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ROMACTED II - First Phase II Advisory Group Meeting organised in Serbia

45 representatives from the partner cities and municipalities in Serbia, Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social dialogue, European Union Delegation, European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture, Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, Roma Education Fund, GIZ, and other essential stakeholders gathered in Belgrade at the first Advisory Group meeting of the joint European Union and Council of Europe ROMACTED2 Programme to discuss the implementation of the Programme in Serbia during the previous year and to share information on the future and synergies. The opening panel was addressed and moderated by Mr Tobias FLESSENKEMPER, Head of Council of Europe Office in Belgrade.

The ROMACTED Team in Serbia took stock on the implementation progress, underlining the challenging work of the local facilitators in the past months, as well as constructive synergies with partners while ensuring internal and external coherence of the Action. Since September 2021, 39 Community Action Groups were established with 309 members of the Roma community, of which 152 are women, as well as 14 Institutional Working Groups. Out of 199 members in 14 Institutional Working Groups, 104 are women. Municipal Taskforce Groups with a total of 160 members were established in all local self-governments. Out of the total number, 62 are representatives of the Roma community (of which 29 are women), while local institutions are represented by 60 women and 37 men. As the Programme in Serbia is currently phasing into STEP 4 of ROMACTED methodology, the capacity-building has been provided for local administration for the preparation of small-scale projects, to be implemented in 2023.

Thematic consultant engaged for the development of Roma Responsive Budgeting at the local level has presented the draft of the Analysis Support mechanisms for social inclusion of Roma with special reference to allocation of funds for inclusion measures from local budgets developed on the findings and data collected from the representatives of 14 partner local self-governments but also on other relevant legislation and documents. During the fruitful discussion that followed, important insights and suggestions were collected and will be incorporated into the final version of the publication that will be published during 2023.

The last session was devoted to the presentation of the publication "Capacity assessment for providing support to returnees focused on Roma men and women in 14 local self-governments in Serbia" developed within the framework of Council of Europe Strategic Action Plan for Roma and Traveller Inclusion (2020-2025), in cooperation with the ROMACTED2 Programme. Furthermore, the key findings will pave the way for future work in the area of reintegration of returnees, especially in building synergies with relevant stakeholders, such as UNDP, World Bank and GIZ.

Furthermore, in the area of strategic co-operation and in line with the Strategic Action Plan for Roma and Traveller Inclusion (2020 - 2025), the Council of Europe joined efforts with European Institute of Arts and Culture, Roma Education Fund, Roma National Council and other prominent experts in drafting the proposal for the inclusion of Roma history and culture in the school curricula.

Check ROMACTED at a Glance in English and Serbian for full report on the Programme`s progress.

Belgrade 24 November 2022
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ROMACTED II

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Roma[1] Integration – Phase III is a Joint Project of the European Union and the Council of Europe. It aims to strengthen the capacity of governments in the Western Balkans and Türkiye to effectively address the multifaceted challenges faced by the Roma community through the implementation of comprehensive public policies. These policies encompass critical areas such as housing, employment, civil registration, as well as the green and digital transition.

The project will also assist the progressive implementation in the Western Balkans beneficiaries of the “EU Roma Strategic Framework for Equality, Inclusion and Participation 2020 - 2030”; the 2019 Declaration of Western Balkans partners on Roma integration within the EU enlargement process (Poznan Declaration) and subsequent commitments made by the governments at the annual ministerial meetings and endorsed within the Berlin Process Summits; and progress on fulfilment of Roma inclusion commitments taken under the negotiations Chapter 23. The project will also ensure that the necessary capacity is built at central level for the proper implementation, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting, the reinforcement of the co-operation with local authorities and the progressive alignment with all elements of the EU Roma inclusion policy.

The project will primarily focus on three areas of support:

  1. Mainstreaming of Roma issues in relevant public policies and the fight against antigypsyism.
  2. Support to Roma socio-economic integration and Roma equality in the areas of housing, education, employment, health, civil registration, and in the green and digital transition.
  3. The reinforcement of the institutional capacities of the governments to tackle challenges faced by Roma.

