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ROMACTED Programme

 

ROMACTED, “Promoting good governance and Roma empowerment at local level”, is a Joint Programme between the European Union (DG NEAR) and the Council of Europe. The programme will be implemented by the Council of Europe’s Roma and Travellers Team and the Office of the Directorate General of Programmes in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and Turkey. The agreement with between the EC and the CoE was signed on 1 May 2017, and after a six month period of inception, the programme will be implemented in approximately 59 Municipalities (local administrations, elected representatives and officials) and the Roma communities, for a period of 28 to 30 months, until the end of April 2020. The aims of the programme are to:

1. Engage local authorities in creating sustainable policies and actions that will help stimulate (Empower) Roma Ashkali communities to contribute in the design, implementation and monitoring of plans prepared for improving the overall situation.

2. Empower Roma Ashkali communities in ; a) practicing their basic rights ( in individual level) and b) getting organized and voice their interests in the community problem –solving

3. improve and expand the institutions’ commitment, capacities, knowledge and skills in working for Roma inclusion, putting into practice the concepts of good governance. Actions The specificity of the actions would be to assist the local authorities to integrate Roma specific dimension/measures into the mainstream local policies, budgets and public service delivery on their agenda, while enhancing the participation of the Roma citizens in the design, implementation and monitoring of those policies and projects. As a result of the implementation of the programme, it is expected that the participating municipalities remain with consolidated features to continue serving the needs of the Roma population such as sustainable local action plans and one-stop-shops that facilitate the access of Roma to the public services. Target groups The target groups of the project are local public administrations (the elected representatives and relevant officials) and the Roma communities from the selected municipalities. They are also the first short-term beneficiary groups of the project. Overall, the project will target 59 municipalities. The mid- to long-term beneficiaries are the Roma population and the population of the municipality in general.

Activities The target groups of the project are local public administrations (the elected representatives and relevant officials) and the Roma communities from the selected municipalities. They are also the first short-term beneficiary groups of the project. Overall, the project will target 59 municipalities. The mid- to long-term beneficiaries are the Roma population and the population of the municipality in general. ROMACTED results from the experience of the ROMED and ROMACT programmes and will reflect upon the adaptation of these methodologies and activities to each beneficiary and selected location, in order to fit into the policy cycle and the dynamics and reality of each municipality, and thus bringing an additional input to existing policies and practices for an effective and more inclusive functioning. One of the leading guidelines in the methodology of the programme is that participation in local governance can only be effective if it is context-appropriate. Thus, a preliminary mapping, assessment, baseline survey and research are done in each selected municipality so as to facilitate the adaptation of the programme and its support and monitoring of the process.

In addition to the Strasbourg-based team, the programme will have project officers in the Council of Europe offices in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and a national support team from Roma civil society in each of the beneficiary countries. ROMACTED in Kosovo The 8 Municipalities chosen to propose the implementation of ROMACTED in Kosovo are: Gjakovё/Ðakovica; Gračanica/Graçanicё; Mitrovicё/Mitrovica South; Lipjan/Lipljan; Fushё Kosovё/Kosovo Polje; Ferizaj/Uroševac; Istog/Istok and Obiliq/Obilič municipality.