Positive Action for Roma in Belgium

In its 2011 EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020, the European Commission encouraged Member states to adopt specific, targeted and comprehensive measures to advance Romani integration across the European Union in order to make a real difference in the every day life of the Roma minority. The position of this paper is that positive action measures for Roma may be the missing link to break the vicious circle of poverty, hopelessness and discrimination in which many Roma find themselves. The paper provides an overview of the interpretations given by the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the European Union of the concept of positive action. This is followed by a closer look at problems concerning housing, education, employment, health and poverty which many Roma deal with on a daily basis. The Belgian legislation on positive action is also analyzed as well as specific positive action measures adopted at different policy levels in Belgium. Finally, due attention is given to the need for sensitive, ethnic data in order to implement positive action measures efficiently.