Bulgaria, now a member of the European Union, is a democratic republic ruled by a coalition government. Despite some irregularities, periodic free and fair elections on the basis of universal suffrage have been held. Women participate freely in politics. 63 women serve in the 240-seat National Assembly. Women are leaders of 3 of 7 issue-based groups Parliament. No legal restrictions prohibit the participation of minorities in politics, and political parties based on ethnicity, race or religion are banned. There are 24 minority members in the National Assembly (including 2 Roma and 2 Armenians, minorities not usually elected) and 2 minority members in the Cabinet. The Roma minority are under-represented in government.

Corruption and a lack of transparent standards are reported to cause concern in what should be an independent judiciary. The European Union (EU) insists more effort is needed to tackle high-level corruption and organised crime.

Individual rights, equality and protection against discrimination are legally guaranteed. Discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, disability, age and sexual orientation is illegal, and cases have been brought for breaches of the Protection against Discrimination Act.

Some police officers are accused of acting independently of government authority and committing human rights abuses.

Unemployment is 11.9%, and the long-term unemployed account for over 60% of unemployed persons.

Restrictions exist on freedom of the press, and journalists are constrained by political influence, pressure and threats, especially when reporting on organised crime. Public access to government information is permitted, but there are many restrictions.

Bulgaria is a country of origin, transit and destination for young women and girls trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Bulgarian citisens are also trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation. Disproportionate numbers of Roma children are victims of trafficking. Individual law enforcement officers and other government authorities are suspected of being involved in trafficking. However, a package of anti-trafficking legislation provides victims with protection and assistance.

Serious budgetary limitations have lessened compulsory school attendance. Education is compulsory until age 14, but increased costs to parents for books, materials and other educational services cause great difficulty for poor families. Female and male primary education enrolment rates are balanced, but enrolment overall has decreased. Roma and ethnic-Bulgarian children usually attend different schools, in part because of segregated neighbourhoods, though some integration programmes have been instituted.

Roma children are reported to receive an inferior quality of education. The government has not been successful in attracting and keeping Roma children in school; only 8% to 9% of Roma children complete secondary education. Many Roma children are not proficient in the Bulgarian language and arrive unprepared for schooling. To try to improve this situation, initiatives have been provided offering free lunch, subsidised textbooks and tuition and school bus transport, as well as teacher's assistants for Roma and ethnic-Turkish students.

A 4-year ECE programme begins at age 3. The NER is 72% (48% female). There are 17,109 ECE teachers (100% female). The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 12 : 1.

The NER in primary school is 94% (48% female). 2% of children repeat grade levels. Of students who enrol in Grade 1, 94% reach the last grade of primary school. There are 19,439 primary teachers (92% female). The PTR is 17 : 1.

Secondary school begins age 11 and lasts 7 years. At this level, 1% of education is private. 28% of students attend technical vocational programmes. The NER is 88% (48% female). 2% of students repeat grade levels. There are 57,461 secondary educators (77% female). The PTR is 13 : 1 in lower secondary and 12 : 1 in upper secondary school.

Education in tertiary institutions is no longer free. 53% of tertiary students are women. At this level 13% of education is private. There are 19,104 academics (44% female) in tertiary institutions. Foreign students come to study in Bulgaria from Central and Easter Europe (4,961), Southwest Asia (2,433), North America and Western Europe (2,306), the Arab States (275), Sub-Saharan Africa (94), Central Asia (86) and East Asia/Pacific (54). At the same time, 24,619 Bulgarian students study abroad, mainly in Germany (12,116), the USA (3,734), France (2,905), Australia (1,588) and Turkey (948).

The law provides for a range of assistance for persons with disabilities, but budgetary constraints have severely limited the availability of assistance. Shamed by social attitudes, families institutionalise children with disabilities, even knowing that conditions are poor for children in state institutions. The Council of Ministers adopted a National Action Plan to reduce the number of children in institutions, and the number had decreased by 9% by the end of 2003.

