Roma Policy Lab

Publications and analyses

Analysis: “Speech containing offence, prejudice and hate against Roma on the social media platform Facebook”

This analysis presents data from a secondary semi-automated processing that relies on a critical review of the performance of algorithms. The aim is, on the one hand, to present more reliable information about offensive speech against Roma on the social media, and on the other hand, to identify weaknesses and typical gaps/errors of the algorithms used for automatic processing.

Research report: Civic participation and civic values among children and young people from vulnerable school communities

How active are young people from vulnerable school communities? What challenges they find exciting and what are their dreams? According to data from a study by the “Open Society – Sofia” Institute, complex and multi-layered trends are observed among students in grades VII-XII from vulnerable school communities in Bulgaria: the overall picture shows a sufficiently high degree of civic energy and readiness to participate in public life . In practice, the degree of civic activity of children and youths from vulnerable school communities is not lower than that of the average adult citizen in Bulgaria.

Impact Assessment Report under the project “Scaling up a sustainable model communities living in non-regulated areas to improve their living conditions – SCALE IT UP”

The Impact Assessment Report has been drafted under the project “Scaling up a sustainable model communities living in non-regulated areas to improve their living conditions – SCALE IT UP”. The project focuses on the need for improving the knowledge and competencies with respect to housing issues and ensuring equal access to public services among municipal staff and contributes to their active involvement in the process of overcoming the existing stereotypes related to the Roma communities and building mutual trust.

REPORT: Problems with the equal treatment of accused persons in pre-trial proceedings in Bulgaria

Problems in the criminal justice system in Bulgaria have disparate impact on particular groups. This applies to both police custody and pre-trial proceedings. Bulgaria is unique in the disproportionately high number of Roma people either accused or convicted in criminal proceedings. Data obtained in this research allows us to measure the unequal treatment of, as well as the disparate effects that provisions, measures and policies have on the three main ethnic groups in Bulgaria (Bulgarians, ethnic Turks and Roma), as well as on foreign nationals, women and juveniles.

Photo campaign “Stronger than words”

Fine Acts opened the photography campaign “Stronger than words”, in which they photographed 54 people who send an important message with a smile. 54 people, representatives of the groups most affected by hate speech in Bulgaria, as well as their like-minded people, bravely stand with their face against hatred.

Thematic report on Roma: Key social inclusion and fundamental rights indicators in Bulgaria

This report refers to specific pieces of Bulgaria’s legislation that negatively and disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, increasing the risks of multiple deprivation and (institutional) discrimination. It does not claim to present a comprehensive analysis of the gaps in the legal framework of Roma inclusion. Rather, it highlights some key areas in which urgent legislative changes are needed for the sustainable reduction of growing social inequalities, social exclusion and discrimination against vulnerable groups such as Roma.

NEW REPORT: The definition of energy poverty in Bulgaria – content and applications with an emphasis on highly vulnerable and marginalized groups

Bulgaria is in the final stages of adopting an official definition of energy poverty, but there is a risk that its use for the purpose of energy renovation of buildings will be done in a way that will not prioritize the energy poor and may even lead to an increase in energy inequality.