
accountability in relation to raising ‘big issues’ is understood in the NRSF with an emphasis 
on the number of people claiming Roma nationality, the involvement of the Roma minority 
in  public  affairs,  strengthening  cultural  identity  or  developing  culture,  traditions,  and 
language  through  the  media,  non-profit  organisations,  or  the  state  contributory 
organisation  of  the  Museum  of  Roma  Culture  in  Brno,  provided  that  financial  support, 
subsidies, and EU contributions are provided and appropriate conditions are created. In 
pursuit of these objectives, efforts have focused on strengthening knowledge about Roma 
as  a  factor  enhancing  social  inclusion  and  participation.  In  this  thematic  area,  the 
promotion of interdisciplinary cooperation and broader alliances that involve government, 
ministries,  civil  society,  academia  and  other  actors  was  presented  as  crucial.  In  the 
consultations,  the  continued  lack  of  support  for  change  was  evident,  particularly  in  the 
field of education, where there remains a tendency for poor  information about Roma or 
prejudicial portrayals of these groups. The participation of Roma and Roma organisations 
remains a challenge in the field of education, and the proposed measures imply an effort 
to encourage Roma civil society to participate. Although the objectives and measures are 
formulated and designed in a way that is understandable to all actors responsible for the 
implementation of this key area, there is still no effort to extend emancipatory activities 
to  new  horizontal  and  structural  areas  such  as  employment,  health,  or  housing,  or  to 
promote the empowerment of Roma women and men in these sectors, thus strengthening 
social justice.  

Within this area, there is a need to include work with the majority population, who also 
lack  awareness  of  Roma  history,  culture,  and  the  latter’s  importance  to  Czech  society. 
Specific  objective  A.2  is  entirely  dedicated  to  promoting  the  cultural  emancipation  of 
Roma. It contains eight measures in this area, such as the establishment of the Roma and 
Sinti  Centre  in  Prague.  It  further  mandates  the  inclusion  of  Roma  themes  in  the  public 
service media (Czech Television (ČT), and Czech Radio (ČRo)), both in the form of national 
formats and the inclusion of Roma and Roma themes in mainstream formats, and in the 
inclusion of Romani as a language of mainstream communication in public service media 
(ČT, ČRo). However, in contrast to this recommendation, it does not foresee the meeting 
of  different  population  groups,  the  education  of  the  majority  population  in  the  area  of 
tolerance, or the acceptance of Roma men and  women as fellow citizens with a shared 
history.  

27 

 
3.  EXPECTED EFFECTIVENESS 

3.1.  Coherence with related domestic and European policies  

The NRSF makes sufficient reference to international, European, and national documents 
and standards. The content of the NRSF evaluated in this report shows that it is linked to 
the  main  objectives  of  the  Czech  NRIS,  including  its  links  to  policies  implemented  or 
coordinated  at  the  EU  level,  as  well  as  to  international  initiatives  within  the  Council  of 
Europe and to the recommendations of EU monitoring mechanisms.  

The  NRSF  is  in  line  with  the  call  of  the  new  ‘EU  Roma  Strategic  Framework’  to  act 
thematically, as it addresses all proposed equality areas where it does not focus directly 
on  changing  legislation,  but  just  on  assessing  the  already  existing  legislation  from  the 
perspective of discrimination (B. 1.5, B. 2.1, E.2.3, E.2.4) or strengthening it to guarantee 
better conditions, e.g. in education (C.4.1.), employment (E.3.2, E.3.1), health (F.1.1), 
etc. Other thematic areas have been mentioned in this report and can be seen from their 
focus to be consistent with the areas of inclusion, participation, education, employment, 
health care, and housing, with a focus on preventing and combating discrimination through 
appropriate support. From the task-related section of the NRSF, as well as from the derived 
direction of the OPE+, OP JAC programme documents, the financing of the NRSF is ensured 
both  from  EU  funds  and  national  sources,  to  which  the  Czech  Government  is  also 
committed when it instructs the Ministry of Finance to ensure the financing of the NRSF. 
The specific objective of combating discrimination against marginalised communities, such 
as the Roma, and promoting their socioeconomic integration has been embodied in the 
approved  ‘National  Roma  Strategy’.  It  has  thus  become  a  commitment  to  which  the 
Government of the Czech Republic has committed itself, especially in the context of ESI 
funds. In the case of national grant calls and support, while this specific objective is not 
embedded in the policies of national authorities, the need for targeted support aimed at 
Roma has been defined across ministries as appropriate and the need to refine data on 
Roma,  including  reporting  on  support  provided  for  their  socioeconomic  integration,  will 
continue to be discussed further. 

To strengthen the national coherence of the NRSF, specific emphasis was placed on linking 
the measures and objectives with other key national documents, especially the National 
Recovery  Plan,  the  Partnership  Agreement,  the  OPE,  OP  JAC  and  IROP  programme 
documents, and consultations were held with representatives of the Ministry of Labour and 
Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry 
of the Interior, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. A number of discussions were held 
about this objective with the request that reference to the NRSF be incorporated into other 
national strategies, or that objectives and measures reflecting the specific needs of Roma 
be included. In this sphere of linkage with national documents of considerable importance, 
it  was  possible  to  promote  specifically  targeted  measures  and  objectives  for  Roma, 
especially  in  the  OPE+  and  OP  JAC  programming  documents,  which,  compared  to  the 
previous period, can be considered a revolutionary step. In OPE+, specific objectives were 
adopted to support Roma and specific resources were allocated to support them. A similar 
specific  focus  can  be  traced  in  the  OP  JAC  programming  document.  To  strengthen  the 
specific direction of ESF+ calls, the participation of Roma in the working bodies of OPE+, 
OP JAC and IROP has been extended.  

In the ‘National Recovery Plan’, several measures have been adopted that are generally 
aimed at supporting socially excluded people or those at risk of social exclusion:  

“In terms of direct support for equal opportunities for all and the prevention of 
social exclusion, the components of Pillar 3 – education and the labour market 
–  are  particularly  important.  Specifically,  for  component  3.1  Innovation  in 
education in the context of digitalisation, this is investment 3.1.3 Mobile digital 
devices fund for disadvantaged pupils and digitalisation of schools, which aims 

28 

 
 EXPECTED EFFECTIVENESS 

at the fact that  the task of the education system is to prevent the so-called 
digital divide between pupils regardless of their socio-economic, health or other 
disadvantages.  Furthermore,  Component  3.2  Adaptation  of  the  capacity  and 
focus  of  school  programmes,  in  particular  investment  3.2.2  Introduction  of 
measures to support schools with a higher number of excluded localities - this 
concerns support for the most at-risk schools, which are often schools attended 
significantly by Roma children, and 3.2.3 Introduction of measures for tutoring 
pupils and targeted preparation for teaching, which aims to introduce measures 
to support schools in areas with a higher number of excluded localities”. 

3.2.  Responsibility for NRSF coordination and monitoring 

The  NRCP  located  within  the  Office  of  the  Government  is  the  lead  agency  and  central 
coordinator  for  the  implementation  of  the  NRSF  across  public  administration,  the  non-
profit sector, and research institutions, whose responsibility includes, last but not least, 
the  provision  of  the  necessary  data  for  the  collection  of  data  to  populate  the  set  of 
indicators and inform the NRSF evaluation.  

The Office of the Government is a body in charge of inter-ministerial coordination, strategic 
planning and management, and is therefore a logically appropriate organ of the state to 
coordinate the implementation of the NRSF, provided it has sufficient professional capacity 
and resources. This assumption has not been ensured in the long term, despite repeated 
urging by Roma civil society representatives. The lack of capacity, resources, and mandate 
of this body poses many threats to the functional ability to coordinate and implement the 
implementation of the NRSF, including monitoring mechanisms.  

The principle of participation of state and local authorities is a necessary attribute for the 
implementation  of  the  NRSF.  The  representation  of  regions  and  local  governments  has 
long  been  problematic.  The  representation  of  regions  can  often  be  understood  only  in 
connection  with  the  participation  of  coordinators  for  Roma  affairs  working  at  regional 
offices, who, as part of their activities, cooperate with Roma advisors at municipalities with 
extended  competence  and  field  workers  at  municipalities.  This  extent  of  cooperation 
between  the  regions  cannot  be  considered  sufficient.  A  much  more  serious  risk  of 
participation can be attributed to the low level of participation of municipalities. It is the 
participation  of  municipalities  that  constitutes  the  basic  prerequisite  for  the  functional 
implementation of the NRSF at the level of these bodies and for maintaining the legitimacy 
of  the  measures  to  be  implemented  especially  at  the  level  of  these  bodies.  The 
representation of regional coordinators in the process of implementation of the NRSF has 
been insufficient for a long time, which is consistently reflected in the gradual erosion of 
the perceived legitimacy and duty of municipalities in the implementation of the Strategy’s 
measures. This situation is due to the legislative division of power and duties between the 
state  and  local  government,  as  mentioned  in  Section  1.4,  and  its  consequences  are 
outlined  in  the  resolution  of  the  Government  on  the  adoption  of  the  NRSF.  Such 
consequences threaten the necessary legitimacy of the NRSF at the regional and municipal 
level and, especially if it is not implemented at the municipal level, may lead to the long-
term  marginalisation  of  local  Roma  men  and  women  problems,  which  may  lead  to  the 
gradual  radicalisation  of  the  persons  thus  marginalised  and  the  logical  rejection  of  the 
meaning and purpose of the NRSF. 

