Retrospective on Amy R. (Rikoon) Confair, “The Hungarian Roma” from Transformation In Post-Communist Hungary Perspectives on Business and Economics, Volume 24, 2006 Amy R. (Rikoon) Confair ’09 is now a Public Health professional. What steps have been taken to improve education, healthcare, housing, and political representation of the Roma in Hungary since 2006? Since 2006, some limited efforts aimed to improve the quality of life for the Roma in Hungary. In 2010, the country created public work programs, such as the “Start Work Programme” fostering employment opportunities for all Hungarian citizens following the recession in 2008. Although these programs combat difficulties finding employment, “Roma face discrimination in some municipalities when applying for and taking part in public work programs” (UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 2016). In 2020, the Council of Europe called for immediate action to “reduce dropout rates in schools and to promote inclusive, high-quality education, and...a comprehensive training programme for teachers in disadvantaged regions” (MTI-Hungary Today, 2020). Despite this call to action, no true change followed. Roma children still face harsh discrimination in schools from teachers and other students, most Roma citizens still live below the poverty line, and all Roma have a significantly lower life expectancy than non-Roma Hungarians. Quality of life for the Hungarian Roma has not improved because “These problems have been sustained by the continued hostility Roma face from police and officials” (Minority Rights Group, 2021). For the most part, have Roma been successful assimilating into the larger community in Hungary? The Roma people have not assimilated into the larger community in Hungary because other Hungarians do not allow them to. Despite the few attempts to implement pro-Roma policies and combat discrimination, racism and hatred by non-Roma Hungarians is too strong. Problems include “a failure to protect Roma community members from attack” (Minority Rights Group, 2021) as highlighted in the 2011 Gyöngyöspata incident where police intentionally failed to help Roma citizens assaulted by vigilantes. Not only are the Roma targeted by the police, parliament members, and average citizens, but they are also the object of abuse in pro-government media. Despite these blatant displays of racism and hatemotivated violence, the state’s response is practically nonexistent. Hungary’s own Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, “himself has described the presence of Roma as ‘Hungary’s historical given…. We are the ones who have to live with this’” (Černušáková, 2017). Additionally, the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic only increased the terrible treatment. Throughout history, the Roma people have been perceived as diseased or unclean, a view only amplified by the pandemic. No matter how many plans are made or programs implemented, until Hungary’s systemic racism is destroyed, the Roma people will never be accepted as part of the country’s community. References Černušáková, B. (2017, January 28). The Roma people's Hungarian Hell. POLITICO. MTI-Hungary Today. (2020, October 12). Council of Europe calls on Hungary to improve roma access to education, housing, Health Care. Hungary Today. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2016, August 18). Hungary: Situation of roma, including employment, housing, education, healthcare and political participation; whether Roma are required to pay a fee for Health Services (2013-July 2016). Refworld. World Directory of Minority and Indigenous Peoples. (2021, February 5). Roma. Minority Rights Group International. Retrospective by Sidney Jankanish ’23, Political Science and International Relations Martindale Retrospectives 6 December 2022
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