A/HRC/22/49/Add.1 32. Issues relating to freedom of religion for religious minorities and for Catholics, Muslims and members of the Serb Orthodox Church who find themselves in minority situations in the regions where they live continue to be a cause for concern, and reports of discrimination persist. Acts of vandalism against religious sites, and the targeting of religious symbols, clerics and property were reportedly frequent and have affected all nondominant religious communities. Minority religious communities reported difficulties in obtaining permits for the building of places of worship, and reports suggest inconsistencies relating to the application of the law in regard to construction and property restitution. 9 The Inter-Religious Council was established to promote dialogue between leaders of the four traditional religious communities. V. The situation of the Roma minority 33. No accurate data exists on the number of Roma in Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, NGO estimates range between 80,000 to 100,000 persons and suggest that the numbers are increasing, making Roma the largest national minority.10 For centuries Roma have existed on the margins of society and they continue to be the most disadvantaged and socially excluded minority, with particular challenges in education, employment, health, housing and access to social security. Discriminatory attitudes towards Roma in society persist. A 2009 study assessing the degree to which people are open to contact with minorities found that by far the highest levels of prejudice were directed towards Roma. 11 34. The Independent Expert met with a number of Roma representatives, NGOs working on Roma issues and community members in, inter alia, Sarajevo, Kakanj and Banja Luka. All noted that some positive practices existed with respect to attention paid to Roma issues by governmental bodies and NGOs, and that the situation of Roma in some localities had consequently improved, particularly in terms of housing. However they emphasized that significant challenges remained. 35. Bosnia and Herzegovina joined the Decade of Roma Inclusion (2005 to 2015) initiative on 4 September 2008, making it one of the last countries to join. The Council of Ministers has adopted ―Roma action plans‖ in education, employment, health care and housing. Roma NGOs note that over 100 contributors participated in drafting the action plans, including 21 representatives of Roma organizations. Action plans outline a comprehensive set of aims and measures relating to each field. NGOs report a heavy reliance on external sources of funding and implementation of projects by international NGOs as defining features of the implementation efforts. 36. Countries participating in the Decade are required to provide financial resources adequate for the implementation of the action plans, expected to amount to the equivalent of 40 million euros per year. The funding provided by Bosnia and Herzegovina each year since joining the initiative has fallen far short of required levels. Since 2009 the budget 9 10 11 10 United States Department of State, July-December 2010 International Religious Freedom Report (2011), pp. 7 and 8. Available from www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2010_5/168300.htm. Kali Sara Roma Information Center, ―Report on the implementation of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Action Plan for Addressing Issues Faced by Roma in the Fields of Employment, Housing and Health Care‖, p. 1. Available from www.romadecade.org/files/downloads/General%20Resources/Decade%20Watch%20BiH%2020092011%20final%20EN.pdf. B. Salaj, Socijalno povjerenje u Bosni i Hercegovini / Sozialer Zusammenhalt in Bosnien und Herzegowina (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Sarajevo, 2009), cited in UNDP, The Ties that Bind: Social Capital in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2009), p. 31.