National Agency for the Roma
Encyclopedia
The National Agency for the Roma (Agenţia Naţională pentru Romi or ANR in Romanian
, Themeski Ajenciya le Romengi in Romani
) is an agency of the Romanian government
which seeks to improve the social and economic situation of Romania's Roma minority
, which make up 2.5% of the population and are the country's most disadvantaged minority.
A government agency for Roma affairs was first established in February 1997, under the name of "National Office for the Roma", which was subordinated a component of the Department for the Protection of National Minorities. In July 2003, the agency was renamed the "Office for Roma Affairs". The current National Agency for the Roma was established in October 2004, and became an independent agency of the government.
The ANR is headquartered in Bucharest
(the country's capital) and has regional offices in each of the country's eight development regions
. The president of the ANR is Ioan Gruia Bumbu, who is of Roma ethnicity.
, a regional cooperation agreement between eight countries in Central and Southeastern Europe to improve the social and economic conditions of Roma people.
The agency also has a cooperation agreement with the National Agency for the Employment of the Labour Force, and organises joint initiatives with the purpose of improving the employment rate among Roma people, who currently (as of 2006) have the highest unemployment rate in Romania. The ANR also has a collaboration agreement with the National Council for Combating Discrimination
; together, they coordinate initiatives aimed at reducing discrimination against the Roma.
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
, Themeski Ajenciya le Romengi in Romani
Romani language
Romani or Romany, Gypsy or Gipsy is any of several languages of the Romani people. They are Indic, sometimes classified in the "Central" or "Northwestern" zone, and sometimes treated as a branch of their own....
) is an agency of the Romanian government
Government of Romania
The Government of Romania forms one half of the country's executive branch . It is headed by the Prime-Minister, and consists of the Ministries, various subordinated institutions and agencies, and the 42 Prefectures...
which seeks to improve the social and economic situation of Romania's Roma minority
Roma minority in Romania
The Roma constitute one of the major minorities in Romania. According to the 2002 census, they number 535,140 people or 2.5% of the total population, being the second-largest ethnic minority in Romania after Hungarians...
, which make up 2.5% of the population and are the country's most disadvantaged minority.
A government agency for Roma affairs was first established in February 1997, under the name of "National Office for the Roma", which was subordinated a component of the Department for the Protection of National Minorities. In July 2003, the agency was renamed the "Office for Roma Affairs". The current National Agency for the Roma was established in October 2004, and became an independent agency of the government.
The ANR is headquartered in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
(the country's capital) and has regional offices in each of the country's eight development regions
Development regions of Romania
The development regions of Romania refer to the eight regional divisions created in Romania in 1998 in order to better co-ordinate regional development as Romania progressed towards accession to the European Union. The development regions correspond to NUTS II-level divisions in European Union...
. The president of the ANR is Ioan Gruia Bumbu, who is of Roma ethnicity.
Initiatives
The ANR is responsible for coordinating Romania's involvement in the Decade of Roma InclusionDecade of Roma Inclusion
The Decade of Roma Inclusion is an initiative of 12 European countries to improve the socio-economic status and social inclusion of the Romani minority across the region...
, a regional cooperation agreement between eight countries in Central and Southeastern Europe to improve the social and economic conditions of Roma people.
The agency also has a cooperation agreement with the National Agency for the Employment of the Labour Force, and organises joint initiatives with the purpose of improving the employment rate among Roma people, who currently (as of 2006) have the highest unemployment rate in Romania. The ANR also has a collaboration agreement with the National Council for Combating Discrimination
National Council for Combating Discrimination
The National Council for Combating Discrimination is an agency of the Romanian government, established in 2001 and responsible for applying Romanian and European Union anti-discrimination laws and managing the National Anti-Discrimination Plan. The legal status of the CNCD was established by the...
; together, they coordinate initiatives aimed at reducing discrimination against the Roma.