The  aim  of  the  NRSF  must  therefore  be  to  adopt  legislation  that  not  only  allows 
municipalities  of their own free will to voluntarily implement  the  NRSF measures to the 
maximum  extent  but  also,  especially  in  cases  of  urgency  and  in  the  public  interest,  to 
provide guarantees that the NRSF will be implemented to an extent that will not endanger 
Roma men and women. 

3.3.  Quality of the plan 

The  objectives  and  measures  in  the  NRSF  include  the  selection  of  appropriate  ways  to 
achieve them and the definition of expected and measurable results  in accordance with 

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in Czechia  

the time, quality, and financial resources that are required. Responsibility for the actions 
identified  is  assigned  to  specific  ministries,  departments,  and  organisations.  The 
measurability  of  progress  and  effectiveness  of  the  measures  is  established  on  the 
assumption of the existence of relevant data collection, analysis, and classification. From 
the  content  of  the  adopted  NRSF,  where  the  requirement  for  monitoring,  analysis,  and 
evaluation  of  data  is  embedded  across  all  key  areas,  it  can  be  assumed  that  this 
requirement will be met.  

The implementation of the measures is expected to be carried out at the level of each of 
the involved ministries, which will develop their own action plan for this purpose, especially 
in line with the logic of the task part of the NRSF (G. 2.1). The aim of this measure is to 
link the different departmental strategy documents and at the same time avoid duplication 
of measures. As the Government has adopted the NRSF and entrusted its implementation 
to the state bodies (i.e., also to the ministries), this measure can be regarded as binding 
for all bodies entrusted with the implementation of the NRSF in the relevant Government 
Resolution. In addition to the above obligation arising from the Government Resolution, 
all measures were consulted in the preparation and drafting of the NRSF through the lens 
of  realistic  expectations,  effectiveness,  and  realistic  outcome.  There  is  a  certain  risk  in 
adopting  the  measures  to  implement  the  action  plans  of  the  NRSF  in  the  case  of  the 
measure  (G.2.2),  which  assumes  the  consistency  of  this  document  with  the  strategic 
documents  and  action  plans  that  concern  the  integration  of  the  Roma  minority  at  the 
regional and local level, with reference to the explanation of the definition of the obligations 
of the state and local governments in Section 1.4. 

3.4.  Funding 

Within the framework of the preparation and drafting of the NRSF, cooperation has been 
established  between  the  central  authorities,  representatives  of  the  operational 
programmes (OPE, P JAC, IROP) and Roma civil society representatives in the preparation 
of ESIF CR programmes and national calls that are relevant to the implementation of the 
NRSF.  Its  core  interdependence  with  ESF+  programmes  focused  on  resourcing  and 
supporting specific measures in favour of Roma. In support of this objective, the conditions 
for channelling EU and national funding aimed at strengthening the economic and social 
integration of Roma were established together with representatives of the OPE+, P JAC, 
the  Ministry  of Labour and Ministry of Education, in line with the adopted ESF+ specific 
objective  of  supporting  the  social  and  economic  inclusion  of  marginalised  communities 
such  as  Roma.  The  result  of  this  cooperation  has  been  reflected  in  the  content  of  the 
programming  documents,  in  particular  OP  OPE+  and  P  JAC,  where  Roma  represent  a 
specific group of persons in accordance with the adopted specific objective viii a) of the 
'Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down common provisions 
on  the  […]  European  Social  Fund  Plus’,  including  the  provision  of  resources  for  the 
implementation of the measures adopted in the  NRSF. Thus, compared  to the previous 
strategies, significant progress has been made in the financing of the NRSF from European 
resources, which is used for specifically targeted interventions, compared to the previous 
orientation, which was associated with a general and purposeful obscuring of the specificity 
of  Roma  men  and  women,  which  obscured  the  implementation  of  the  NRSF  and  the 
expected changes in the integration of these groups.  

By adopting the specific objective, the financial coverage of the NRSF’s measures has been 
strengthened, especially from ESF+ funds, with their specific targeting being set out in the 
relevant  operational  programme  document,  which  was  presented  and  consulted  with 
representatives of Roma civil society and Roma and pro-Roma NGOs, bearing in mind the 
priorities  promoted  and  approved  in  the  NRSF.  On  the  basis  of  this  cooperation,  the 
conditions for targeted and transparent funding  of the NRSF were created, including the 
representation  of  Roma  men  and  women  in  decision-making  bodies  and  platforms  of 
operational programmes and national calls.  

 
 
 EXPECTED EFFECTIVENESS 

The financing of the NRSF lacks a more effective and strategic use of available resources 
from the private sector, e.g., in expanding investments in infrastructure or from municipal 
budgets in implementing activities at this level. It is clear that, for example, in the area of 
housing or employment, the private sector is a very important actor in the Czech Republic. 
To increase the effectiveness of social housing in all relevant territories, the municipality 
could delegate the creation of social housing capacity to a non-governmental non-profit 
organisation  through  social  housing  agencies.  In  the  case  of  employment,  the  private 
sector  plays  one  of  the  key  roles  in  the  challenges  related  to  Industry  4.0  and  in  the 
implementation  of  dual  training.  Supporting  private-sector  funding  from  sources  other 
than national and European sources would increase the effectiveness of the NRSF and the 
involvement  of  other  sources  would  also  significantly  enhance  the  effectiveness  and 
efficiency  of  the  NRSF  and  the  impact  on  poverty  reduction.  Logically,  support  for  the 
implementation  of  the  NRSF  by  municipalities  and  private  investors  would  increase 
capacity building to strengthen the effectiveness of  the NRSF, as these actors can often 
have  a  greater  impact  on  changes  in  Roma  integration  than  state  authorities  in  key 
measures. 

3.5.  Monitoring and evaluation 

To establish a consistent monitoring mechanism for specific measures and other policies, 
negotiations  have  been  initiated  to  create  the  conditions  for  monitoring  data  to  ensure 
that  concrete  results  and  resources  for  Roma  integration  are  measured.  Numerous 
discussions with representatives of ministries, operational programmes, representatives 
of the Ombudsman and other persons and representatives of entities revealed ambiguity 
in the approach of the methodology and legitimacy of ethnic data collection, which was 
found to be desirable by all parties, but not legislatively feasible to the extent and in the 
ways required to guarantee its greater credibility, addressability, and security. Problems 
and shortcomings in the legislation and practice of the relevant authorities require changes 
not only from the perspective of the law, but also on the part of the approach of Roma 
themselves in understanding self-identification as a basic prerequisite for the collection of 
addressable data. Despite all the pitfalls in this area, it has been accepted by the ESF+ 
Operational  Programmes  representatives  that  for  the  measurability  and  evaluation  of 
interventions and challenges, data collection will  be applied through qualified estimates 
before legal guarantees for ethnic data tracking, including its security, are established.  

The NRSF has assigned one or more measurable indicators to each of the measures, the 
fulfilment  of  which  will  be  continuously  evaluated  in  cooperation  with  the  competent 
authority  responsible  for  the  implementation  of  the  measure.  To  monitor  the 
implementation  of  the  NRSF,  committees  and  working  groups  of  the  Council  of 
Government (Health and Social Committee, Employment Committee, Committee on Roma 
Education, WG on Security, WG on Youth and Other EU Policies towards Roma) have been 
created, which  are  thematically  focused  on  the  areas  monitored  in  the  NRSF.  A  special 
position among these committees is occupied by the Committee for the Implementation 
of  Strategy,  which  monitors  and  evaluates  the  implementation  of  the  objectives  and 
measures  resulting  from  the  NRSF,  which  have  been  assigned  to  the  Office  of  the 
Government  and  other  promoters  of  measures,  including  the  implementation  of  the 
indicators set out in the NRSF.  

As  the  content  of  the  NRSF  shows,  two  revisions  will  be  carried  out  to  reflect  current 
changes  in  society  and  legislation,  as  well  as  to  follow  the  evaluation  of  the  NRSF. 
However, it is not specified whether the implementation of monitoring and review will be 
ensured by a specific part of the financial resources, which in itself raises critical questions 
about their feasibility in terms of the required scope and focus. 

3.6.  Assessment of the expected effectiveness and sustainability 

The active, dignified, and purposeful  participation of Roma civil society, Roma and pro-
Roma  organisations,  and  the  participation  of  representatives  of  ministries  and  research 
organisations  is  a  precursor  to  creating  favourable  conditions  for  the  more  effective 

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in Czechia  

advocacy of the NRSF. It is the active participation of Roma civil society representatives 
that is undoubtedly the driving force behind the success achieved in the implementation 
of the draft NRSF and the support expressed by the Government. In the assessment  of 
civil  society,  the  NRSF  does  not  represent  a  ‘mere’  strategic  document  adopted  by  the 
Government,  but  a  whole  process  involving  an  unusual  combination  of  NGOs, 
representatives  of  the  Government  Council,  and  the  establishment  of  cooperation  and 
coalition-building with representatives of ministries. If we look at  the NRSF through the 
lens of strengthening an equal and fair approach to promoting the goals defined by Roma 
themselves, then the entire process of drafting the NRSF is not only linked to strengthening 
the key competencies needed for the active civic, professional and personal lives of Roma, 
but is also a unique document the content of which Roma have fully identified with.  