The specific outcomes aimed to be achieved through this project are as follows:

(1) Mainstreaming of Roma issues in relevant public policies and the fight against antigypsyism:

  • Antigypsyism is recognised and addressed through legislation, communication tools and institutions.
  • Institutional capacities of public servants are built on encountering antigypsyism.

(2) Socio-economic inclusion:

  • Employment of Roma is encouraged both in public and private sector including by piloted promising practices and through concrete measures to promote the formalisation of employment.
  • Legalization of informal settlements progresses in the Western Balkans and Türkiye is encouraged to be included among the priorities of the central-level governments in close collaboration with the civil society.
  • Civil registration is resolved for Roma in need through partnership with the governments, relevant local authorities, and civil society organisations.
  • Actions are mainstreamed into the Green Agenda Action Plan for the Western Balkans and the digital transformation agenda.

(3) Institutional capacities:

  • Policies and institutional arrangements dealing with Roma issues exist in the region.
  • Relevant monitoring, including in the national statistical offices, and reporting mechanisms are developed and properly functioning.
  • Budget for Roma planning and reporting is improved in the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
  • Regular regional co-operation ensured, and policies mainstreamed in socio-economic spheres, including regional high-priority issues and actions addressing the specific challenges of Roma.

 

The project will be implemented in seven Beneficiaries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Kosovo[2], with the duration of 3 years (1 May 2023- 30 April 2026) and is co-financed by the European Union and Council of Europe and implemented by the Roma and Travellers Team, Council of Europe.

This initiative represents a continuation of the preceding two phases implemented by the Regional Cooperation Council, co-funded by the European Union and Open Society Foundations. The aim of the Phase III of the project is to further advance the integration and empowerment of the Roma community by addressing critical issues they face.

The project is based on the Council of Europe's Human Rights Approach principles, focusing on participation and inclusion, equality and non-discrimination, accountability, transparency, and access to information.


Contacts of the Roma Integration project team based in Strasbourg:

Marina VASIC, Programme Supervisor, [email protected]

Cristina MARIAN, Senior Project Officer, [email protected]

Fanny Hoertz, Project Assistant, [email protected]

Contacts of the Roma Integration Project Officer for Serbia and for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dragana JOVANOVIC ARIJAS, based in the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, [email protected]

Contacts of the Roma Integration Project Officer for North Macedonia and for Montenegro:

Mersiha USEIN, based in the Council of Europe Programme Office in Skopje, [email protected]

Contacts of the Roma Integration Project Officer for Albania and for Kosovo

Xhesika KORRA, based in the Council of Europe Office in Tirana, [email protected]

Irena Ordev, Roma Integration Project Assistant, based in the Council of Europe Programme Office in Skopje, [email protected]

 

USEFUL LINKS 

Strategy for Social Inclusion of Roma in the Republic of Serbia 2022-2030

2022-2024 Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for Social Inclusion of Roma in the Republic of Serbia for the period 2022 through 2030

Declaration of WB Partners on Roma Integration within the EU Enlargement Process

Council of Europe Strategic Action Plan for Roma and Traveller Inclusion (2020‑2025) 

 EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation for 2020 - 2030

 

 

 

[1] The term “Roma and Travellers” is used at the Council of Europe to encompass the wide diversity of the groups covered by the work of the Council of Europe in this field: on the one hand a) Roma, Sinti/Manush, Calé, Kaale, Romanichals, Boyash/Rudari; b) Balkan Egyptians (Egyptians and Ashkali); c) Eastern groups (Dom, Lom and Abdal); and, on the other hand, groups such as Travellers, Yenish, and the populations designated under the administrative term “Gens du voyage”, as well as persons who identify themselves as Gypsies. The present is an explanatory footnote, not a definition of Roma and/or Travellers.

[2]This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

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