My Journey of Empowerment as a Roma Intern with/in UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina

While there are varied estimates of the size of the Roma population in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the Law on the Protection of National Minorities recognizes 17 national minorities in BiH, the Roma being the largest. The number of Roma in the country as per the last census (2013) is 13,000 (0.36 percent of the overall population), with the latest official estimates approximate the number of Roma in BiH to be around 25,000 to 50,000. Roma civil society organizations estimate this number to be much higher considering not all Roma persons are registered, or they might be choosing to declare themselves as one of the three constituent peoples.

My story begins in a small but jet one of the biggest Roma communities in BiH in the city of Tuzla.

Growing up as a Roma, I faced countless challenges and prejudices. Discrimination was an unfortunate part of my daily life, but it never compelled me to perpetuate that cycle. Instead of that I have, and I will always choose tolerance and respect for human dignity over discrimination and bullying.

I genuinely believe that change is possible. Being well raised, educated and fair means being valuable to your family, community, colleagues, friends and as they like to say to me "When you enter the room, your presence silences and shatters prejudices towards Roma people.”

As a young Roma leader, an activist and educator for children and youth, I had the unique opportunity to learn and grow in various ways. I have experience educating on diverse topics, but I would point out Theatre of the oppressed, especially forum theater as one powerful technique for advocating positive changes. Forum theater is a participatory and interactive theatre form that encourages the audience to become involved in the performance, aiming to address social issues and promote dialogue. Empowering Roma youth with the skills to lead discussions, facilitate performances, and use forum theatre as a tool for community development, advocacy and engage policymakers, community leaders, and other stakeholders in those discussions. With my guidance Roma youth formed multiple forum theater plays addressing burning issues they were facing.

This experience has been invaluable in shaping my perspective and giving me a sense of purpose. I have eagerly seized every chance to acquire new skills, gain knowledge, and develop as an individual.

However, I have not kept this growth to myself. I have made it my mission to share my experiences and knowledge with other Romani children from my local community. Many of them are not as fortunate as I am, as they lack the means to explore novel places, witness new things, or learn about the world beyond their immediate surroundings.

Per the 2022 survey by Romani Early Years Network, 42 percent of survey Romani families in Bosnia and Herzegovina, reported that their children do not have access to quality services, with limited access to libraries (67.3 percent), early childhood education and care (66 percent), and sports centers (78 percent).

Lack of language skills, limited access to education, and a state of poverty that does not allow for proper studying at home mean that Roma pupils are even sometimes placed in schooling for children with

learning disabilities. Additionally, segregated educational establishments breed a sectioned view of society, which fuels inequalities and discrimination.

In this context, I am trying to be a role model individual for children from my community, but sometimes that becomes challenging, and it is difficult for me because I am aware that finding employment for us often present unique challenges that go beyond the typical job search hurdles, such as Invisible discrimination. We need to understand the fact that invisible discrimination exists, and it represents an additional burden to our efforts.

Despite these difficulties, I and many resilient individuals within minority communities continue to break barriers, advocating for change and inspiring a more inclusive workforce.

I applied to UNICEF as an intern, eager to contribute to the mission and make a difference in the lives of Roma children. As a Roma intern, I knew that my journey would not only be about personal growth but also a testament to the power of inclusivity and diversity within the organization. I was welcomed within the team, and my unique perspective was embraced and valued.

As a Roma inclusion intern, I had the invaluable opportunity to work and learn from experienced colleagues and one of my proudest achievements is the moment of cultural sensitivity we fostered within the team. Being a part of UNICEFs team enabled me to bring closer their perspective through my lens and that allowed me to contribute to a more inclusive perspective in our overarching approach.

My role and contribution were on advancing Roma inclusion within the broader UN (United Nations) multi-agency discourse revolves around advocating for the rights and well-being of the Roma people.

Our proactive approach in fostering collaboration and coordination among various UN agencies, aiming to establish a comprehensive, integrated approach and programmes to Roma inclusion. Fostering UN agencies collective effort to address the multifaceted challenges faced by the Roma community, to share best practices, data, and resources.

I provided support to the team by mapping of various Roma organizations and interventions, role model individuals from Roma communities and those working closely with the Roma community in Bosnia and Herzegovina for facilitating collaboration with these organizations but also enable us to identify gaps in our coverage.

In addition to that I have actively worked with Roma Intern from Podgorica and our senior colleague from Europe and Central Asia regional office (ECARO) on building, strengthening our connections and promoting a sense of cohesiveness and facilitating networking opportunities. Personally, for me this was something of significant importance, to have someone who has similar professional and life experiences as you and works for the same goal throughout the region.

This commitment also involves actively engaging with Roma NGOs, stressing the leave no one behind agenda, and ensuring that Roma communities benefits from the development initiatives.

I want to point out the importance of a given opportunity, we truly deserve more opportunities leading us closer to the first or last step of reaching Inclusion. Real inclusion starts in the moment when we stop talking about it and start feeling and living it.

As someone who is familiar with the draining feeling of exclusion from social circles around me, I am grateful for knowing the feeling of belonging and the power that feeling brings.

“The smallest incidents of our social life contain all the moral and political values of society, all its structures of domination and power, all its mechanisms of oppression.” - Augusto Boal Brazilian theatre director, writer, and politician.

I reflect on my journey from a small Roma community to UNICEF, and I am reminded of the incredible impact that an organization like UNICEF can have when it embraces diversity and empowers individuals from marginalized backgrounds. My experience as a Roma intern at UNICEF serves as a powerful example of how inclusivity can drive positive change and make a lasting difference in the lives of children worldwide.

Stand for equality! Everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of their background. Let us create a world where Roma and other individuals are valued, respected, and included. Together, we can build a stronger and more inclusive community where every child can thrive and succeed!