2008年-世界发展银行全球_Czech_Republic___Improving_Employment_Chances_of_the_Roma_139页_1mb

报告摘要

Summary: Improving Employment Chances of the Roma in the Czech Republic

Core Content

This document presents a comprehensive analysis of the labor market challenges faced by the Roma population in marginalized localities of the Czech Republic. It highlights the systemic barriers to employment and outlines policy directions to improve their employment prospects. The study was conducted by the World Bank in collaboration with the Czech Republic Government and includes data from a special labor force survey and insights from various stakeholders.

Key Findings

Low Labor Market Participation: A majority of working-age Roma in marginalized communities are not unemployed but are inactive, meaning they are not employed and not actively seeking work. Specifically, 56% of working-age Roma are inactive, and only 5% are unemployed.
Educational Barriers: Roma in these communities suffer from low educational attainment, with 80% having no more than primary education. Functional literacy and numeracy skills are also severely lacking, with 44% being functionally illiterate and another 44% having only basic skills.
Generational Educational Mobility: There is little upward educational mobility among Roma, and in some cases, educational attainment has worsened over time. Only 21% of Roma children with parents who have primary education or less receive post-primary education, and 54% of Roma children with parents who have post-primary education receive less than that.
Employment Outcomes: Only 27% of working-age Roma are employed, compared to the national average of 66%. A further 12% are in casual employment. The employment gap is largely due to low labor force participation, not high unemployment.
Gender Disparities: Roma women are less likely to participate in the labor force than men, with a participation rate of 30.5% versus 61.3% for men.
Youth and Older Roma: Roma youth (15–24) and older workers (55–64) are more economically active than their Czech counterparts, with 42% of youth and 42.4% of older workers participating in the labor force. However, they also face high unemployment rates.
Skills Deficits: Many Roma workers have limited vocational skills, and even those who are employed often work in short-term, low-wage jobs. The top-paid Roma workers still earn less than the national average.
Indebtedness and Social Welfare: Roma households in marginalized localities often face high personal indebtedness, which acts as a barrier to formal employment. Social welfare benefits are relatively generous, and many Roma rely on them, which can discourage formal employment.
Limited Access to Training: Many Roma who participate in training programs do not complete them, and those who do rarely find employment.

Main Challenges

Lack of Job Opportunities: The labor market in marginalized areas has low demand for unskilled labor, and Roma often compete with foreign workers.
Discouragement and Inactivity: Many Roma have given up looking for jobs due to lack of opportunities and low skills, leading to discouraged worker status.
Educational System Issues: Roma children are often enrolled in special schools for those with learning disabilities, which limits their access to quality education and vocational training.
Cultural and Institutional Barriers: There is a lack of cultural sensitivity in employment services, and Roma often face discrimination and poor access to childcare and other services.

Policy Recommendations

Employment Activation: A new approach to employment activation is needed, focusing on disadvantaged job-seekers. This should involve a mutual balance of obligations between the job-seeker and the labor office, with raised job search incentives and enhanced support capacities.
Skills Upgrading and Education: Subsidized employment and second-chance education programs should be implemented to improve skills and literacy among Roma. These programs must include systematic skills upgrading.
Preventive Measures for Youth: Preventing early school leaving and promoting quality education for Roma youth is critical. This should involve interventions from early childhood through primary education.
Culturally Sensitive Support: The Czech Labor Office needs to provide culturally sensitive and trust-based support to Roma, either directly or through NGOs and other third-sector providers.
Systemic Reforms: Further reforms in the structure and policies of the Czech Labor Office are necessary to enhance its capacity to support disadvantaged job-seekers.
EU Funding Utilization: The Operational Program Human Resources Development (OPHRD) and the Social Inclusion Agency provide opportunities for pilot projects and innovative solutions to improve Roma employment.

Conclusion

The Roma in marginalized localities of the Czech Republic face systemic labor market exclusion due to low educational attainment, limited vocational skills, and poor access to services. The lack of formal employment opportunities and high indebtedness further compound these challenges. To improve their employment chances, a dual framework is required: employment activation for current job-seekers and preventive education measures for youth. The Czech Labor Office must be reformed to better support Roma, and EU funding can be leveraged to test and scale up innovative approaches.