Speaking to the Anatolia news agency on Wednesday, Biçerli noted that the unemployment rate among Roma is much higher than the national average and that vocational training courses tailored for Roma interests will not only help reduce their joblessness but also facilitate the group's integration with the rest of society.
As part of what is called the “Employment Strategy for Roma,” İŞKUR focused on the 16 provinces that are home to the largest Roma populations in Turkey, including İzmir, Çanakkale, Edirne and Tekirdağ. The vocational training is conducted in coordination with relevant business sectors, and all participants are guaranteed a job upon their completion of the program.
“We believe that pulling Roma out of the informal economy and giving them social security will create positive social and economic results for the next Roma generations,” Biçerli said. İŞKUR also cooperates and exchanges ideas with various Roma civil society organizations to implement the strategy they have developed.
Most Roma in Turkey earn their bread by selling flowers, collecting paper or playing music on the streets, making them part of Turkey's sizable informal economy. They do not have social security and their families face desperate situations when they become too old to work or get sick and are unable to afford hospital care. The number of Roma in Turkey is estimated to be around 2 million, according to “Reaching the Romanlar: A feasibility study report mapping a number of Roman communities in İstanbul,” conducted by the International Romani Studies Network (iRSN) and sponsored by the British Council in Turkey. |
Source : todayszaman.com
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