The Slovak-language version of DecadeWatch: Roma Activists Assess the Progress of the Decade of Roma Inclusion, 2005-2006 was released on December 6. At a presentation in Bratislava's Hotel Danube attended by representatives of government and civil society, activists from New Roma Generation (NRG) first gave a brief overview of the Decade of Roma Inclusion itself. They then introduced the DecadeWatch initiative, an effort by Roma NGOs and activists from all countries participating in the Decade to assess progress made by governments toward implementing their Decade commitments.

The first round of DecadeWatch reports assessed government actions rather than changes in the lives of Roma. While the report on Slovakia credited the country with putting in place a range of programs and policies in place to improve the welfare of Roma, it criticized Slovakia's apparent tolerance of the segregation of Roma.

Following the DecadeWatch overview, NRG members presented Do You Know What the Decade Is? a report in Slovak and English presenting the results of a survey about knowledge of the Decade at the regional and local levels of government in Slovakia. This survey, conducted by NRG and PAKIV Slovakia with support from the World Bank and the Open Society Fund - Bratislava, included interviews with representatives of 73 institutions in 15 districts of five regions of the country.

Stefan Sarkozy of NRG called the results of the survey "shocking," with, for example, only 37% of repsondents having even superficial knowledge of the Decade.

At the conclusion of the event, New Roma Generation members called for increased regional and local pariticipation in the Decade the involvement of the Roma population in the planning of activities under Slovakia's Decade Action Plan.

The Slovak-language version of DecadeWatch is available at www.decadewatch.org, along with all other versions of the report released to date. Do You Know What the Decade Is? is not yet available online.

For more information about DecadeWatch in Slovakia or the Do You Know What the Decade Is? report, please contact New Roma Generation at nrgsk@yahoo.com.