The NRSF specifies key actions in all the thematic areas under consideration. Although it 
certainly  has  its  weaknesses  and  certainly  does  not  provide  answers  to  all  problematic 
areas,  it  is  evaluated  very  positively  by  Roma  civil  society  and  is  considered  ground-
breaking and ambitious in many respects. 

 
 
 
4.  ALIGNMENT WITH THE EU ROMA STRATEGIC 

FRAMEWORK 

4.1.  Reflecting diversity among Roma  

The ‘EU Roma Strategic Framework’ has shifted the focus of the overall strategic objective 
from  the  socioeconomic  integration  of  marginalised  Roma  to  a  three-pillar  approach 
including  equality,  inclusion,  and  participation.  The  Czech  NRSF  fully  reflects  these 
objectives and incorporates them into its measures. However, it is not equally targeted at 
all  Roma  groups  identified  by  the  framework.  In  the  following,  we  will  present  the 
identification of the groups, their representation, and the specific problems they face in 
the Czech Republic, their inclusion in the NRSF, and the specific objectives and measures. 
We present the measures by number, as for some groups, such as children, the number 
of measures is high. The limited scope of this report does not allow us to list all measures; 
instead,  we  provide  a  general  assessment  (for  more  on  individual  measures,  see  the 
chapters on Participation, Relevance and Effectiveness).  

Children 

In the Czech Republic, Roma children are significantly overrepresented in terms of specific 
problems in the area of education. The NRSF therefore targets a number of objectives and 
measures at them. The low participation of Roma children in preschool education (with the 
exception of participation in the last compulsory year) is identified as one of the key issues 
in the NRSF. Other problems are the drop-out of Roma pupils from education (almost all 
Roma  pupils  (98%)  attend  compulsory  schooling,  while  only  45%  of  Roma  pupils  who 
could  participate  in  upper  secondary  education  (ISCED  3)  attend  upper  secondary 
education). For the general population, the proportion of pupils attending upper secondary 
education is almost twice as high (81%, NRSF, p. 52); and the persisting segregation of 
Roma children in education (housing segregation is among the most common causes of 
segregation in education).12 

Objectives:  

•  C.1 (increase the participation of Roma children in preschool education);  
•  C.2 (eliminate discrimination and segregation of  Roma in education, institutional 

care and education);  

•  C.3 (ensure reliable data on the agenda of Roma children, pupils and students in 

education, institutional education and care);  

•  C.4 (improve the quality and staffing of the system of  counselling in the area of 
education, institutional education and care for Roma children, pupils and students, 
including youth);  

•  C.5 raise the level of education of Roma;  
•  C.6 ensure support for the development of professional competences of teachers 
involved  in  education,  institutional  education  and  care  and  other  education 
personnel;  

•  C.7 ensure conditions for meaningful use of leisure time by Roma children, pupils 

and students. 

Measures:  To  increase  participation,  the  Ministry  of  Education  and  Science  already 
prepared a new subsidy title for 2021 – kindergarten lunches for the socially needy. Making 
qualified estimates of the representation of Roma pupils across educational institutions is 
a more general measure. The other measures in the NRSF are: for C.1, three measures; 

12 Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey Roma – Selected findings, p. 23 

33 

 
 
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in Czechia  

for  C.2,  six  measures;  for  C.3,  four  measures;  for  C.4,  eight  measures;  for  the  other 
objectives, always three measures.  

Problems with the education of Roma children are chronic and persist despite measures 
and acceptance of the high social and economic costs of segregation and discrimination. 
The NRSF has a chance of alleviating these problems. The proposed measures certainly 
address the relevant problems, but it is not possible to estimate now how successfully they 
will be implemented.  

Women 

Roma  women  comprise  a  specific  group  that  faces  specific  problems,  such  as  being 
subjected to multiple discrimination as Roma, as women in general, and as Roma women. 
‘The EU Roma Strategic Framework’ defines as one of its minimum targets the reduction 
by at least half of the employment and gender gaps for Roma women and men. The NRSF 
also  sets  out  measures  for  the  prevention  and  elimination  of  segregation,  taking  into 
account  the  gender  equality  perspective.  However,  these  objectives  are  not  sufficiently 
part of either the ‘Roma’ or the ‘gender’ strategy. The topic of equality is a cross-cutting 
theme included in the ‘Government Strategy for Gender Equality in the Czech Republic for 
2014-2020’. In the development of the NRSF, this document was also taken into account 
although the Government Strategy for Gender Equality explicitly deals with Roma women 
only: a) when identifying them as victims of trafficking for forced prostitution and labour 
exploitation; and, b) when among the threats in the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, 
and threats (SWOT) analysis it includes low level of intersectionality of the NRSF.  

The health strategy identifies compensation for victims of forced sterilisation as one of the 
key  issues.  Further,  cross-cutting,  horizontal  areas,  inseparable  from  the  thematic 
chapters of the NRSF, are discrimination and the fight against it, and the position of Roma 
women and youth. 

The issue of equality of Roma women is also a topic in the key area of employment. In 
addition to the data on the lower level of employment of Roma women compared to the 
general population of women and the employment of Roma men, and the assessment of 
the disadvantages of traditional roles in the Roma community,  the NRSF also notes the 
interconnectedness of the topic of  supporting the participation of Roma children in pre-
school  education  and  increasing  their  chances  of  employment.  Further,  the  position  of 
Roma women is reflected in health inequalities (higher infant mortality, lower birth weight, 
shorter life expectancy). 

Objectives: one of the goals of the NRSF is to reduce the latency of domestic and gender-
based  violence  in  Roma  families  through  the  involvement  of  specialised  workplaces, 
trained  professionals,  psychological  support,  and  non-governmental,  non-profit 
organisations dedicated to preventing and addressing domestic violence, including work 
with victims. Further, the task part envisages the implementation of applied research on 
multiple discrimination against Roma women. 

Measures: 

•  B.3.5 (develop analyses of the impact of structural antigypsyism on Roma, with an 
emphasis  on  particularly  vulnerable  groups  of  Roma,  e.g.,  people  living  in  deep 
poverty, women, the elderly, youth, children, migrants and travellers, LGBTIQ+, 
people with disabilities, etc.);  

•  C.5.2  (ensure  support  for  the  education  of  Roma  secondary  school  students, 
including those returning to the education system (after drop-out), also focusing 
on Roma mothers);  

•  E.2.4  (conduct  research  on  economically  inactive  Roma  women  who  care  for 

preschool children);  

•  E.5.2 (create more effective programmes of employment support policies for Roma, 

especially young Roma and Roma women);  

 
 
ALIGNMENT WITH THE EU FRAMEWORK 

•  E.5.3  (ensure  the  possibility  of  retraining  under  active  employment  policy 

programmes);  

•  F. 1 (ensure redress for the illegal sterilisation of women);  
•  F.3.1  (implementation  of  representative  quantitative  research  focused  on  health 
and health care among Roma in the Czech Republic, mental health among the most 
vulnerable groups: e.g., adolescents, women, seniors, LGBTIQ+);  

•  F.6.1  (activities  of  an  interdisciplinary  team  that  actively  addresses  cases  of 
domestic and gender-based violence in Roma families and among Roma LGBTIQ+ 
persons,  including  support  aimed  at  strengthening  the  capacity  and  expertise  of 
relevant organisations);  

•  G.2.4  (create  an  ad  hoc  working  group  of  the  Government  Council  for  Roma 

Minority Affairs to support Roma women);  

•  G.3.4  (provide  data  on  the  target  group  of  Roma  women  in  ESF-supported 

projects);  

•  G.3.6 (conduct applied research on multiple discrimination against Roma women). 

These measures address significant problems for Roma women and provide both relevant 
data and address challenges that will lead to improvements in their status.  

Although  Roma  women  feature  prominently  in  the  NRSF’s  agenda,  there  is  a  lack  of 
support for networking among Roma women or direct support for the establishment and 
functioning of women’s Roma and pro-Roma NGOs. 

Roma youth 

Roma youth comprise a specific Roma group that is represented in the Czech Republic and 
deserves special attention. It is included in the NRSF as a cross-cutting, horizontal theme 
in  all  chapters.  The  NRSF  specifically  targets  Roma  youth  through  the  objectives  and 
measures listed below. If they are implemented, the likelihood of which is impossible to 
estimate at the moment as there are too many factors influencing the implementation, the 
measures can be said to be well formulated and planned. As can be seen, the objectives 
focus mainly on education. For key area B (antigypsyism), in our opinion, there is a lack 
of  activation  programmes  for  Roma  youth,  e.g.,  teaching  focused  on  human  and  civil 
rights, promoting Roma pride, supporting the establishment of Roma youth organisations.  

