Bulgaria: Whether Romani men and women generally dress differently than ethnic Bulgarians do (1999-March 2000)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 31 March 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | BGR34107.E |
| Reference | 7 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Bulgaria: Whether Romani men and women generally dress differently than ethnic Bulgarians do (1999-March 2000), 31 March 2000, BGR34107.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad4b58.html [accessed 19 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on whether Romani men and women generally dress differently than ethnic Bulgarians is scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
In a 24 March 2000 telephone interview, a Bulgarian ethnologist chairing the Minority Studies Society Studii Romani, said that Roma usually wear the same clothes as ethnic Bulgarians, although there may be differences due to the heterogeneity of the Romani minority. For instance, Muslim Roma tend to wear what she described as "Muslim" clothes. This information was corroborated by the Chair of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee interviewed on 28 March 2000. The latter further added that the clothes that Roma wear reflect their poverty, and not their ethnicity.
In a 21 March 2000 telephone interview, the Executive Director of the Sofia-based Human Rights Project stated that Roma usually wear colourful and shabby clothes, regardless of age. She further said that Roma have their traditional clothes which they wear for special occasions.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Sofia. 28 March 2000. Telephone interview with the Chair.
Human Rights Project, Sofia. 21 March 2000. Telephone interview with the Executive Director.
Minority Studies Society Studii Romani. Sofia. 27 March 2000. Telephone interview with the Chair.
Additional Sources Consulted
Amnesty International Report 1999 1999
Human Rights Watch World Report 2000
IRB Databases
Public Affairs International Service 1999-2000
Resource Centre country file on Bulgaria. 1999-2000
World News Connection (WNC)
Unsuccessful attempts to contact two oral sources.
Internet Sites Including:
European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI)
European Roma Rights Centre
Minority Electronic Resources (MINELRES)
Minority Rights Group International
Minorities at Risk
OSCE Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues
Project on Ethnic Relations (PER)
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
