Our goal

Enhanced inclusion and empowerment of Roma.

Rationale for the support

Roma are Europe’s largest and most discriminated minority. Roma populations are disproportionately affected by structural and systemic racism and human rights violations. This further exacerbates their social and economic marginalisation.

The EU Roma Strategic Framework 2020–2030 focuses on principles of equality, inclusion and participation. It addresses socio-economic inclusion in the areas of education, employment, health and housing. EU Member States have developed national Roma strategic frameworks as well as anti-racism action plans. The programme area can support and complement the implementation of these national strategies and action plans.
 

Areas of support

  • Combating antigypsyism and all forms of discrimination.
  • Integrated measures at local level targeting social service provision and innovative pilot projects.
  • Capacity building for Roma and pro-Roma civil society organisations, particularly at the grassroots level.
  • Empowerment of Roma, in particular Roma women, children, and youth.
  • Data collection, analysis, monitoring and evaluation for use in policymaking.

How the objective will be addressed

This programme area will apply a human rights-based approach, including participatory approaches that involve Roma in all stages of the programme cycle. All measures should uphold international and European human rights standards and the EU’s 10 Common Basic Principles on Roma Inclusion.

Actively tackling antigypsyism is key to overcoming discrimination and marginalisation of Roma. This can be done through promoting inclusive public institutions and policies, Roma identity, culture, history, and language. Working with majority populations is key to changing attitudes, combatting stereotypes and hate speech, and targeting public institutions. Roma-led initiatives are particularly encouraged. An intersectional approach should be applied, taking into consideration that Roma might experience multiple forms of discrimination at once based on ethnicity together with, for example, age, class, gender and sexual orientation.

Integrated approaches to social inclusion should holistically interconnect education and training, employment, housing, health, and non-discrimination. Innovative pilot projects that can be upscaled and replicated, for example in access to housing and addressing the negative impacts of environmental issues on Roma, are encouraged. Measures should promote, where possible, desegregation and prevent reinforcement of segregation. Geographical targeting of support to municipalities and regions with marginalised Roma communities should be considered.

Empowerment of Roma can be addressed through life skills development, building confidence to advocate for rights and play an active part in community-based initiatives, as well as through positive role models. In particular for the empowerment of Roma youth, focus should be placed on building up the next generation of Roma leaders.

Interventions may also address environmental justice and the intersection between public health and safety concerns linked to environmental and climate change impacts, and the social exclusion faced by Roma.
 

Key actors and beneficiaries

Regional and local authorities and Roma and pro-Roma civil society are key actors. Partnerships with public authorities and local action groups are encouraged. Non-Roma and majority populations should also be targeted.

International organisations with competence in Roma inclusion and empowerment can be useful partners. Roma and Roma communities are the primary end beneficiaries.