Gender Dimensions of Roma Inclusion : Perspectives from Four Roma Communities in Bulgaria
This study employs a qualitative approach to inform the development of effective Roma inclusion policies and programs in Bulgaria. The Roma are currently among the least integrated minority group in Bulgaria. This study investigates the key factors...
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
Washington, DC
2014
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/01/19128468/gender-dimensions-roma-inclusion-perspectives-four-roma-communities-bulgaria http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17545 |
| Summary: | This study employs a qualitative
approach to inform the development of effective Roma
inclusion policies and programs in Bulgaria. The Roma are
currently among the least integrated minority group in
Bulgaria. This study investigates the key factors and
mechanisms that promote or inhibit social inclusion of the
Roma with the wider Bulgarian society by examining their
social norms, agency, and strategic life choices from a
gender perspective. The study pursues three research
questions to deepen the understanding of Roma communities
and their inclusion. These are: (i) what are the key
gender-related social norms that influence agency in the
Roma communities included in the research, and how do they
vary across and within these communities?; (ii) what does
agency mean in respect to making strategic life choices, and
how does if differ in terms of women and men, and across the
communities?; and (iii) what can be drawn from understanding
of norms, agency, and life choices that can inform
stakeholders in developing policies that will support their
inclusion, and thereby the implementation of Bulgaria's
national strategy for Roma integration? The study uses the
European Union's (EU's) working definition of
social inclusion as a lens to analyze Roma communities. This
study brings to the fore Roma perspectives while focusing on
gender roles that are shaped by their social norms. Further,
this study looks at how these norms (and roles) are changing
as they encounter the values and practices of the
modernization of Bulgaria. This study is organized as
follows: chapter one gives introduction and background;
chapter two depicts the framework of the study and the
methodological approach. Chapter three discusses the
findings of the study in terms of gender roles and social
norms. Chapter four delves into understanding how social
norms and agency influence the strategic life choices of
Roma men and women, and consequently if these aid in
integrating with the broader Bulgarian society. Chapter five
concludes the study by pointing to areas that may be
explored further for the development of inclusive policies
that will benefit the Roma in Bulgaria. |
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