Employment Policies, Gypsies, Women and Inclusion in Spain.

Integration, Assimilation or fighting against exclusion

David Berna SernaResearcher. Political Sciences and Sociology.

Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Because I am not in Spain, I would like to introduce you, at least superficially, what have been historically the characteristics of the Spanish gypsy economic activity.But… we are also speaking of a part of the (Spanish)spanish gypsy population, about 60%. As in other countries in the European context, in certain areas (and certain) some gypsy groups have developed gadges economic activities for generations (agriculture, fishery or industry). According to the scientific literature, there is a direct correlation between the time of (settlement and root) establishment or rooting in a town or city and its level in Insert day economic and social activities there (¿qué quieres decir aquí?).

But labour inclusion plans and actions principally have been directed towards the first group, so let me begin…

Characteristics of historical labor forms of Spanish gypsies

-Self-employment-Mobility that suppose searching for customers, products or monitoring for temporary labor supply.-Exploitation of available resources that may be considered unusable for society (their efforts to earn a living in unfavorable circumstances lead them to exploit jobs that others have not wanted, using the family as a way to reduce costs and increase profits)-self-replication of family dynamics: allows continuous protection and security against possible misfortunes. The descendants can be inserted in economic production, strengthening the family.-Multiple occupancy ,not only dependent on a one job, some are seasonal, marginal and precarious, a fact that leads them to have different occupations allowing them to survive in difficult economic circumstances and developing multiple skills).

But in the last decade these employment forms, due to changes in the economic system and production, seem not to be sufficient for the subsistence of all Gypsies…It seems that these described formulas are not valid so that Gypsies need a changeBut at the same time, since the entry of Spain into the EU, the living standards of the majority of people seem to have increased. "Spain is no longer poor." The marginal or excluded population should disappeared. And in the capitalist era the way that individuals reach about standards is through wage labor. Individuals are valid since they are subject producers and, especially, consumers.

In Spain, there are one sector into the employment policies towards the Gypsy population that has aroused special interest by the different institutions:

Women

For that reason I will discuss around two inclusion employment initiatives for gypsy women.

The Spanish labor market is characterized by ethnic and gender segregation. The Gypsy mostly occupy the lower possition inner the social and economic postcapitalistic system, or directly is outside. The gypsy women are more out than men.

When we speak about gypsy woman we are speaking about .... • A plural reality ... • Historically, women have been active agents in the material survival of the

family. Even in times of increased persecution, they have been those who have adquired more responsibility.

• Women living under a patriarchal regime with a big dependence and submission to family men. They have released their needs to a second place, putting one’s family first.

• The gypsy woman suffers an intersectional discrimination (being: female, Gypsy, poor and lacking academic qualifications)

• But Gypsy women have agency. Daily they fight for their existence, both within and outside the gypsy community.

• For centuries Gypsy women have represented a central and essential keystone for material survival of Gypsies.

Professional Training Program for Young Gypsy Women

SURT .Women’s Association for Labor Insertion. Barcelona

Professional Training Program for Young Gypsy WomenLeonardo da Vinci Program. European Union (1999-2000).

• SURT .Women’s Association for Labor Insertion. Barcelona• L’Institut de Stinte ale Educatie Nei (Romania) • Derbyshire Gypsy Liason Group (England) • Secretariado Diocesano de Lisboa da Pastoral Dos Ciganos

(Portugal).

• Target: Gypsy and Rom Youth Women living in Barcelona or near.

• Number of participants:

This project was directed for giving a response to the situation of marginalization and exclusion that (the) gypsy people suffer, particularly for their most disadvantaged sector: the young women. For this reason, the project pursued the objective to stimulate significant changes through professional training, a training that would (be) complete and would incorporate their cultural values, reassessing and recognizing the social status of the gypsy women within society.

The main objective is the access of gypsy women to a regulated employment. An this suppose:• Questioning of traditional roles and to exploring new alternatives not only in labour

questions, (even) but their role within their family.• Basic educative training. Many of them left school at an early age• Occupational training. The training courses are polyvalent itineraries (cleaning,

cashier, etc) for work on large surfaces • Development of labor itineraries with employment contracts in commercial

centers.

Official Trainers Course in the specialty of school canteens for GYPSY women

Official Trainers Course in the specialty of school canteens for GYPSY women

(Barcelona)The aim of the course is the labour inclusion of GYPSY women lacking academic qualifications. This course has an overall length of 308 hours: 158 hours of theory and 150 hours of practice. The latter period consists in doing internships in schools, preferably located in their own neighborhood of residence. The course is taught by a recognized organization for training trainers trainers formation.

This employment action practice suppose:Change in the relationships of gypsy mothers into school. Negotiation of their time, dedication and roles within the family context. In many cases In many cases, they became the main economic economic support of the family…In many cases, families are able to mutate and adapt to this new reality.In other, these changes are perceived by the family as a loss of gypsiness. "That is for the gadjges…"

Ideas para el debate• All the initiatives are formatives. Seems to be that Gypsy women

need training and this is essential to improving their situation. • Formation understood as improving women and Gypsies in general • Final goal employability • His employment is principally directed towards changing traditional

female roles. • Mainly initiatives are aimed exclusively at women or married gypsy

clown with gypsies. • Participate in these initiatives may involve changes in the lives of

these women far beyond that mere employment inclusion…• Do you think Roma women and drive?. In some of these have been

asked INITIATIVES. It is enough that among the staff of these institutions have professional or Roma gypsies?