Faruk Hadžić for Newipe: Roma people can help alleviate the problem of labor shortage in BiH
According to him, first of all, it is important to ensure access to education for Roma, because without appropriate qualifications and skills it is hard to expect their competitiveness on the labor market
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a growing problem of lack of workforce. This is a consequence of the mass departure of workers from our country, but also the fact that many do not want to participate in the labor market due to low incomes.
One of the possible ways to at least partially alleviate this problem is the inclusion of Roma peole in the labor market.
To remind, the employment among Roma is significantly lower than among the general population.
Economist Faruk Hadžić, Dean of Economics and Business Department at the SSST University in Sarajevo, spoke about this for Newipe.
According to him, the lack of labor force in Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the key economic and social issues at the moment.
“A more significant inclusion of Roma in the labor market could really at least partially alleviate this problem. However, the process requires a comprehensive approach, which entails solving several key challenges faced by the Roma community, such as education, discrimination and social integration,” Hadžić believes.
According to him, first of all, it is important to ensure access to education for Roma, because without appropriate qualifications and skills it is hard to expect their competitiveness on the labor market.
Encouraging educational programs and specialized training for Roma, according to Hadžić, can help create a qualified workforce that would meet the needs of the market.
“Another key factor is the elimination of discrimination and prejudice that Roma often experience. Stronger regulation and monitoring is needed to ensure that all citizens have equal employment opportunities, regardless of their ethnicity. Also, conducting campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of diversity in the workplace could contribute to a better integration of Roma in work processes”, he adds.
Also, Hadžić states, social and economic inclusion programs that would be initiated by state and local authorities, with the support of international organizations, can help put Roma in better positions on the labor market. Establishing public-private partnerships to provide opportunities for Roma to gain experience, professional practice and long-term employment can be a crucial step.
“All these measures would contribute not only to the reduction of the labor shortage problem, but also to the significant social and economic inclusion of the Roma community in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Hadžić concluded.
(Newipe)