Objectives:  

•  B. 3 (increase the availability of law enforcement support);  
•  C. 2 (eliminate discrimination and segregation of Roma in education, institutional 

care and education);  

•  C. 3 (ensure reliable data on the agenda of Roma children, pupils and students in 

education, institutional education and care);  

•  C. 4 (improve the quality and staffing of the system of  counselling in the area of 
education, institutional education and care for Roma children, pupils and students, 
including youth);  

•  C. 6 (ensure support for the development of professional competences of teachers 
involved  in  education,  institutional  education  and  care  and  other  education 
personnel);  

•  C. 7 (ensure conditions for meaningful use of leisure time by Roma children, pupils 

and students);  

•  F. 5 (ensure the availability of addiction services for Roma substance users) 

Measures:  

•  B. 3.5 (develop analyses of the impact of structural antigypsyism on Roma, with 

an emphasis on particularly vulnerable groups of Roma, such as youth);  

•  C.  2.1  (monitor  the  progress  of  schools  and  school  facilities  in  implementing 
measures to prevent and address discriminatory and segregational approaches to 
education  in  the  institutional  education  and  care  of  Roma  children,  pupils  and 
students, including youth);  

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CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK 
in Czechia  

•  C.6.2  (ensure  the  development  of  a  coherent  continuous  module  in  the  DVPP 

(continuing education of teaching staff) system, also focusing on youth);  

•  C. 7.2 (support the talents of Roma children and youth);  
•  F.5.1 (create conditions for the implementation of addiction programmes aimed at 

the population of children and adolescents at risk. 

Roma Seniors 

Although present as a group that is represented in the Czech Republic that certainly has 
its own specific problems, Roma seniors are not yet part of the focus of the NRSF. They 
are noted in the context of maintaining Roma traditions, whereby younger Roma tend to 
speak Romani with their older relatives, and further in the context of improving access to 
health care. However, the measures are insufficient as none define Roma seniors as an 
exclusive  target  group.  The  measure  aims  to  identify  the  effects  of  antigypsyism  on, 
among others, older persons, but that is the extent of it.  

Objectives:  

•  B.3 (increase the availability of law enforcement support);  
•  D.2 (increase the quality and availability of housing for socially excluded people, 

including Roma – households living with seniors);  

•  F.3 (ensure representative quantifiable data about health and health care of Roma 

in all regions of the Czech Republic (impact on seniors and senior women)) 

Measure:  

•  B.3.5 (develop analyses of the impact of structural antigypsyism on Roma, with an 

emphasis on particularly vulnerable groups of Roma, such as the elderly). 

Roma men and women with disabilities 

It cannot be said that goals and measures aimed at the Roma population with disabilities 
are found in the NRSF, except for measure B.3.5 (to create an analysis of the impact of 
structural antigypsyism on Roma, with an emphasis on particularly vulnerable groups of 
Roma (e.g., persons with disabilities, etc.)).  

Roma citizens of other EU and non-EU countries 

The issue of EU citizens of Roma origin is not yet prominent in the Czech Republic. As far 
as non-EU citizens of Roma origin are concerned, the topic is very relevant with regard to 
the current crisis associated with the reception of Roma refugees from Ukraine. Of course, 
the NRSF could not include these events in its agenda, but in future it will be necessary to 
analyse the different relationship between Czech society and the state towards non-Roma 
and Roma refugees  from  Ukraine.  Analysis could lead to useful additional strategies for 
combating  antigypsyism.  Also,  the  topic  of  stateless  Roma  and  Roma  women  is  not 
relevant in the Czech Republic. 

LGBTIQ+ Roma women and men 

Like women in the Roma community,  members of  the LGBTIQ+ Roma population often 
face  multiple  discrimination.  Therefore,  it  can  be  said  that  the  group  is  relevant  in  the 
Czech Republic and has its own specific problems, to which the NRSF partially responds. 

Objectives:  

•  B.3 (increase the availability of law enforcement support);  
•  D. 4 (support for settlement tools);  
•  F.3 (ensure representative quantifiable data on health and health care among Roma 

in all regions of the Czech Republic);  

•  F.6 (ensure that domestic and gender-based violence in Roma families and among 

Roma LGBTIQ+ people is addressed);  

 
 
ALIGNMENT WITH THE EU FRAMEWORK 

•  G.3 (provide data about Roma) 

Measures:  

•  B.3.5 (develop analyses of the impact of structural antigypsyism on Roma, with an 

emphasis on particularly vulnerable Roma groups (e.g., LGBTIQ+);  

•  D.4.7  (ensure  affordable  housing  for  particularly  vulnerable  groups  of  Roma, 

including LGBTIQ+);  

•  F.3.1 (implement representative quantitative research on health and health care 

among Roma in the Czech Republic, including the LGBTIQ+ population);  

•  F.6.1  (activities  of  an  interdisciplinary  team  that  actively  addresses  cases  of 
domestic and gender-based violence in Roma families and among Roma LGBTIQ+ 
persons,  including  support  aimed  at  strengthening  the  capacity  and  expertise  of 
relevant organisations;  

•  G.3.7  (conduct  the  applied  research  on  multiple  discrimination  against  Roma 

LGBTIQ+ persons). 

4.2.  Combining mainstream and targeted approaches 

The  NRSF  combines  general/mainstream  and  Roma-targeted  approaches.  This  is  most 
evident in the synergy between the NRSF and the Social Inclusion Strategy. Roma are one 
of the target groups of these so-called mainstream measures. In a number of areas, the 
NRIS  follows up with measures specifically targeted at Roma, in particular measures to 
prevent discrimination in access to particular areas. Thus, the NRIS does not duplicate the 
measures contained in the ‘Social Inclusion Strategy 2021-2030’; on the contrary, it aims 
to  complement  the  mainstream  measures  of  the  latter  strategy  and  to  create  the 
conditions for Roma to benefit from these measures (NRSF, p. 10). 

Other strategic documents that are mainstream in nature and have an impact on the NRSF 
are:  the  ‘Strategic  Framework  Czech  Republic  2030’  (especially  the  goals  related  to 
reducing poverty and unemployment, eliminating discrimination, health inequalities, and 
introducing inclusive education), including the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The NRSF goes on to list relevant sectoral strategic documents and strategic documents 
concerning  horizontal  issues  such  as  the  ‘National  Plan  for  the  Promotion  of  Equal 
Opportunities  for  Persons  with  Disabilities  for  the  period  2015-2020’;  the  ‘State  Policy 
towards  Non-State  Non-Profit  Organisations  for  2015-2020’;  and  the  ‘Government 
Strategy for Gender Equality in the Czech Republic for 2014-2020’ (Strategy, p. 11). 

It was clear from the course of the follow-up negotiations that despite the initial refusal of 
representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Labour and 
Social Affairs to specifically target measures at Roma, the Ministry of Labour and Social 
Affairs  became  a  key  partner  in  supporting  this  approach  and  provided  the  best-rated 
conditions for cooperation with the representatives of the civil society. 

It follows that the  NRSF, in the phase we are now evaluating, has managed to strike a 
balance  between  mainstream  and  targeted  approaches  and  thus  to  discourage  the 
(unjustified)  criticism  by  the  majority  society  that  resources  are  disproportionately 
devoted to the Roma community. At the same time, it allows Roma men and women to 
feel that they are an integral part of society. 

4.3.  Usage of instruments introduced by the Council Recommendation 

In Chapter 2, for each sector, we list relevant recommendations that are missing or would 
contribute to a better solution/understanding of the relevant problem. Chapter 1 is entirely 
devoted to participation and therefore, in our opinion, answers the questions about Roma 
participation and its so-called ownership. 

The Council’s recommendation lists the NRSF as one of the main strategic documents on 
which it is based. It is not possible, within the scope of this report, to assess the individual 

37 

CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK 
in Czechia  

recommendations  in  the  context  of  the  NRSF,  so  we  would  only  state  that  the 
Recommendation has definitely helped to create the framework of the  NRSF, but in our 
opinion, the intersectionality (seniors,  support for organising Roma women and youth), 
support for programmes to strengthen Roma identity, Roma  history and traditions, and 
work with the majority, are insufficient. 

 
 
 
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS  

'The present NRSF is a unique document due to the active participation of representatives 
of  Roma  and  pro-Roma  NGOs,  members  of  the  Government  Council,  and  experts  from 
among Roma and non-Roma people in creating its content and the advocacy work in the 
key areas it addresses'. In the relatively short period of time (five months) during which 
Roma  civil  society  was  actively  involved  in  the  process  of  drafting  the  NRSF,  many 
meetings and joint preparations were carried out by the civil members of the Government 
Council to promote the measures with representatives of the ministries and the European 
Commission.  Although  NRSF  does  not  provide  a  fully  exhaustive  description  of  all  the 
problems  of  Roma  society,  compared  to  previous  strategies  of the  same  importance,  it 
does not focus only on Roma living in socially excluded localities, which makes it more 
equitable and diverse. As noted in this report, it continues to lack a focus on the neglected 
groups of Roma elderly and homeless people. In this sphere of critical insight, it provides 
an  opportunity  to  revise  the  focus  of  NRSF  for  subsequent  periods,  thus  providing  an 
opportunity for possible redress. The NRSF thus provides opportunities and challenges for 
a range of partners who can lay the foundations for positive change in areas that are not 
adequately addressed in this fundamental document.  

