23.09.2016Regional forum of Roma community activists took place in Veliko Turnovo
More than 30 Roma community moderators, health, education and labor mediators, city councilors, mayors and Roma activists and leaders took part in regional forum was held on 16 of September 2016 near the town of Veliko Tarnovo. It brought together representatives of Roma community from Veliko Turnovo, Targovishte, Shumen and Rousse Districts. The forum was organized by AMALIPE Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance as part of the program for promoting community monitoring of healthcare services supported by Roma Health Project of OSF.
During the forum the participants discussed:
1.The experience of early marriage prevention in the municipalities of Pavlikeni, Veliko Tarnovo, Gorna Oryahovitsa and Strazhitsa: they discussed how this initiative could be applied in other municipalities in the region as well as how community based positions (for example, community moderators mediators) could apply elements from it;
2. Results from the early marriages survey conducted in the same municipalities. The main findings were presented by Ivan Todorov (Community Development Coordinator in Amalipe) as well as by the community moderators in the Community Development Centers in Pavlikeni, Veliko Tarnovo - Gorna Oryahovitsa and Strazhitsa;
3. Important current developments regarding Roma integration policy: Deyan Kolev presented how the new Public Education Act (that is in force since August 1) will affect the educational integration. He stressed the importance of establishment of Public Council in every school and kindergarten (by the end of 2016) and called upon participants to work for ensuring that Roma parents will become part of these Councils. Kolev spoke also about the possibilities for establishment of the so-called “united schools” that educate students from 1st to 10th grade (by May 31, 2017) and why it is important for Roma from the rural areas;
4. Possibilities for financing the integration policy, early marriage prevention and community monitoring activities: the forthcoming operation “Socio-economic integration of marginalized communities” and the current operation “Your lesson” were presented and discussed.
