BULGARIA
Education
Two-year obligatory pre-schooling introduced with language training if needed.
Gradual introduction of all-day school.
In three years (2010-2013), a Bulgarian educational project has brought down the number of children who drop out of school by almost 80%
Employment
80-95 Roma mediators appointed in local employment offices.
Community Development Centres (CDC) promoting the employment of young people and women in marginalised Roma communities were set up in 11 municipalities.
Job fairs targeted at the most disadvantaged including Roma.
Health
Mobile medical units and mediators in areas where the majority lacks health insurance.
X-ray, immunisation of children, medical and gynaecological exams, screenings and prevention of HIV and TB.
Health education and awareness-raising campaigns.
Increase in the number of Roma health mediators.
Housing
Launch of an EU co-financed housing initiative to provide quality homes within an integrated approach (addressing also employment, education and health challenges simultaneously) for Roma people in 4 municipalities (Burgas, Dupinitsa, Vidin, Devnya). The municipalities of Varna, Peshtera and Tundzha are also considering taking up this initiative.
Anti-discrimination
Training for police forces on human rights and minority issues.
Local actions include: legal support and information on rights; Encouraging Roma women to participate in public life and the protection of the rights of Roma children through improvement of parental capacity and care.
GREECE
Education
Policy incentives implemented to increase school attendance via two programmes – ‘Education of Roma Children’ and ‘Roma Children in Macedonia and Thrace’
Employment
Implementation of Local Integrated Programmes for Vulnerable Social Groups (TOPEKO).
Continuation of 29 Support Centres for vulnerable groups, including Roma
Health
Focus on preventive healthcare, mainly on vaccination
Housing
Three regional integrated pilot programmes with an infrastructure component.
Anti-discrimination
The Greek Ombudsman has created a separate office for Roma issues.
ITALY
Education
Measures planned to reduce early school leaving rate in Campania, Apulia, Calabria, and Sicily.
National project launched in 2013 involving 13 large municipalities, aimed at increasing school attendance of Roma children in primary and secondary schools
Employment
Promoting vocational training and job orientation.
The national working group on labour has been developing projects targeting Roma people and aiming to prevent early school leaving, integrating migrants, fighting undeclared work, promoting access to services, promoting self-employment.
Creation of a national integration website to improve access for foreign nationals to services such as education, work, housing and childcare.
Health
The national health system provides universal access to healthcare (including Roma people), prevention and uniform criteria for quality services throughout the country.
Additional financial allocations in 2012 and 2013 to a national health institute, created to improve migrants’ health and to fight poverty-related diseases.
Project “TroVARSI” – Vaccinations for Roma and Sinti – started in 2013, and aims at better protecting Roma children from diseases that can be prevented by ordinary vaccination.
Housing
Efforts to overcome the “camps-system” were made in various areas of the country.
Anti-discrimination
The ‘Campaign Dosta! 2012-2013’ aims at raising awareness and combating anti-Roma prejudice.
SPAIN
Education
Pre-school education
Support to enrol Roma at 0-3 years, with priority given to families at risk of social exclusion.
Family awareness and support for the participation of families in school, as well as the training of young people as teachers.
Promotion of work, family and personal life conciliation.
Primary and secondary education
Boosting of mediation programmes between families and schools, encouraging the incorporation of male and female Roma professionals.
Boosting of Reinforcement, Guidance and Support Programmes, in order to avoid absenteeism and early school leaving.
Strengthening of accompaniment measures for the transition from primary to secondary education.
Strengthening of the participation of Roma students with learning difficulties or specific support needs in IPQPs (Initial Professional Qualification Programmes) or in CDPs (Curricular Diversification Projects).
Fostering of measures to avoid the concentration of Roma pupils in certain schools or classrooms.
Post-obligatory education
Boosting of labour orientation programmes to prepare for the move from secondary school to professional training and accompaniment in transition phases between school years and stages.
Fostering of university access measures for the Roma, including the promotion of grants programmes.
Employment
Development of specific programmes to train Roma people at risk of exclusion, simultaneously facilitating access to normalised training programmes for access to employment.