Persons with mental and physical disabilities, including very young children, are frequently separated from the rest of society. Reports indicate that the segregation of children with disabilities into special schools has lowered the quality of their education. Despite new by-laws adopted by the Ministry of Education and Science to provide for the integration into schools of children with disabilities, more than 2,500 of them do not attend school. The Committee for Independent Living believes the number may be twice as high. 30 institutions for children and youths with disabilities operate throughout the country: 9 for children aged 3 to 10 with mental disabilities, 20 for children and youths aged 3 to 18 with mental disabilities and a single institution for children and youths aged 3 to 25 with physical disabilities.

Human rights monitors are critical of the serious deficiencies in orphanages, educational reform boarding schools, facilities for children with mental disabilities and shelters for homeless children. These facilities are plagued by inadequate budgets, poorly trained and unqualified staff and lack of supervision. Persons with disabilities have access to university training, and they are exempt from tuition fees if accepted, though they must pay the initial application fee. However, housing, and architectural barriers are a hindrance even in schools and universities.

The Act to Combat Juvenile Antisocial Behaviour has been amended to improve procedures for juveniles detained in educational reform boarding schools. Living conditions remain poor in reform schools, which offer little by way of education. Basic needs for food and clothing are unmet. Education opportunities are further reduced by mixed-age classes, lack of resources and low staff motivation.

The law provides for the granting of refugee or asylum status in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees. The government generally cooperates with the UNHCR and other humanitarian organisations in assisting refugees and asylum-seekers. Education opportunities are limited.

The population of Bulgaria is estimated to consist of ethnic Bulgarians at 86%, ethnic Turks at 9% and ethnic Roma at a reported 4.6% but more likely 6% to 7%. A Council of Europe report estimates that there are 600,000 to 800,000 Roma in the country, though the official estimate is 371,000. Ethnic-Bulgarian Muslims constitute 2% to 3% of the population. Some projects have begun to improve the economic and educational opportunities of Roma children. There are reports of an increase in racially motivated assaults on Roma by skinhead gangs.

Reports do not indicate any restriction of academic freedom.

The Constitution prohibits restriction of rights on the basis of gender. Women can own or manage businesses, land and property and are not discriminated against under inheritance laws. However, women do face discrimination in job recruitment. Domestic violence is serious, and reports also indicate sexual harassment as a problem.

The minimum age for employment is 16, and the minimum age for dangerous work is 18. Child labour laws are enforced in the formal sector, but children are exploited in small family-owned shops, factories, restaurants, family farms and in construction.

Organised crime uses children in prostitution and drug distribution. Amendments to the Criminal Code provide sanctions for the illegal employment of children. The ILO estimates that 14% of children aged 5 to 17 work. Applications to employ children have increased by almost 50%. Children's workdays often exceed the 8-hour maximum set by the Labour Code, and children do not receive overtime pay. Institutionalised children are hired out for agricultural labour.

Trafficking in children and child prostitution are common, particularly among Roma youth. As part of the National Strategy for the Children of the Street, programmes have been introduced putting street children in protective custody.

Workers can form or join trade unions, and 18.2% of the workforce is unionised. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) notes that unions report discrimination and harassment against union activists, who are often relocated, downgraded or fired. Some private employers force employees to sign declarations indicating they will not establish or join trade unions. Some employers are accused of deducting union dues from workers' salaries without transferring them to the unions. Collective bargaining is permitted, but unions allege employers do not bargain in good faith or fail to implement agreements. The right to strike is recognised, except for military and law enforcement personnel. The labour laws apply in the export processing sones.

Forced or compulsory labour is illegal but exists. The national monthly minimum wage of US $80 (120 lev) does not provide a decent standard of living for workers and their families. The standard work week is 40 hours. Labour laws intended to protect and create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities have had mixed results. High unemployment and a poor economy have undermined initiatives to advance equal opportunity for persons with disabilities, the majority of whom are unemployed.