Spolu started to streamline the advocacy mechanisms between the European and the grassroots levels regarding the implementation of Roma policies by way of a chain of information. This chain ensures a much needed and often lacking information flow between the grassroots level and EU institutions, translating European and national policies towards the grassroots level and analysing the impact of these policies.

The chain also enables an upwards flow, bringing experiences from the grassroots level concerning the impact of Roma policies on the municipal level to the European level. The chain of information-method was developed by the Working Group on Mobilisation and Empowerment of ERGO.

 

The Roma movement is mainly male-dominated; the voice of women is often unheard. By including women, the movement would gain in power and strengthen its claim to represent the Roma population. Moreover, empowerment of Roma women contributes greatly to the creation of an environment in which Roma children grow up as conscious citizens of their society. Spolu supports active Roma women groups and aims to link them to women who have a network within civil society, the Roma movement, or the political scene. They can be Roma women activists or women that work professionally with grassroots women. Read more about Spolu’s policy on linking these women to grassroots groups. In Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Bulgaria, our partners organised women in so-called mother centres. In these centres, women have a safe space to discuss a wide range of topics that concern them, such as childcare, domestic violence and the education of their children. The leaders of these centres are women activists who often have good connections with local politicians, civil society organisations and authorities. In Albania, Roma women managed to claim a special department for Roma culture in the National Historical Museum in Tirana. Read here for more information about that action.

 

Spolu focuses especially on the empowerment of youth, in order to address the root causes of social exclusion in daily life. We want to create opportunities for Roma youth and to combat anti-gypsyism in society. Youth are interested in issues such as Roma identity and fighting the negative stigma of being Roma. Identity issues are of natural importance to Roma youngsters, as they are in a phase of life in which they explore and discover their own distinctiveness. They frequently face discrimination, for instance, when entering the job market. Spolu supports Roma youth to become self-organised and to explore the meaning of their identity and the effects this identity has on their lives. Roma youth are more easily encouraged to take responsibility to achieve changes in their environment. Spolu offers Roma youth across Europe an international platform where they can meet and discuss the above-mentioned issues. Youth are encouraged to organise campaigns and local actions to address the causes of social exclusion in daily life and create opportunities to combat anti-Gypsyism in society.

Currently, Spolu is setting up a Roma Youth Programme for the period 2010 – 2015. Part of this programme will be the establishment of an international Roma youth network, which will be expanded by strong regional Roma youth networks. The networks make use of many creative methods to attract many young Roma. Furthermore, the network will conduct international campaigns, in order to practise their citizenship and to become more visible. The described networks do in part already exist.