Policy Event

POLICY EVENT “CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ROMA CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN ALBANIA”

Poor allocation of economic resources and inefficient disbursement of funds – the Albanian government continues to tackle the inclusion of Roma minority through project-based programs rather than sustainable and integrated programs. 

A top-down technocratic approach, limited capacity of the country in engaging key Roma actors in the process – especially at local level, and the lack of adequate consultation with and participation of Roma minority at all phases of the policy process. These remarks are part of the major criticism which the Albanian government faced during the policy event named “Challenges and Opportunities for Roma Children and Youth in Albania” which took place on 10 April 2019 in Tirana, Albania.
The particular situation and needs of Roma girls and women in regard to their access to education, employment, housing, health care and public life should be largely taken care of, believe REF and its civil society partners in the SouthEuropean country.

General recommendations and key messages

• Weakness of the governance process, which lacks adequate conditions for institutional cooperation, consequently resulting in weak capacity of the national and local institutions to foster inclusion of Roma children and youth commitment given from the State and international community.
• Lack of adequate monitoring and support from the national to local level, especially with regards to the provision of information to Roma youth, development of knowledge and expertise, technical support and guidance in order to avoid frequent mistakes and learn from previous experience.
• A top-down technocratic approach, limited capacity of the country in engaging key Roma actors in the process – especially at local level, and the lack of adequate consultation with and participation of Roma minority at all phases of the policy process.
• A poor allocation of economic resources and inefficient use of funds – government continue to address Roma minority inclusion through project-based programs rather than sustainable and integrated programs.
• State agencies in close partnership with Roma organisations should address particular situation and needs of Roma girls and women to ensure adequate and equal access to education, employment, housing, health care and public life.

Session Specific Recommendations 
Session I: Access to Quality Education for Roma Children and Youth: Perspective from the ground

1. Government must make resolute efforts to eradicate manifestations of Anti-Roma discrimination in schools. To this end, all institutions should ensure that teachers and other education professionals receive adequate training in multicultural education and that national discrimination law includes specific acts to make the law tangible in all levels in the sphere of education.
2. Government should acknowledge the risk of segregated schools and communities make resolute efforts to prevent actions resulting segregation of Roma children in schools.
3. Government may wish to consider supporting pre-school programs that help to prepare Roma children for primary schools, as well as “booster” early childhood development and parenting programs that provide appropriate support to Roma children before entering the primary schools.
4. Government should compel programs that would ensure that the costs of meals, transportation, and similar costs related to education are covered with respect to children whose parents cannot afford to pay these costs.
5. The governmental institutions should invest to the empowerment of the Roma parents and initiative community projects that foster multiculturalism among Roma and non-Roma population, and promote Roma culture in the lenses of educated Roma people in order to prevent practices of school segregation.
6. The government should conceive and implement a monitoring mechanism that makes sure Roma students attend all cycles of education

Session II: Roma Youth Employment: A Human Development Agenda for the Next Decade

1. Government to revise the education policy to reposition education and training to enable Roma entrants to the labour market with the “right” skills, including soft skills which are increasingly being demanded by employers.
2. Improve the labour market forecasting significantly. Skills shortages are result of the discontent between the education and training systems with the private corporate agencies and industries (supply vs demand).
3. Establish a Roma Youth Task Force which consists of government stakeholders, private corporate representatives and Roma youth advocacy representatives. The task force must be high level, reporting to the Office of the Prime Minister.
4. Consolidate information on Roma youth employment programs and interventions at one source to provide access to information.
5. State and corporate employment agencies should place particular efforts to strengthen dialogue with Roma youth enabling free and participatory actions toward integrated employment opportunities;

Session III: Structural and Policy Changes for Roma and Egyptian in Albania: Scaling up Collaboration at the National Level

1. Government agencies should be aware of the responsibilities deriving from the National Action Plan for Roma minority and proactively follow on-going developments at the central and local level.
2. Government should ensure adequate participatory support programs for the social inclusion of Roma minority following the principle “explicit but not exclusive targeting” and “aiming for the mainstream” with the purpose of pursuing the process of integration focused on the access and full enjoyment of the services, employment, education and participation.
3. To ensure that the dignity of all children is fully respected in schools, government should ensure that educational texts include material on Romani history and culture, especially in the regions and localities with substantial Romani populations.
4. Promulgation and implementation of affirmative action policies giving preference to qualified Roma in public employment, public contracting, and in all other activities undertaken and/or funded by the government.
5. Dialogue between the State agencies, Roma minority should be strengthened to reflect the situation in the ground and enact opportunities for the poverty reduction, equal participation, access to quality education and smooth transition to employment.