The Roma language and education play a crucial role in preserving Roma culture and identity. However, given the insufficient support and integration within today's educational system, the Roma language is increasingly less spoken and is nearing extinction within Roma communities, which are considered the largest minority in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Roma are the largest of the 17 national minority groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), with the existence of Romani people recorded in Bosnia for over 600 years. Yet, there continues to be a stigma attached to this minority group, which has translated into mistreatment and poor living conditions throughout the country (Minority Rights, Roma, 2015).
Non-governmental organizations are helping to educate and empower hardworking Roma women to take an active role in Bosnian society. The Otaharin Citizens Association for Promotion of Roma Education is a prime example. Otaharin’s mission is to increase the levels of education, social and economic integration, and inclusion of vulnerable marginalized groups, including Roma women. The association has given women like Sabira Hašimović a “normal” life.
Several leading experts and activists came together to review the current state of Roma human rights. Over the course of three panels, the conference featured educational presentations, inspirational speeches, and a short documentary about the everyday challenges Roma endure.
In the small town of Ilijaš just north of Sarajevo, a Roma family wearily explains the severe hunger they face after they have been persistently turned away from the local soup kitchen.
Would you risk your life in order to earn four BAM (two Euros)? Many Roma individuals do so on a daily basis. This perilous practice is but one indication of the multi-dimensional poverty facing the largest minority group of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). This photo story illuminates the daily adversities of the Roma population.