Description
The project addresses the issue of challenged cooperation between local authorities and civil society organizations (CSOs) (mainly Roma ones) in Blagoevgrad Region due to lacking capacity and knowledge of CSOs to contribute to policy and decision-making. The project aims to promote CSOs involvement with the local authorities to develop and implement the policies on Roma integration. First, detailed analysis of the current state of partnership between the CSOs and the local authorities will be carried out. Next, motivation meetings will be held with the Roma community to identify key needs and mobilize them. Third, a methodology for sustainable partnerships with the local authorities will be developed, local CSOs will be trained to boost their capacity and active cooperation will take place. The main target group is the Roma community and CSOs as well as the local authorities. Blagoevgrad District Administration will contribute with its expertise and facilitate cooperation.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the issue of challenged cooperation between local authorities and NGOs in Blagoevgrad Region and contributed to the enhancement of the civil society and the Roma community in particular and mobilized informal groups by building the capacity for interaction with the local authorities and by involving them in a structured and coordinated dialogue of the Roma integration policies. The groups were mobilized to ensure faster, better and more efficient implementation of the existing strategies. We reached and worked in 14 localities, targeting 6 of them in particular, i.e. the municipalities of Yakoruda, Belitsa, Sandanski, Razlog, Simitly and Petrich. We started from scratch and developed dialogue in almost all of the 6 municipalities. Both parties (the Roma/NGOs and the administration) were hostile to each other in many places. Some of the municipalities and institutions claimed that the Roma participation is used for covert purposes. Some civil organizations and groups were unhappy with the fact that municipalities do not take the interest of the Roma at heart. The parties managed to find points of common interest during the joint project meetings where topics related to education, healthcare, housing, programme documents and reports of municipal plans were addressed. We started the procedure of appointing health mediators with the municipal authorities. The municipalities that agreed to have health mediators and launched selection procedures are Yakoruda, Belitsa, Tazlog, Simitly, Sandanski, Bansko (Petrich and Blagoevgrad have health mediators).
Summary of bilateral results