Building a Roma Platform: from Policy to Practice (2016-2017)

Building a national Roma Platform is a project financed by the European Union. The project was launched in autumn 2016 and ended in August 2017. The project was carried out together with regional Advisory Boards on Romani Affairs and local Roma population.

The aim of the project was to promote and monitor how well the National Policy on Roma (ROMPO) is known at local and regional levels, to create local and regional networks between Romani people, authorities and other stakeholders in order to implement ROMPO, and to spread information on good practices for local and regional implementation. 

Upscaling Roma Platform project continues the work started by Building a Roma Platform. Upscaling Roma Platform (2018-2019) strenghtens the platform by making it more inclusive by involving new stakeholders and widening the regional scope. The project will address three themes: regional implementation of national Roma policy, empowerment of Roma youth and continuing the promotion of gender equality, initiated during the previous project.

Project strengthened networks promoting Romani affairs and supported regional implementation of ROMPO

The project arranged various events. The first event was the first national meeting between the Advisory Boards on Romani Affairs in October 2016. The themes of the meeting in Jyväskylä were wellbeing, health and physical activity. The two-day event gathered approximately 70 participants to listen to presentations and to discuss. They were representatives from municipalities and organisations, experts in the field and members of Advisory Boards and local Romani workgroups. 

In spring 2017, the project organised three inclusive platform events in close cooperation with local Advisory Boards on Romani Affairs and local Roma. The themes for the events were planned on the basis of each region’s own situation in order to respond to the local Roma needs and interests. Every event used participatory leadership method provided by Monkey Business coaching company. The method gave the participants opportunities to use their own skills, views and knowledge to contribute to discussion.         

                                                               

Picture: Greetings from platform event in Kajaani. Picture: Hanne Seppälä.           

Consultation hearings for Roma women and men and gender mainstreaming in Roma policies -platform event

A public consultation on gender equality matters and a day for building networks was arranged in May as part of the project. During the first day, over 20 Roma women and men discussed gender equality matters in their everyday life. The second day gathered Roma NGOs, gender equality officials and gender equality NGOs to discuss common objectives and build cooperation. You can read more about the event in project newsletter that will be published on this website in July.    

Read more on the project newsletter: Building a National Roma Platform - news 2/2017

Read more on the blog: From policy to practice in gender equality between Roma women and men                         

Further information

Report: The national meeting between the Advisory Boards on Romani Affairs in October 2016

Project newsletter: Building a National Roma Platform - news 1/2017

Project newsletter: Building a National Roma Platform - news 2/2017

Project newsletter: Building a National Roma Platform - news 3/2017

Proposal by the Working Group Preparing a National Policy on Roma (ROMPO) for Finland’s National Policy on Roma. Working group report (summary in English)

EU and Roma 

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