Stephania Kulaeva: action plan on Gypsies' problems will allow improving their situation

In the south of Russia, the rights of the Gipsy population are violated. First of all, it refers the right for obtaining education. The conclusion was made by the experts of the Centre of Social and Legal Defence of Gypsies of the Saint Petersburg Human Rights Organization "Memorial." Stephania Kulaeva, executive director of the Centre, and coordinator Olga Abramenko visited the areas of compact residence of Kotlyar Gypsies in Volgograd and Rostov-on-Don Regions. In the opinion of Stephania Kulaeva, Gypsies' problems are caused by ever dropping living standards and the authorities' reluctance to assist in social integration of this part of population. The situation may change for the better if Russia adopts, while being an OSCE member, its Action Plan on Gypsies' problems.

According to Stephania Kulaeva, about 100,000 Gypsies live in the south of Russia. The official data on the population of this nation is far from reality. Officially, there are a total of 182 thousand Gypsies in Russia. It is a highly understated figure - the last but one census showed that over 200,000 Gypsies had lived in the country.