Recommendations to national authorities 

The progress that should ideally be achieved in all of the proposed areas of the NRSF can 
be traced according to the condition of measurable results as the  fundamental basis for 
formulating and setting up interventions with a specific focus on Roma. The emphasis on 
data tracking is captured in all key thematic areas of the NRSF. However, evaluating the 
implemented measures on the basis of qualified estimates still poses risks to the validity 
and  low  reliability  of  the  chosen  methodology  of  the  responsible  authority  for  the 
implementation of a specific measure in the NRSF. Resolution No. 447 of the Government 
of  the  Czech  Republic  of  10  May  2021  on  the  ‘Strategy  for  Equality,  Inclusion  and 
Participation  of  Roma  2021-2030’  implies  that  the  Czech  Statistical  Office  is  obliged  to 
ensure the implementation of the NRSF within its competence. In terms of the objectives 
and effectiveness of the NRSF, we consider it important that: 

1.  The  Czech  Statistical  Office  has  proposed  and  presented  a  uniform 
methodology for collecting ethnic data that is appropriate for the purposes 
of the NRSF and is implemented adequately on the basis of the law and in 
accordance with Directive 2000/43/EC  of  29  June 2000 implementing the 
principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of their racial or 
ethnic origin. 

Roma participation in the  monitoring  of the policies and measures of  the  NRSF with an 
impact  on  Roma  is  an  important  prerequisite  for  monitoring  the  progress  made  in  the 
implementation of  the NRSF.  Therefore, to  ensure the  active participation  of Roma,  we 
propose that: 

2.  The Government and central government bodies at the national level put in 
place mechanisms and support to guarantee the participation of Roma men 
and women in monitoring based on specific and measurable ethnic data. 

The lack of public awareness of the importance of the NRSF is one of the main obstacles 
to its effectiveness. It is therefore appropriate to focus efforts on raising public awareness 
of  the  NRSF  and  highlighting  the  many  positive  aspects  of  its  implementation.  It  is 
therefore crucial that the objectives and mission of Strategy are understood not only by 
decision-makers and actors involved in its implementation but also by society as a whole, 
so as to lead to the acceptance of the NRSF as an essential and enriching part of society. 
It is therefore desirable that: 

39 

 
CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK  IN 
Czechia 

3.  The  Government  and  central  government  bodies  raise  awareness  of  the 
objectives and measures of the NRSF across the whole of society through 
targeted activities to reinforce its importance and usefulness. 

The success of the proposed direction of the objectives and measures of the NRSF is based 
on  the  assumption  of  participatory  processes  at  all  levels  of  the  state.  Critical  to  the 
success of this objective is that: 

4.  The Government and central government bodies support a number of forms 
of  support  and  opportunities  targeted  at  the  partners  of  the  NRSF 
(municipalities,  regions,  non-state,  public  and  private  sectors)  to  develop 
and implement activities that assist vulnerable groups such as Roma. 

To  promote  a  more  effective  and  strategic  use  of  the  available  funding  sources  for  the 
NRSF, we recommend: 

5.  Creating  conditions  for  channelling  European  resources  in  appropriate 
directions and achieving common objectives of programme synergy across 
the operational programmes OPE, OP JAK, and IROP.  

6.  Creating conditions for financing from the budgets of regions, municipalities, 

and the private sector. 

The Government should ensure access to justice for Roma people who face discrimination, 
antigypsyism, hate speech, and hate crimes. To more effectively implement the measures 
adopted in this area in the NRSF, we consider it important that: 

7.  The  Government  and  central  state  administration  bodies  adopt  a  socio-
political  approach  to  interpreting  the  Holocaust,  antigypsyism,  and 
discrimination against Roma people. Also, that they promote and/or update 
teaching  and  learning  methods  related  to  these  issues  and  develop 
cooperation in this area with various institutional partners and stakeholders 
involved in these issues, including Roma civil society. 

For the NRSF to succeed, the role of partners, especially municipalities and regions, must 
be strengthened and their policies must be consistent with the NRSF objectives. This can 
be achieved if: 

8.  The  Government  prepares  the  conditions  for  shared  responsibility  and 
success  and  for  promoting  and  strengthening  the  implementation  of 
Strategy  for  municipalities,  regions,  non-state,  and  public  and  private 
sectors.  

Recommendations to European institutions 

The NRSF contains general measures that apply to the Roma population, with particular 
attention paid to children, women, and LGBTIQ+ people, without any apparent effort to 
address, for example, persons with disabilities or the elderly, who represent a significant 
group  of  persons  that  lack  adequate  specific  assistance.  The  equitable  inclusion  of  all 
people from Roma target groups,  according to which  all people enjoy the same level  of 
protection  through  programmes,  policies,  and  activities,  has  not  yet  been  achieved.  In 
addition, the ‘Council Recommendation on Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma in 
the EU’ in Recommendation 10(f) also targets support for homeless Roma men and women 
in particular in terms of the provision of social services and access to mainstream services. 
According  to  the  available  information,  it  is  not  known  how  many  of  the  homeless 
population are of Roma origin and how this origin affects their situation. The NRSF should 
consider in the future, for example, the  ‘Council Recommendation on Equality, Inclusion 
and Participation of Roma in the EU’ Recommendation 10 h) on the promotion of integrated 
housing programmes targeting marginalised Roma through measures such as combining 
micro-credits for housing construction and maintenance with financial literacy and savings 
programmes, construction training and activation measures. 

 
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

To support these neglected specific groups of Roma, we propose that: 

9.  The EU authorities focus their support efforts on Roma elderly and homeless 
people, and this assistance be sufficiently thorough to reflect their specific 
needs.  

The allocation of funds and resources must be fair, efficient, cost-effective, flexible and 
coordinated. To achieve the above, we propose: 

10. Supporting  the  empowering  participation  of  Roma  civil society  in  creating 
the  conditions  for  the  effective  use  of  funding  sources  within  the  EU,  but 
also from national and private sources, while ensuring that these funds are 
effectively used to implement the measures in the Strategy. 

Recommendations to civil society 

The lack of a tradition of participation within Roma civil society is a fundamental barrier to 
the strengthening of planned interventions and success promoting the interests and needs 
of Roma people. In this regard, we recommend: 

11. Supporting the empowering participation of Roma civil society and creating 
a framework for joint activities and aligning such  activities to be effective 
and in line with the NRSF objectives. 

41 

 
REFERENCES 

Key policy documents and reports 

Czech Republic (2013) Government Strategy for Gender Equality in the Czech Republic 
2014-2020. Available at: https://www.vlada.cz/assets/ppov/rovne-prilezitosti-zen-a-
muzu/Projekt_Optimalizace/Strategie-pro-rovnost-zen-a-muzu-v-CR-na-leta-2014-
2020.pdf  

Czech Republic (2014) State Policy towards NGOs for 2015–2020. Available at: 
https://www.vlada.cz/cz/ppov/rnno/dokumenty/statni-politika-vuci-nno-na-leta-2015---
2020-133505/  

Czech Republic (2015) Roma Integration Strategy to 2020. Available at: 
https://www.vlada.cz/assets/ppov/zalezitosti-romske-komunity/Strategie-romske-
integrace-do-roku-2020.pdf  

Czech Republic (2020) National Plan for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities for Persons 
with Disabilities 2021-2025. Available at: 
https://www.vlada.cz/cz/ppov/vvozp/dokumenty/narodni-plan-podpory-rovnych-
prilezitosti-pro-osoby-se-zdravotnim-postizenim-na-obdobi-2021_2025-183042/  

Czech Republic (2020) Social Integration Strategy 2021−2030. Available: at 
https://www.mpsv.cz/documents/20142/225517/Strategie+soci%C3%A1ln%C3%ADho
+za%C4%8Dle%C5%88ov%C3%A1n%C3%AD+2021-
2030_roz%C5%A1%C3%AD%C5%99en%C3%AD.pdf/f3290708-edac-c579-05d5-
92ae8cf872c2  

Czech Republic (2020) Strategy for Roma Equality, Inclusion and Participation (Roma 
Integration Strategy) 2021-2030. Available at: https://www.vlada.cz/cz/ppov/zalezitosti-
romske-komunity/aktuality/strategie-rovnosti--zacleneni-a-participace-romu-strategie-
romske-integrace-2021_2030-
188413/#:~:text=Hlavn%C3%ADm%20c%C3%ADlem%20Strategie%202030%20je,ob
%C4%8Dansk%C3%A9%20a%20n%C3%A1rodnostnostn%C3%AD%20identit%C4%9B
%20Rom%C5%AF  

