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Description
The content of the project "My Voice - My Choice" is the effective support of civic awareness and the development of social participation of at least 80 people from the excluded Roma localities of Žatec in the context of the parliamentary elections 2021. Increasing awareness and understanding of democratic processes will strengthen these people''s resilience to election manipulation and bribery. They will be able to cast their vote freely and responsibly.
Based on our experience from 2014 and 2018, we know that with the upcoming elections, a serious problem will be repeated in our city and surrounding municipalities, which is the "buying" of voters'' votes from the range of socially vulnerable Roma communities. The Ministry of the Interior draws attention to and comments on this violation of the electoral law (bribing voters is a serious electoral offence). The will of a corrupt voter is not independent (see Pl. ÚS 73/04 dated 26/01/2005, Pl. ÚS 57/10 dated 5/1/2011).
We will contribute to the solution of the defined problem by carrying out an action information campaign among the local Roma in the period before the elections (i.e. from August to October), which will be focused on the topic of elections and democratic processes. We will organize a total of 3 discussions on these topics, in addition to us, another experienced Roma activist will also be present and together with the local people we will discuss the principles of our democratic society, the meaning of elections, the election programs of individual parties, why it is important to participate in elections and why there are no less it is important not to allow anyone, nota bene, to manipulate the elections. At the same time, we will spread this information through leaflets. We need to give people self-confidence, self-respect, awareness of their own value and the weight of their electoral vote, they were informed that such behavior is illegal.
Summary of project results
The goal of the project was to ensure that local Roma people at risk of social exclusion go to the elections to the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic in 2021, go to them informed and, if possible, make a truly free decision. The aim was also to increase the awareness of local people in the area of civic participation thanks to information in the field of democratic processes and elections. The fact that the goal was achieved was determined by the rate and characteristics of electoral participation and whether, thanks to the implementation of project activities, we managed to protect a significant number of people from electoral manipulation.
Evaluation of goal achievement:
In the contractually defined term, we managed to successfully implement 3 thematic discussions with the participation of min. 240 people, ensure effective and targeted distribution of 900 leaflets, evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention and effectively adjust the organization''s strategy in the addressed area.
According to information from Roma voters (they informed us, for example, "we are going to the elections") and based on general feedback from the electoral commission, the turnout of local Roma was unprecedented, apparently the vast majority of people involved in the project and their family members went to vote.
Depending on how interested and actively people participated in the discussions (notes, questions, sharing), their awareness and civic awareness certainly deepened.
We know from people''s feedback that they did not allow themselves to be manipulated thanks to good information, three families even reported the attempt to "buy votes" to the police.