| Abstract: | ![]()
SUMMARY: Far generations Gypsies have suffered from oppression and discrimination. Five centuries of slavery, attempted genocide during the Holocaust, forced assimilation and separation under communism have all been part of their history. In some areas of Eastern Europe, 90 per cent of children in state care are of Gypsy origin. In post-communist Eastern Europe economic recession has brought a new wave of anti-Gypsy feeling and violence. In such a climate Gypsy children face a forbidding future. Here in the UK we are currently debating new proposals under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill which could radically affect the lives of Gypsy children and their families. As we consider this legislation, do we have something to learn from the experience of Gypsy children in Eastern Europe? |