Czech Republic (2020) Strategy of the Education Policy of the Czech Republic until 
2030+. Available at: https://www.msmt.cz/uploads/Brozura_S2030_online_CZ.pdf  

Czech Republic (2021) Report on the State of the Roma Minority in the Czech Republic 
for 2020. Available at: https://www.vlada.cz/cz/ppov/zalezitosti-romske-
komunity/aktuality/zprava-o-stavu-romske-mensiny-v-ceske-republice-za-rok-2020-
192596/ 

Czech Republic (2022) Strategic Framework Czech Republic 2030. Available at: 
https://www.cr2030.cz/strategie/  

Czech Republic. National Recovery Plan. Available at: https://www.planobnovycr.cz/  

ECRI (2020) REPORT CZECH REPUBLIC (Sixth Monitoring Cycle). Available at: 
https://rm.coe.int/sixth-report-on-the-czech-republic-czech-translation-/1680a0a2b6  

42 

 
REFERENCES 

European Commission (2019) Report on the implementation of national Roma 
integration strategies. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/CS/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52019DC0406&from=EN  

European Network of Lega Experts in gender equality and non-discrimination (2021) 
Country report, non-discrimination, Czechia. Available at: 
https://www.equalitylaw.eu/downloads/5475-czechia-country-report-non-discrimination-
2021-1-29-mb  

European Union (2020) Union of Equality: EU Roma strategic framework on equality, 
inclusion and participation. Available at: 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/eu_roma_strategic_framework_for_equality
_inclusion_and_participation_for_2020_-_2030_0.pdf  

FRA (2018) Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey Roma – 
Selected findings. Available at: https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-
2016-eu-minorities-survey-roma-selected-findings_en.pdf#page=25  

Slovo 21 (2014) Roma women mostly have primary or secondary education, income up 
to 10,000 crowns, have faced discrimination at work and when looking for housing. 
Available at: http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/domaci/exkluzivni-vyzkum-slova-
21-vetsina-romek-povazuje-vzdelani-svych-deti-za-velmi-dulezite  

43 

 
 
 
ANNEX 1: LIST OF PROBLEMS AND CONDITIONS 

Fighting antigypsyism and discrimination 

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

Antigypsyism not recognised 
as a specific problem in 
national policy frameworks  

significant problem 

identified and analysed 
sufficiently 

 appropriate 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

Prejudice against Roma  

critical problem 

identified and analysed 
sufficiently 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

Hate crimes against Roma  

significant problem 

identified and analysed 
sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Hate speech towards and 
against Roma (online and 
offline)  

Weak effectiveness of 
protection from 
discrimination 13 

Segregation in education, 
housing, or provision of public 
services  

Forced evictions and 
demolitions leading to 
homelessness, inadequate 
housing, and social exclusion  

Statelessness, missing ID 
documents  

critical problem 

identified and analysed 
sufficiently 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

relevant targets well 
defined 

critical problem 

identified and analysed 
sufficiently 

appropriate 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

critical problem 

identified and analysed 
sufficiently 

appropriate 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

critical problem 

identified and analysed 
sufficiently 

appropriate 

Relevant targets well 
defined 

 n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

13 Despite the antidiscrimination law that is in place, people may face barriers (both internal, such as a 

lack of awareness or resources; or external, such as complicated administrative rules) in benefiting from it. 
Therefore, diverse measures may be adopted to facilitate people’s access to protection from discrimination: the 
right to file a complaint with the equality body or the courts in the public interest (i.e., a CSO files the 
complaint instead of individual victims of discrimination); free-of-charge legal advice/aid from the equality 
body or other public authority or CSO receiving public funding for this purpose; or complaints investigated by 
the equality body.  

It may be that the anti-discrimination law is not enforced well enough to reduce discrimination. 

Therefore, it is important to assess whether effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions are applied in 
cases of discrimination and whether rulings that establish discrimination are enforced effectively.  

44 

 
 
 ANNEX I: LIST OF PROBLEMS AND CONDITIONS 

Misconduct and 
discriminatory behaviour by 
police (under-policing/over-
policing)  

critical problem 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

Barriers to de facto exercise of 
EU right to  

 n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

Education  

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

Lack of available and 
accessible pre-school 
education and ECEC 
services for Roma  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Lower quality of pre-school 
education and ECEC 
services for Roma  

significant problem 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

High drop-out rate before 
completion of primary 
education  

minor problem 

irrelevant 

n/a 

n/a 

Early leaving from secondary 
education  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

adequate but with 
room for  

adequate but with room 
for  

improvement 

improvement 

Secondary 
education/vocational training 
disconnected from labour 
market needs  

critical problem 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

Misplacement of Roma 
pupils into special education  

n/a 

n/a 

Education segregation of 
Roma pupils  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

appropriate 

45 

  
  
CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK  IN 
Czechia 

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

appropriate 

critical problem 

irrelevant 

absent 

absent 

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

appropriate 

Increased selectivity of the 
educational system resulting 
in concentration of Roma or 
other disadvantaged pupils in 
educational facilities of lower 
quality  

Limited access to second-
chance education, adult 
education, and lifelong 
learning  

Limited access to and 
support for online and 
distance learning if education 
and training institutions 
close, as occurred during the 
coronavirus pandemic  

Low level of digital skills and 
competences and limited 
opportunities for their 
development among pupils  

critical 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

appropriate 

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

appropriate 

critical problem  

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

appropriate 

Low level of digital skills and 
competences and limited 
opportunities for their 
development among adults  

Low representation of 
professional professions 
(e.g., school psychologist, 
special educator, assistant 
pedagogue, financial support 
for assistant pedagogues, 
introduction of the position 
of social educator) and 
change in diagnostic tools 
carried out by professional 
departments 

Employment  

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

Poor access to or low 
effectiveness of public 
employment services  

significant problem  

understood with 
limitations 

present but 
insufficient 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

 
 ANNEX I: LIST OF PROBLEMS AND CONDITIONS 

Youth not in employment, 
education or training (NEET)  

critical problem 

irrelevant 

present but 
insufficient 

some targets but not 
relevant 

Poor access to (re-)training, 
lifelong learning and skills 
development  

significant problem 

mentioned but not 
analysed sufficiently 

present but 
insufficient 

some targets but not 
relevant 

Discrimination on the labour 
market by employers  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed insufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Risk for Roma women and 
girls from disadvantaged 
areas of being subjected to 
trafficking and forced 
prostitution  

Primary labour market 
opportunities substituted by 
public work  

Barriers and disincentives to 
employment (such as 
indebtedness, low income 
from work compared to 
social income)  

lack of data 

irrelevant 

absent 

absent 

significant 

irrelevant 

absent 

absent 

critical problem 

understood with 
limitations 

 adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

 adequate but with room 
for improvement 

Lack of activation measures, 
employment support  

critical problem 

 understood with 
limitations 

 adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

Healthcare  

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

irrelevant 

Exclusion from public health 
insurance coverage 
(including those who are 
stateless, third country 
nationals, or EU mobile)  

Poor supply/availability of 
healthcare services (including 
lack of means to cover out-of 
pocket health costs)  

significant 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

47 

  
  
  
CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK  IN 
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Limited access to emergency 
care  

 irrelevant 

Limited access to primary 
care  

minor problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Limited access to prenatal 
and postnatal care  

irrelevant 

Limited access to health-
related information  

significant problem 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

Poor access to preventive 
care (vaccination, checkups, 
screenings, awareness-
raising  

about healthy lifestyles)  

significant problem but 
on the side of Roma 
population, not 
available service and 
sources 

Poor access to 
sexual/reproductive 
healthcare and family 
planning services  

significant problem but 
on the side of Roma 
population, not 
available service and 
sources 

Specific barriers to better 
healthcare of vulnerable 
groups such as elderly Roma 
people, Roma with 
disabilities, LGBTIQ+ and 
others  

Discrimination/ antigypsyism 
in healthcare (e.g., 
segregated services, forced 
sterilisation)  

Unrecognised historical 
injustices, such as forced 
sterilisation  

Inequalities in measures for 
combating and preventing 
potential outbreaks of 
diseases in marginalised or 
remote localities  

significant problem 

irrelevant 

present but 
insufficient 

present but insufficient 

significant problem 

mentioned but not 
analysed sufficiently 

adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

critical problem 

mentioned but not 
analysed sufficiently 

present but 
insufficient 

present but insufficient 

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 ANNEX I: LIST OF PROBLEMS AND CONDITIONS 

critical problem 

irrelevant 

absent 

absent 

critical problem 

 irrelevant 

absent 

absent 

Higher death rates of persons 
of middle age compared to 
majority 

Low interest about health 
and healthy lifestyle in Roma 
communities  

Housing, essential services, and environmental justice  

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

Poor physical security of 
housing (ruined or slum 
housing)  

critical problem 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

Lack of access to drinking 
water  

irrelevant 

Lack of access to sanitation  

irrelevant 

Lack of access to electricity  

irrelevant 

Limited or absent public 
waste collection  

irrelevant 

Restricted heating capability 
(families unable to heat all 
rooms/all times when 
necessary) or solid waste 
used for heating  

significant problem - 
solid waste used for 
heating 

Lack of security of tenure 
(legal titles are not clear and 
secure)  

irrelevant 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

Lacking or limited access to 
social housing  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Overcrowding  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

