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Roma Youth in Pernik Region Empowered to Recognize and Challenge Discrimination

7 May 2024

Pernik, Bulgaria: 29 February 2024 / Breznik, Bulgaria: 5 March 2024

Students from Ninth Secondary School “Temelko Nenkov” in Pernik and Secondary School “Vasil Levski” in Breznik participated in training sessions focused on the topic of discrimination and its main forms in society. These activities were implemented by the Regional Youth Center –Breznik supported by the MARIO programme.

The students learned that discrimination is a complex and multifaceted issue that can take many forms and appear in various areas of life, including education, employment, healthcare, housing, and even the entertainment industry.

During the training, the most common forms of discrimination in the country were presented. Ethnicity-based discrimination was highlighted, with the Roma community cited as an example, as they often face systemic barriers to accessing quality education, healthcare, and job opportunities, leading to poverty and social exclusion.

Gender discrimination was another topic of discussion. Women in the country, for example, are frequently undervalued in the workplace and are often paid less than their male colleagues for the same work. They are also underrepresented in leadership positions in both the public and private sectors.

Discrimination against people with disabilities was also covered. Although laws exist to ensure equal access and opportunities, infrastructure and services are often not adapted to their needs, making daily life challenging and limiting their ability to integrate fully into society.

Age discrimination in Bulgaria was also examined, especially regarding employment. Older people are often viewed as less productive or capable than younger workers, which can make finding or keeping a job difficult. Conversely, younger applicants may face discrimination, with employers sometimes preferring more experienced candidates.

Training participants shared that the topic of discrimination is personally important to them, with many stating that they had witnessed or heard of cases of discriminatory treatment. They believe that raising awareness and fostering understanding and tolerance are key to addressing this issue.

“My participation in this training gave me more insight into the problem of discrimination. At home, at school, or with my friends, we usually talk about things related to our studies or how to spend our free time. However, discrimination is real, and it’s up to us, the young generation, not to tolerate it,” said Stanislav, one of the participants in the training.

This content is a guest post from one of our partner organizations about their work as part of our ‘Minorities, Accountability, Rights, Independence and Organisational Development’ programme. This article reflects the opinion of its author only and does not engage MRG’s responsibility. Learn more >

MARIO is funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (2021-27) of the European Union (ref: 101091387).

Author(s)

Регионален младежки център – Брезник (Regional Youth Centre – Breznik)

Company/Organisation