Report for the work of the National Roma Centrum during 2011 and 2012
On the 21st November 2012, in the EU info center, the promotion of the association National Roma Centrum’s report was held. Representatives from various institutions, embassies, foundations, organizations and individual collaborators attended the festivity.
Mr. Bernard Rorke, director of research and advocacy from the Open Society Institute, Roma Initiatives Office – Budapest, unable to attend sent the following message:
“We go back a long way, and I have to say that from our side, from the perspective of Open Society’s Roma Initiatives, and from my own direct experience over the years with NRC, this is a partnership that I value greatly – for this is an organization with vision and drive; with the capacity and commitment to make a difference to the lives of everyday people; people who have been denied equal opportunities; who endure exclusion and discrimination as a daily fact of life; people who have been denied access to the very basic services many of us take for granted to live a life with dignity; and including those who have been displaced by conflict, who lack basic documentation, and as a consequence, are effectively denied the right to have rights.
National Roma Centrum combines effective grass roots community work, quality field research and policy advocacy at local, national and international levels.
Reading this year’s annual report, I was struck by the emphasis on field work, by the team’s determination, and deliberate resolve to organize their activities to spend as much time as possible among local communities, to be among Roma so that, as Asmet put it “their problems became ours, to follow their lives closely, and work with them to find ways to deal with the very real challenges they face in day-to-day life, and together to make efforts to find suitable solutions.”
I very much applaud this kind of reality check, and it is precisely the kind of good practice I would encourage other organizations and international institutions to emulate.
The multi-ethnic composition of the NRC team, the emphasis on intercultural dialogue, on promoting tolerance and respect for all, the fact that services are provided not just for Roma but for all who have need of them shows that NRC, every day in word and deed, promotes the values of open society. The work of NRC in promoting civil rights, equality of opportunities and outcomes in health, housing and education is integral to the wider commitment to deepening the democratic revolution in Macedonia“, was précised in Mr. Bernard Rorke’s speech.
Mr. Robert Liddle, head of the sector for policy, justice and internal affairs, information and communication of the European Union in Republic of Macedonia, pointed out in his speech “It is my great pleasure to address you at this event organised by the National Roma Centrum.
We are glad to support this activity as we believe that it contributes to better visibility of CSOs and increase their transparency. In this way, your constituency and different stakeholders are informed about the efforts you invest to address Roma issues. We encourage others to follow.
Last year the European Union organised a series of conferences on the integration of the Roma in Western Balkans countries. I am pleased to inform y ou that the Government organises already the second follow up meeting. Such meetings are an excellent opportunity to comprehensively review policy recommendations and share information on progress achieved. The active and constructive participation of the Roma CSOs in these meetings will make this forum more successful instrument to address the Roma issues, a key priority for the EU.
The EC progress report for 2012 amongst others notes the following regarding the Roma: Discrimination against Roma persists, including continued stereotyping in the media and in social networks on the internet. Roma women and Roma with disabilities face precarious living conditions because of double discrimination. Recent legislative changes aiming to address the overrepresentation of Roma children in special schools have not been implemented. Access to basic health services remains difficult. High unemployment rates persist and access to unemployment benefits remains problematic.
HLAD also identified integration of Roma, through strengthened implementation of the National Roma Strategy, as a key priority. In HLAD, a particular emphasis was given to increasing and maintaining the state budget for the Roma Strategy.
Indeed, in order to systematically tackle Roma integration strong commitment from the government must be maintained. However the role of CSOs in the implementation and monitoring of national strategies is also vital.
Therefore the Roma CSOs should join forces no matter which civil society organisation or local political party they belong to, and lobby towards the local and national authorities to consider their problems while preparing the national strategies and reforms.
Also the Roma CSOs should pay attention and invest in its capacity building So as to be able to use more of the EU funds available for the civil society.
Roma were and will stay a priority for the EC in the pre-accession process. We are monitoring and assessing the situation of the Roma community in the political criteria of the Progress Report and through HLAD.“
“A lot of actions, plans, reactions, hard work, discussions, struggles, disappointments, falls but also results and victory. This is how I can describe the last two years for the National Roma Centrum.
We did a lot of field work, we have planned and implemented activities in order to assist the Roma community and to be with them whenever was needed. This is how their problems became our too. We followed their lives and we tried to find appropriated solutions for their struggles“, pointed out Asmet Elezovski, manager of the NRC.
“Our presence among Roma has confirmed that we are on the right track with our activities. That has reinforced our attempts in influencing the working agenda of the local and central policy makers. We have been fighting for change and better lives of our community members.
We will not give up from those commitments in the future. On contrary we will try to strengthen our position and efforts and work closely in influencing the policy makers to bring a change for everyone, regardless of its political, ethnic or religious affiliation. It is the right time to discuss the Roma issues. It’s time to work toward achieving progress.
We are proud to present to you our activates, related to one of the most important right – housing. Being first in the Balkans with such initiative, Roma have the possibility to legalise their homes. The Look in their eyes when they realize that they will get a property sheet is invaluable to us! This is a sufficient incentive to continue with this activity and in the next year too.
We are also proud of initiating discussion on the health care system and identifying the weak points within the system and which are of big importance for the Romani women.
We are proud that, with a support from the Open Society Initiatives we will be able to conduct a survey identifying the level of implementation of the activities/actions outlined in the actions plans of the Decade of Roma Inclusion. The results from the survey should give a clear picture on the level of achievements and the results from the various activities/actions implemented under the four priority areas.
What makes someone a great person, a great organisation or a great time is not the praise, but the work and the results but also the recognition of the failures. Having said that we have to admit that we haven’t managed to established an economic programme/platform which would have enabled Roma and in particular the youth population to equally access the labour market in Macedonia. This is yet another burden in our struggle. The same burden as housing issue. Since we have managed to find a solution for the housing issue, I am truly convinced that we will be able to find out a solution for this problem too.
I am convinced that there is a solution for every problem. What we need is a will, conscience, and understanding.
Years ago I have been told that we should invest in our human resources capacities of the organisation and make them stronger. This is what we did. Today I am proud of my high-competent and professional staff, ready to implement and support any activity which is priority for our organisation. Now I am asking myself, if this is the case, why should we fight for survival?”
Elezovski concluded at the end “That fact that we are here today means that we are fighters, that we have responded to the challenges, and that we are ready to take up on board new challenges.”
After the presentation of the report a discussion was developed about the activities of the National Roma Centrum, about the programs of the Delegation of the European Union, as well as the problems with which Roma face in regards to education, employment and personal documentation.
The report of NRC’s work in 2011/2012 can be followed up on the following link
http://static.nationalromacentrum.org/izvestaj2010-2012/izvestaj-angFINAL.pdf
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