(Available space/room for 
families)  

Housing-related 
indebtedness at levels which 
may cause  
eviction  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

49 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK  IN 
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Housing in segregated 
settlements/ 
neighbourhoods  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets defined 

Housing in informal or  

minor problem 

not relevant for the 
strategy 

illegal settlements/ 
neighbourhoods  

Exposure to hazardous 
factors (living in areas prone 
to natural disasters or 
environmentally hazardous 
areas)  

Limited or lacking access to 
public transport  

Limited or lacking internet 
access (e.g., public internet 
access points in deprived 
areas, areas not covered by 
broadband internet)  

irrelevant 

minor problem 

not in the strategy 

critical problem 

understood and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Limited or lacking access to 
green spaces  

irrelevant 

Roma excluded from 
environmental democracy  

minor problem 

not in strategy 

Income support (social protection)  

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

High at-risk-of-poverty rate 
and material and social 
deprivation  

 critical 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

formally, not a problem 
since the law states the 
minimum income level 
but the approach of the 
relevant governmental 
offices is often critically 
problematic 

significant problem 

Income support programmes 
fail to guarantee an  
acceptable level of 
minimum income for 
every household  

Limited access to income 
support schemes (low 
awareness, barrier of  

administrative burdens, 
stigma attached)  

understood with 
limitation 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 ANNEX I: LIST OF PROBLEMS AND CONDITIONS 

critical problem  

understood with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

 critical problem 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

 critical problem 

understood and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Ineffective eligibility rules 
(well-designed means-testing 
ensures that those who need 
support can get it; job search 
conditions ensure the 
motivation for returning to 
work)  

Low flexibility of income 
support programmes for 
addressing changing 
conditions of the household  

Discrimination by agencies 
managing income-support 
programmes  

Risk of municipalities 
misusing income support to 
buy votes  

irrelevant 

Social services  

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

Limited quality, capacity and 
comprehensiveness of help 
provided by social services  

significant problem 

irrelevant 

absent 

absent 

irrelevant 

Limited access to social 
services: low awareness of 
them, low accessibility, (e.g., 
due to travel costs) or 
limited availability  

Services providers do not 
actively reach out to those 
in need  

irrelevant 

Limited ability of social 
services to effectively work 
together with other agencies 
(e.g., public employment 
service) to help clients  

Discrimination by social 
service providers  

significant problem 

understood with 
limitation 

adequate but with 
room for 
improvement 

adequate but with room 
for improvement 

minor problem 

irrelevant 

absent 

absent 

51 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK  IN 
Czechia 

significant problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Lack of adequacy of 
programmes for addressing 
indebtedness (providing 
counselling and financial 
support)  

Child protection  

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

Child protection not 
considered in the NRSF  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate  

relevant targets well 
defined 

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

minor problem 

irrelevant 

absent 

absent 

Specific vulnerability of Roma 
children as victims of violence 
not considered  

Segregated or discriminatory 
child protection services 
provided to Roma  

Activities aimed at 
strengthening parental 
responsibility and skills not 
available or not reaching out 
to Roma parents  

Illegal practices of child 
labour  

irrelevant 

Large-scale and 
discriminatory placement of 
Roma children in early 
childhood care institutions  

critical problem 

identified with 
limitations 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

Persistence of largescale 
institutions rather than 
family-type arrangements  

critical problem 

Early marriages  

minor problem 

Barriers to children’s 
registration; statelessness  

irrelevant 

Biased treatment of Roma 
youth by security and law 
enforcement  

 critical problem 

identified with 
limitations 

present but 
insufficient 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

mentioned but not 
analysed sufficiently 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 ANNEX I: LIST OF PROBLEMS AND CONDITIONS 

Inadequate child/ adolescent 
participation  

 significant problem 

identified with 
limitations 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

Promoting (awareness of) Roma arts, culture, and history  

Problems and conditions  

Significance:  

Identified by strategy:   Measures to address:   Targets defined:  

Poor or lacking awareness 
of the general population of 
the contribution of Roma 
art and culture to national 
and European heritage  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

appropriate 

relevant targets well 
defined 

Exclusion of Roma 
communities from national 
cultural narratives  

critical problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

adequate but with 
room for improvement 

Roma history and culture 
not included in school 
curricula and textbooks for 
both Roma and non-Roma 
students  

significant problem 

identified and 
analysed sufficiently 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

 adequate with room 
for improvement 

Lack of inclusion of Roma 
language in schools, and 
development of necessary 
educational materials and 
resources for Romani 
language preservation and 
teaching  

teaching of the language 
only on university level 
low interest in romani 
language learning 
among roma 
minor problem 

significant problem 

understood with 
limitations 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

Lack of memorialisation of 
Roma history through 
establishing monuments, 
commemorative activities, 
and institutionalizing dates 
relevant to Roma history  

Lack of inclusion of Roma 
history on all levels of 
educations. 

critical problem 

understood with 
limitation 

adequate with room 
for improvement 

adequate with room for 
improvement 

53 

 
  
  
 
 
ANNEX 2: THEMATIC MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES 
OF MINISTRIES 

Specific challenges for Roma 

During  the  period  under  review,  consultations  were  held  with  representatives  of  the 
operational programmes with the aim of adopting specific measures in favour of Roma in 
the  new  programming  period,  given  that  the  traditional  measures  facilitating  social 
inclusion were not sufficient for the specific needs of Roma.  

What went well: 

•  During  the  period  in  question,  representatives  of  the  operational 
programmes presented measures with a specific focus on Roma, including 
an estimate of the allocation of funds.  

•  Following a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, specific 

objective 4(j) of the ESF+ Regulation was adopted. 

•  During the meeting with the Deputy for the Management of the Section for 
European  Funds  and  International  Cooperation,  cooperation  on  the 
development of specific measures, the creation of a working group for the 
development of conditions for specific calls and measures and agreements 
between  the  OPE+  and  the  civil  part  defined  by  the  Memorandum  of 
Cooperation were agreed.  

Working Groups within OPE+ and OP JAC 

A dialogue has been held with representatives of ministries and operational programmes 
on how to achieve concrete effects on the lives of the Roma population. The aim of the 
relevant discussions was to find ways to step up efforts and ensure that Roma are actively 
involved in national, regional and local integration policies, while their participation should 
not replace the main responsibility of the State in this area. 

What went well: 

During the consultations it was negotiated with representatives of OP JAC and OPE that 
civil society representatives will participate in: 

•  monitoring committees of operational programmes, 

•  working  groups  of  operational  bodies  with  the  competence  to  create  the 
conditions of specific parts of calls within the given operational programmes. 

Emphasis on data tracking 

The  objective  of  establishing  a  consistent  control  mechanism  for  specific measures  and 
other  measures  and  policies  during  the  period  was  to  ensure  that  concrete  results  are 
measured and that allocations for Roma integration actually reach the final beneficiaries, 
with measurable progress towards the objectives of the national Roma integration strategy 
and that the objectives and measures contained in the national Roma integration strategy 
are implemented. 

What went well: 

In the period under review, a commitment was made by the ODA and OP JAC authorities 
that: 

54 

 
 ANNEX 2: THEMATIC MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF MINISTRIES 

• 

in  cooperation  with  representatives  of  Roma  civil  society,  professional 
institutions  and  other  bodies  (e.g.,  the  Ombudsman’s  Office),  develop  a 
methodology for monitoring data,  

•  establish an indicator system for monitoring the number of Roma men and 
women  supported  in  the  framework  of  activities  and  measures  financed 
from European resources.  

Advocacy activities 

To establish a clear political commitment from not only the government, but also senior 
politicians and officials, steps have been initiated for support: 

•  determining sufficient funds from the national budget, to be supplemented, 

where appropriate, by funds from international and EU sources,  

• 

rigorous  monitoring  methods  to  assess  the  impact  of  measures  on  Roma 
integration,  

•  a  review  mechanism  to  adjust  the  strategy  and  better  implement  the 

national Roma strategy,  

• 

• 

• 

close cooperation and dialogue with Roma civil society, local and regional 
authorities,  

creating the conditions for the implementation of thematic areas with the 
contribution of a multidisciplinary approach linking interdependent areas, 

increase  the  impact  of  the  national  Roma  strategy  by  interlinking  it  with 
other strategic documents. 

What went well: 

Steps have been initiated to reach out to representatives of political parties – information 
has been sent on the activities being carried out to support the national Roma strategy 
and to create the conditions for specific measures impacting Roma.  

Comments and suggestions for improving the strategy documents were received:  

•  National Recovery Plan 

•  Partnership Agreement 

•  OPE+ Programme Document 

•  OP JAC Programme Document 

• 

IROP Programme Document 

•  Comments  and  suggestions  to  support  the  proposals  and  needs  of  Roma  civil 

society, 

•  Consultations with representatives of the ministries of the Ministry of Labour and 
Social Affairs of the Czech Republic, the  Ministry of Education and Science of the 
Czech Republic, the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of 
Health of the Czech Republic, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech 
Republic have been launched.  

