Social Justice for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians (SORAE)

RAE communities in Kosovo live on the margins of society, facing inadequate education, extreme poverty, high unemployment, exclusion and multiple forms of discrimination. They do not enjoy their rights and are not empowered to be part of societal and political decision making. This is sustained by discrimination, antigypsyism and internalization of racism, which leads to disengagement, demotivation and disinterest - again reinforcing their exclusion.

Poverty rates in Kosovo are disproportionally high among certain groups - especially children, femaleheaded households, and RAE communities. RAE face large gaps in access to services, economic opportunities and well-being. They are much less likely to attend school (including compulsory education), enjoy access to decent jobs, health care, piped water or sewerage and are more likely to live in substandard housing. RAE women are at a particular disadvantage because they experience a gender gap that is wider than the corresponding gap observed among the general population. As a result of Covid-19 crisis, the position of RAE communities has worsened due to their inappropriate living conditions and marginalization.

The target group of the project 1) RAE children (boys/girls) between 5-18 years old; 2) young RAE women and men aged 15-34 years; 3) RAE families living in hardship conditions; 4) targeted national and local government actors; and 5) Civil society organizations and community leaders.

Indirectly, since large emphasis is placed on antigypsyism, the intervention will also outreach the entire population of Kosovo.

Outcome 1: Mainstreaming social inclusion policies and practices has progressed and improvements have been made in procedures in key policy areas that impact on the lives on RAE communities.

Outcome 2: Public opinion on RAE has shifted and media and public sector have increasingly recognized antigypsyism as a root cause of exclusion of RAE communities.

Outcome 3: The overall inclusion of RAE communities in Kosovo has improved as a result of combined interventions in community based childcare centers, tailored labor market interventions and empowerment of RAE women.

Resultados previstos:  

Output 1.1: Learning Centres and scholarship programmes are fully integrated in the education system, while quality is maintained.

Output 1.2: Case management approach is mainstreamed beyond case management roundtables (CMRs).

Output 2.1: public awareness about antigypsyism, the ways it is manifested and the unconscious biases that operate is raised.

Output 2.2: Capacity building and information raising mechanisms on antigypsyism for public officials, teachers and other service providers are developed and implemented.

Output 3.1: Community-based child day care programs are piloted and co-financed.

Output 3.2: RAE job-seekers have increased their employability and are better informed about job openings, both in the public and the private sectors.

Resultados de las fases anteriores:  

• For the past six years of the previous project, the intervention strengthened the education prospects of around 1,500 RAE children and students each year by undergoing supplementary education at 33 learning and after-school centers as well as progressing to high schools through the scholarship program.
• 70-100 RAE families, on an annual basis, have been supported in housing upgrades by improving their living conditions.
• Annually, 100-120 cases of RAE children at risk were treated and actions taken by the child protection mechanisms at municipal level.
• At policy level, the project supported the authorities in Kosovo to adopt the law on child protection and the administrative instruction on institutionalizing learning and after-school centers. As a result of the institutionalization of centers, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) allocated 500,000 Euro as a contribution for the maintenance of the centers during the 2019 school year.

Fase 1 15.07.2020 - 31.12.2023   (Completed)