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Private area
Private area
European Network on Social Inclusion and Roma under the Structural Funds
Structural Funds: Investing in Roma
Private area
European Network on Social Inclusion and Roma under the Structural Funds
Structural Funds: Investing in Roma
The first records of Roma in Portuguese territory are from the early fifteen century, and they tell us, from the very beginning, about their music, dance, language and commercial activities.
Portuguese Roma are often victims of several kinds of discrimination which generates social exclusion and the main problems regarding Roma thematic field are those concerning housing, education, employment and health.
Although there is not official data available concerning the number of Roma in national territory, they are estimated to be over 50.000-60.000.
The National Strategy for Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2008-2010 recognises the importance of the adoption of additional measures specially addressed to Roma and the need to overcome discriminations and reinforce integration of specific groups namely, Roma.
1. ACIDI is the public institute in Portugal responsible for the creation, implementation and evaluation of sector, crosscutting and public policies concerning the integration of immigrants and the ethnic minorities (namely Roma people), as well as the promotion of the dialogue between the various cultures, ethnic groups and religions.
In this sense, in 2007, ACIDI created the Support Office for Roma Communities (GACI).
2. This Support Office, recognising the importance of involving Roma in an informal group of Roma mediators, whose interests and perspectives reflect the aspirations of these communities, has undertaken various actions orientated towards promotion and social insertion, in coordination with other organisations that have responsibility in this area, in the fields of education, housing, employment/training and health.
This Project's main goal is to provide intercultural training (14 October 2009 to 15 February 2010) - in the fields of Mediation, Public Institutions Functioning and Communication - to create fifteen Roma municipal mediators and to insert them in local municipalities and in its Roma inclusion related services so that they can establish a close relation with local services and organisations and local Roma communities.
To achieve this, ACIDI made a call for proposals to all Portuguese municipalities. Each of those municipalities should establish partnerships with local organisations and identify, in local Roma communities, potential municipal mediators.
As a result, several Portuguese municipalities, from all over the country, answered ACIDI’s call showing the need for this kind of measures as well as their will to respond to Roma and non-Roma communities needs. Therefore, from this Pilot Project emerges a high potential synergy between national and local level concerning Roma issues that will benefit Roma communities both locally and nationally.
From this Project results also a local and national network between municipalities and its partners, national authorities and Roma mediators that will reinforce intercultural dialogue and proximity in this thematic field between all its players.
At the end of its first year of implementation, there will be an evaluation report to assess obtained results that should indicate this Project added value to the improvement of Roma communities situation in
This Project is currently being supported by the High Commission for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue and by the
