Ex-communist Europe
Roma arranged marriages
Not for love
Jun 30th 2010, 14:54 by E.L. | LONDON
THE plight of the Roma in the region is one of the worst and least-discussed social problems in Europe. The Prague-based website Transitions Online deserves credit for highlighting the topic, which most other news outlets neglect. Their latest report focusses on the controversial topic of arranged (and often forced) marriage for young girls. The reporters gave some interesting historical background (the practice developed, they say, to protect young girls from despoilation by noblemen). And they highlight a prominent Kalderash family that is standing up against the practice.
Eastern approaches deals with the economic, political, security and cultural aspects of the eastern half of the European continent. It incorporates the long-running "Europe.view" weekly column. The blog is named after the wartime memoirs of the British soldier Sir Fitzroy Maclean.
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Maternity hospitals are rid with pregnant roma girls 15-16 years of age. They are all “married”. It’s hard for the personel to work with them, because these girls are imature, fearful, distrustful, and sometimes cry for “their mothers to come”. They are literally children that are having children. If you ask them why are they having the pregnancy they respond that this is the “proper” way to do. Needless to say they have poor education. The state does not interfere with their customs but I think it’s time to do something about it.