Lessons and proposals from Romanian seminars and workshops Florin MOISĂ

 1. Timisoara, December 2012  2. Timisoara, May 2013  3. Cluj Napoca, May 2013

 A mixed approach of training tools and methods ◦ Presentations ◦ Role play ◦ Small group activity ◦ Case study ◦ Debate ◦ Film presentation  Available materials: ◦ PowerPoint presentations ◦ Support materials ◦ Reports ◦ Articles ◦ Legislation

 A mixed approach of training tools and methods ◦ Presentations ◦ Role play ◦ Small group activity ◦ Case study ◦ Debate ◦ Film presentation  Available materials: ◦ PowerPoint presentations ◦ Support materials ◦ Reports ◦ Articles ◦ Legislation

 General topic: “Social economy and economic reinsertion of the Roma: arguments in favor and against”  Participants: 22 ◦ Roma NGOs active in Banat area ◦ Non-Roma NGOs ◦ School principals, teachers, School Inspectorate ◦ County Office for Roma – Prefecture ◦ City Halls representatives ◦ Public Administration structures ◦ National Agency for Roma – regional offices ◦ Mass local Media ◦ Regional Radio station Timisoara ◦ Local consultants ◦ CED staff

 Agenda: ◦ General REDUPRE presentation and research findings ◦ Problems faced by Roma communities –the participant’s perception ◦ Status of policies towards Roma in Romania ◦ Problems, priorities and solutions for the Roma condition ◦ Economic reinsertion of Roma – success stories and failures (focus on Timis, Arad and Bihor counties) ◦ Stereotypes and prejudices ◦ Conflict mediation and resolution ◦ Practical tools for reducing stereotypes and prejudices against Roma

 General topic: “Roma women beyond stereotypes”  Participants: 19 (14 women, 5 men) ◦ Roma NGOs active in Banat area ◦ Non-Roma NGOs ◦ School teachers ◦ County Office for Roma – Prefecture ◦ City Halls representatives ◦ Public Administration structures ◦ National Agency for Roma – regional offices ◦ CED staff

 Agenda: ◦ Public policies for Roma in Romania – between documents and reality ◦ Roma women in public policy documents in Romania ◦ Discrimiation of Roma women ◦ Roma women participation in public life ◦ Recomendations

 General topic: “The situation of Roma in Romania: problems, public policy solutions and involvement of local authorities”  Participants: 20 participants, covering ◦ Roma NGOs active in Banat area ◦ Non-Roma NGOs ◦ School mediators ◦ Health mediators ◦ County Office for Roma – Prefecture ◦ Public Administration structures ◦ National Agency for Roma – regional offices ◦ Local exerts on Roma issues ◦ Roma students ◦ RCRC and CED staff

 Agenda: ◦ Public policies for Roma in Romania – between documents and reality ◦ Analysis of the status of affairs in education, health, employment and housing ◦ Opportunities for funding available in the next period for Roma programming ◦ Involvement of local authorities in solving the problems faced by Roma ◦ Involvement of local authorities for improvement of relationship between Roma nad non-Roma ◦ Recomendations

 The participants expressed during the workshops ◦ Roma issue is a very complex one  Multi-dimensional  Inter-related  Inter-conditional ◦ Different perspectives on the Roma issue are not sufficiently discussed and shared  Communication issues  Social distance  Social capital of Roma ◦ Different perspectives on the problem are not reflected in official documents

◦ Diversity of Roma groups not enough know by non-Roma ◦ Discrimination is a key issue for the Roma ◦ Double discrimination of Roma women is still widespread, ◦ Low political will to deal with the Roma issue ◦ Low capacity at local level – reflected in lower representation of the Roma in Local Councils, local administration etc. ◦ Limited capacity of NGOs to better contribute to the improvement of the condition of Roma ◦ Project approach versus long term involvement of donors and implementors – leave measures at half stage of intervention

 Continue training/workshops covering subjects like: ◦ Successful experiences in the field ◦ Getting to know better the Roma and their diversity ◦ New concepts in the public area – social inclusion, public policies, social economy, anti-gypsysm, flexicurity, etc ◦ Advocacy tools ◦ Promotion, awareness campaigns ◦ Antidiscrimination – concept, tools, institutions ◦ Results of recent research ◦ Know-how – project elaboration and management of implementation – structural funds ◦ Development of local partnerships – NGOs and local institutions