Fostering these programmes to reach out to companies, enabling agreements and paid internships
Encouraging new technology training (ICT) for Roma
Encouraging actions to promote access to continual training for male and female Roma workers
Encouraging informative actions on the obtainment of qualifications and professional certificates (by acknowledgement and accrediting of unofficial professional experience and training).
Health
Fostering of policies and actions aimed at reducing health inequalities suffered by the Roma and other population groups, with priority for children, adolescents and young people, with the inclusion of the gender aspect.
Reorientation of health services towards equality, in terms of areas for promotion and the prevention of diseases and healthcare assistance.
Inclusion of specific targets to reduce inequality and attention to diversity of normalised services in the National Healthcare System
Boosting promotion of lifelong health and, particularly, in Roma children and adolescents, including the establishment of active measures.
Housing
Promotion of the classification of “renewal areas for the eradication of sub-standard housing and slums” for slum settlements and sub-standard housing identified in studies
Encouragement for integral intervention programmes, in the process of re-housing, that favours training for the use and maintenance of housing, the implication of persons affected in all phases of the process, labour occupation and the use of community and education services; boosting the use of Structural Funds (art. 7.2 of the ERDF Regulations)
Search for dignified solutions for homeless or evicted families or those living in condemned buildings.
Anti-discrimination
Promotion of the effective application of European and Spanish legislation against discrimination, the fight against racism and hate crime, applying recommendations of the Council of Europe in terms of antidiscrimination and anti-Roma attitudes to Spain
Strengthening of cooperation with the State Council for the Promotion of Equal Treatment and active participation of Roma organisations
Elaboration of information and awareness materials that address reducing and eradicating the discrimination suffered by Roma
Development of training for civil servants and other key players, particularly legal professionals, the police service, public service and resources professionals and media professionals
Fostering of information, training actions and programmes for Roma, for awareness and knowledge of rights and duties
The establishment of extraordinary measures for Roma women victim of multiple discrimination
The performance or studies and reports that reveal the situation of discrimination of the Roma community (Panel on discrimination of the State Council for the Promotion of Equal Treatment)
Support for programmes and services that provide guidance, accompaniment and legal advice to victims of discrimination (Victim support network).
Special assistance for discrimination of Roma people originating from other countries and the guarantee of their rights.
PORTUGAL
Education
Improved access to education and healthcare through awareness-raising activities.
Vocational training courses.
Promotion of social inclusion amongst children.
Employment
Tailored training to facilitate access to employment and self-employment
Health
National Health Service provides care to Roma through mobile units.
Housing
Survey on the housing situation of Roma communities in 308 municipalities
Anti-discrimination
Consultative Group for the integration of Roma communities.
National Study on Roma communities.
Programme for Municipal Roma mediators.
Awareness raising campaigns.
Roma Women seminars.
HUNGARY
Education
Obligatory pre-school attendance from age 3 will be introduced in the 2014- 2015 school year.
Enrolment rate of Roma children in pre-school has risen and is now high at 79%.
Measures to encourage participation, including cash incentives and the extension of Sure Start Children Centres. These centres offer a range of services such as early childhood development, parental counselling, educational programmes for both children and their parents in the most disadvantaged micro-regions, primarily in localities with ghetto and segregated areas.
Employment
Actions aimed at increasing the employability of disadvantaged groups with emphasis on gender.
Roma mentors in Public Employment Services.
Health
Healthcare measures to reduce inequalities, including preventive health care.
Special focus on early childhood development (e.g. screening tests) of youth and Roma women.
Awareness-rising campaigns among Roma.
Housing
Systematic approach with the long-term objective of addressing segregation. Cities are now legally required to prepare a Local Equal Opportunity (Desegregation) Plan as a condition for obtaining financial support.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supports integrated housing projects for Roma and other marginalised communities.
Anti-discrimination
Financial support to municipalities provided under the condition that they observe the principles of equal treatment and desegregation.
Amendment of the penal law related to violence against the members of ethnic communities.
