Decade of Roma Inclusion

The Decade of Roma Inclusion is an initiative adopted by 12 European countries and supported by the international community. It represents the first cooperative effort to change the lives of Roma in Europe. An action framework for governments, the Decade, which runs from 2005-2015, will monitor progress in accelerating social inclusion and improving the economic and social status of Roma across the region.

The Decade grew out of a high-level conference “Roma in an Expanding Europe: Challenges for the Future,” hosted by the government of Hungary in June 2003. The conference was organized by the Open Society Institute, the World Bank, and the European Commission, with support from United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Council of Europe Development Bank, and the governments of Finland and Sweden.

At this event, prime ministers and senior government officials from eight countries—Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovakia—made a political commitment to close the gap in welfare and living conditions between the Roma and the non-Roma and to break the cycle of poverty and exclusion. Their backing signaled a dramatic change in Roma policy and the political will necessary for reform.

OSI does not administer the Decade of Roma Inclusion initiative, but will continue to be involved in monitoring its progress. Current information—including an outline of the Decade objectives, action plans, and priority areas—can be found on the initiative's website: www.romadecade.org.