Social Inclusion of Roma through Active Labor Market Policies in Serbia

Lebedinski, Lara and Đukić, Mihajlo and Pavlović, Dejana (2026) Social Inclusion of Roma through Active Labor Market Policies in Serbia. Stanovništvo. ISSN 2217-3986

Text lebedinski et al.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (393kB)

Abstract

Roma communities across Europe face persistent labor market exclusion, characterized byhigh unemployment, informal work, and limited access to formal employment. Despitenumerous policy initiatives, evidence on the effectiveness of active labor market policies(ALMPs) targeting ethnic minorities remains scarce, largely due to the absence ofethnicity-disaggregated data. This paper evaluates the employment outcomes of a targetedALMP program, "Inclusion of Roma and other Marginalized Groups in Serbia", implementedby German Development Cooperation in support of the National Strategy for Social Inclusionof Roma in Serbia 2016–2025. The program provided vocational training, practical skillsacquisition, and self-employment subsidies to Roma and returnees facing multiple barriers tolabor market participation. Using data from an endline survey of 350 program participantsconducted on average 14 months after registration, the paper examines changes inemployment status, sectoral employment patterns, job quality, and participant satisfaction.The results show a substantial increase in employment — from 23.4% before the program to65.2% after participation. The largest employment gains were recorded in industry (+48.2percentage points), followed by other sectors (+46.4 p.p.), self-employment (+33.5 p.p.), andservices (+27.2 p.p.). Most participants expressed satisfaction with the program: 78.6%received certificates and 63.3% found the acquired skills useful. However, job qualityimprovements remained limited, only 18% of those employed held permanent contracts andjust 11.4% reported increased earnings attributable to the program. Regression analysisindicates that educational attainment was the strongest predictor of post-programemployment, while gender and returnee status showed no significant effect. The findingssuggest that ALMPs can be an effective tool for promoting labor market inclusion of highlymarginalized populations, but sustained improvements in job quality and earnings requirecomplementary investments in formal education and demand-side policies.

Actions (login required)

View Item