"Poorer areas (ghettos) or suburban areas are poorly developed neighborhoods with poorly built houses, without access to water, sewerage, paved roads, electricity and other basic utilities available in the modern world. All of this contributes to an unequal starting base and life opportunities compared to other citizens living in a developed neighborhood, settlement, district or city. As a result of poor housing conditions, a number of other social problems appear, such as social exclusion, insufficient inclusion of children in education, difficulties in accessing work, health, social rights and other public services," says the Commission for Prevention and Protection from discrimination on the occasion of International Human Rights Day.

From there, they add that poor housing conditions are both an issue of children's rights and an issue of gender equality.

"Women and children from these settlements face systemic discrimination that prevents equal opportunities and emancipation. Despite the previous efforts of the state as well as domestic and international organizations, the housing situation of the Roma in RSM is still worrying. The problems in Momin potok, Shtip dispensary, Kochanska old barracks are only part of the problems that have been current for years and for which, unfortunately, there are only declarative commitments. If housing is a universal human right that is recognized at the international level in over a hundred national constitutions in the world, the essence of the realization of the right is the humanistic realization that human life is more than bare existence, that is, that it also implies adequate housing that meets certain standards. The right of every individual is a safe home and community, as part of the prerequisites for a peaceful and dignified life. "Housing is a prerequisite for the exercise of all other rights", states KSZD.

According to the Commission, housing issues, except at the central level, are part of the competences of many institutions at the local level. According to the competences and responsibilities of the local self-government unit, the municipality is directly responsible for the local economic and urban development of the municipality.

The housing problems of the Roma community have also been determined in the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination through several petitions submitted by domestic and international organizations. Several opinions on established discrimination have been adopted by several municipalities and institutions, and a general recommendation has also been adopted. The Commission announces that it will continue to protect the rights of marginalized groups in accordance with the provided legal bases, including ethnicity and national affiliation, strongly encouraging citizens to demand respect and realization of their human rights.

"Improving the situation in informal settlements requires serious engagement, investments and inter-institutional cooperation. We request that the competent institutions act in accordance with the recommendations of the Commission, to adopt and implement plans for the improvement of the situation in the informal settlements, first of all by providing basic conditions such as water, sewage network, electricity, urbanization of the settlements and programs for the social inclusion of the people from these settlements. ", the Commission points out.