Support for the national Roma strategy has been negotiated with all ministries. Only the 
Ministry  of  Education  and  Scienceagreed  to  implement  and  support  the  objectives  and 
measures, but it also expressed disagreement with the adoption of specific objective 4(j) 
of the ESF+ Regulation and some sub-measures.  

Many meetings have been held to support all the measures and objectives of the Strategy.  

55 

CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK  IN 
Czechia 

Name of the meeting/task 
according to the Act of 
Engagement  

Promotion of the education objectives contained in the National 
Roma Strategy  

Date  

10. 5. 2021  

Participants  

Ing. Markéta Pekarová Adamová, MP, Chairwoman of TOP 09 

Issues discussed  

Education, cooperation 

Opportunities and problems identified  The MP is very active on the Czech political scene and is running for the 
Chamber of Deputies on behalf of the coalition SPOLU (ODS, KDU-ČSL, 
TOP 09), which has great electoral potential. In local politics and at the 
national  level,  she  is  involved  in  issues  related  to  social  policy  and 
education. The discussion revealed that she is aware of the insufficient 
impact  of  her  activities  on  the  Roma  population  and  would  like  to 
contribute  to 
in  cooperation  with  Roma 
representatives.  The  discussion  focused  on  cooperation  particularly  in 
the areas of education, housing and employment. 

improving  this 

issue 

Recommendations/suggestions  

Participation in the preparation and discussion of legislative changes and 
measures  in  the  field  of  education.  Creating  the  conditions  for  more 
effective implementation of the objectives of the national Roma strategy 
and the education strategy and policies with a focus on education. 

Progress made  

It emerged from the meeting that the MP welcomes cooperation focusing 
on the thematic areas  of  education, housing, employment, etc. She is 
currently working on the preparation of the elections to the Chamber of 
Deputies,  but  after  the  elections  she  promised  closer  and  continuous 
cooperation, especially on the level of legislative changes. Furthermore, 
she  promised  to  address  and  contribute  to  the  implementation  of  the 
national Roma strategy and the visibility of good examples of projects, 
which can be a space for the visibility of the Inschool project. 

Name of the meeting/task 
according to the Act of Engagement  

Promotion of the education objectives contained in the National 
Roma Strategy with a link to the INSCHOOL objectives  

Date  

12. 5. 2021  

Participants  

Prof.  Ing.  Jiří  Drahoš,  DrSc.,  Senator  and  Chairman  of  the 
Committee  on  Education,  Science,  Culture,  Human  Rights  and 
Petitions and four other representatives of NGOs   

Issues discussed  

Education, cooperation  

Opportunities and problems identified   Legislative changes at the level of the Chamber of Deputies are going to 
the Senate for approval. Discussions with the Senator revealed the need 
to consult with Roma representatives on some of the changes, especially 
if  they  impact  their  lives  and  the  level  of  inclusion.  In  the  field  of 
education  and  human  rights,  it  is  important  to  discuss  and  propose 
possible modifications, support or rejection of legislative changes across 
society, including with Roma men and women.  

Recommendations/suggestions  

Participation in the preparation and discussion of legislative changes and 
measures  in  the  field  of  education.  Creating  the  conditions  for  more 
effective implementation of the objectives of the national Roma strategy. 

Progress made  

Setting  up  cooperation  on  education  issues  and  legislative  proposals, 
mainly focusing on education and human rights. 

 
 
 ANNEX 2: THEMATIC MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF MINISTRIES 

Enforcement of the education objectives contained in the National Roma Strategy with a link to the 
INSCHOOL objectives 

24. 5. 2021  

Vít Rakušan, MP and chairman of the movement  

Mayors and Independents (STAN) and two others  

two representatives of the Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs  

Education, cooperation 

The MP is the leader of the coalition of Pirates and Mayor and Independent (STAN) for the autumn parliamentary 
elections with very high electoral preferences. The need for a more effective and efficient solution to the inclusion 
of the Roma minority emerged during the meeting. He was aware of the existence of a national Roma strategy 
and the objectives of the 2030 education policy strategy.  

Participation  in  the  preparation  and  discussion  of  legislative  changes  and  measures  in  the  field  of  education. 
Creating the conditions for more effective implementation of the objectives of the national Roma strategy and 
the education strategy and policies with a focus on education. 

The MP promised to help promote the relevant goals and measures in the 2030 Education Policy Strategy, with 
particular emphasis on their reciprocity with the goals of the national Roma strategy. Furthermore, the visibility 
of good examples of projects, which may be a space for the visibility of the Inschool project.  

Recommendations  

Meetings  with  politicians  and  representatives  of  ministries  revealed  the  need  for 
cooperation with representatives of Roma civil society. Cooperation based on a quality, 
professional and substantive approach, especially in the areas of education, housing and 
employment, areas that are closely interlinked and contribute substantially to the inclusion 
of  the  Roma  minority.  In  this  respect,  the  opportunity  to  participate  in  proposals  and 
comments  on  legislative  changes  was  offered,  for  example,  to  Senator  Prof.  Ing.  Jiří 
Drahoš,  DrSc.  and  Mgr.  Vít  Rakušan.  The  way  to  this  goal  is  through  contacts  with 
politicians by informing them about problems in the areas related to education together 
with  suggestions  for  solutions  and  monitoring  legislative  changes  that  need  to  be 
commented  on  or  proposing  wording  of  legislative  changes  that  will  correspond  to  the 
goals pursued in the Strategy. Otherwise, establishment of relations will be perceived as 
one  of  many  meetings  without  any  real  benefit.  In  this  matter,  I  further  recommend 
cooperation with public and private organisations and the adoption of measures aimed, in 
particular,  at  eliminating  the  causes  of  inaccessible  and  segregated  education,  housing 
and the provision of advisory and educational services aimed at promoting quality and fair 
access  to  basic  services  and  rights.  Through  this  cooperation,  Roma  will  become  more 
widely known and positioned as expert partners  who are  not reduced to critics with no 
apparent impact.  

Participation in professional platforms 

1)  Research Institute of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs 

During the period under review, I was involved in a project focusing on the development 
of procedures and methods for the implementation of ethnically sensitive data collection. 
Within the project activities, the focus was on defining and developing common procedures 
to  overcome  ethical,  methodological  and  legislative  constraints  for  the  collection  and 
evaluation of ethical data.  

57 

 
CIVIL  SOCIETY  MONITORING  REPORT  ON  THE  QUALITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ROMA  STRATEGIC  FRAMEWORK  IN 
Czechia 

What went well: 

•  Define key risks in ethnic data collection. 

•  Define  legislative  constraints  resulting  from  national  and  European 

standards. 

•  Define areas for statistical monitoring. 

2)  Comprehensive educational support system 

In  the  field  of  education,  the  discussions  in  the  expert  platforms  emphasised  the 
development of key competences in the broader concept of linking knowledge, skills and 
attitudes needed for active civic, professional and personal life, support for the general 
component of education with an emphasis on quality assurance at all levels of education, 
development  of  education  for  sustainable  development  in  a  wide  range  of  interrelated 
environmental, economic and social issues, promotion of open and innovative thinking of 
teachers, increase of motivation, responsibility of pupils and students, modernisation of 
ICT  equipment  in  schools,  improvement  of  material,  social,  housing  and  technical 
conditions for the education of pupils and students, development of career guidance at all 
levels of education, development of elements of interdisciplinarity and knowledge in the 
field of the specifics of Roma children, pupils and students, support for distance forms of 
education,  especially  for  children  and  pupils  from  socially  disadvantaged  backgrounds, 
strengthening  of  professionally  oriented  higher  education  and  offering  professionally 
oriented lifelong learning courses,setting strategic priorities and objectives in the field of 
education  by  a  more  active  role  of  schools  and  educational  establishments  as  potential 
providers  of  further  education,  prevention  of  biased  education  of  children,  pupils  and 
students, teaching staff and other education workers, promotion of a quality inclusive offer 
of formal and non-formal education in areas developing key competences necessary for 
active civic, professional and personal life. 

The above objectives were consulted in the framework of the meeting with representatives 
of OP JAC and OPE, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education 
and  Science,  as  well  as  with  representatives  involved  in  the  Expert  Forum  on  the 
implementation of the judgment D. H. v Others against the Czech Republic, the Platform 
for  Social  Housing  promoting  affordable  and  social  housing  (in  this  platform  I  was 
appointed as a councillor – the highest body of the platform, which brings together more 
than 100 organisations and experts. In addition, regular meetings were held with more 
than  15  Roma  and  pro-Roma  NGOs  and  representatives  of  ministries  (senior  officials, 
deputies, ministers). 

3)  Discussions with representatives of the European Commission and other 

stakeholders 

All  of  the  above  activities  have  been  regularly  consulted  with  representatives  of  the 
European  Commission  and  a  process  of  information  exchange  and  joint  strategies  to 
promote  policies  and  objectives  has  been  initiated,  with  particular  emphasis  on  the 
promotion of the national Roma strategy. 

 
 
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