Presentation by Michael Guet, Council of Europe, on the occasion of the EESC conference on 'Better Roma inclusion through civil society initiatives: focus on education, employment, housing and antidiscrimination' (Brussels, 7 November 2014).

1. UPDATE
CAHROM, Sarajevo - 29 October 2014

2. ROMED 1 – Training of Roma Mediators. European Training
programme for Intercultural Mediation with the Roma Communities.
(CoE SRSG Team/EU DG EAC)
ROMED 2 – Community participation and dialogue with the local
authorities / Democratic Governance and community participation
through Mediation. (CoE SRSG Team/EU DG EAC)
ROMACT- Strengthen the capacity of local and regional authorities
to develop and implement plans and projects for Roma inclusion.
(CoE SRSG – EU DGEMPL /complemented by DG REGIO)

3. Beneficiary countries ROMED 1
2011-2014 Covering various parts of Europe:
countries where mediators are institutionalised
countries where there is a more recent experience with Roma mediators
countries where the employment of mediators is a new idea
Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Republic of Moldova,
Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia,
Spain, “the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia”, Turkey, Ukraine, UK and Kosovo*
City of Geneva
* Resolution 1244

4. Over 1300 mediators trained in 22 countries and Kosovo*. A very
large majority of mediators are Roma, the others have a very
good knowledge of the Roma community

5. - creation of a European Database on Mediators, a valuable
resource with up-to-date information on various aspects of Roma
mediation in a number of countries.

6. Additionnel Achievements
Elements of impact
• design and elaboration of a new training curriculum for mediators (available in 20
languages)
• A European Code of Ethics for Mediators: a set of core principles and norms to guide the
work of mediators has been identified as a key tool for protecting the mediator against
abuse and for enhancing the quality of the services provided.
• creation of a European pool of ROMED trainers: 60 trainers out of which more than half are
of Roma origin
• around 700 representatives from national and local institutions have attended the training
sessions
• Snowball effect triggered in some countries (Ukraine, Greece, Romania, Germany, FYRoM)
• Institutionalisation of mediation (Republic of Moldova)
• Adoption by the Committee of Ministers (CoE) of the Recommendation CM/Rec (2012)9 on
mediation as an effective tool for promoting respect for human rights and social inclusion of
Roma
• Mediation increasingly present in the National Strategies for Roma Integration (EU
framework)
• Change in the perception of the mediator and her/his role by the public institutions
• Change in the mediators’ perception of their own role/work: intense networking among
peers, exchange of experiences and the ability to build more collective responses to
concrete problems

7. ROMED22 (2013-2014/15)
The purpose: to empower members of the Roma communities and
prepare staff of local public institutions to engage in a participatory
process aimed at improving the situation of the Roma
Objectives:
•To enhance democratic participation and visible empowerment of
Roma communities;
•To stimulate an increased responsiveness of public institutions
towards Roma.
Transfer the focus of the
training from the Mediator only
to
environment of
context/Mediation
the

8. COUNTRIES (2014-15)
2
4 to 10 locations per country/
Approx. 70 locations during the first year
Close to 80 now with Ukraine and Germany
Close to 40 Locations in the ROMACT countries
2

9. RROOMMEEDD22
National support teams
National support teams
(NPO’s/NFPs/Trainers/Facilitators)
(NPO’s/NFPs/Trainers/Facilitators)
In 12 Countries
In 12 Countries
79 Municipalities in 11 Countries
79 Municipalities in 11 Countries
(+ 1 Country that launched
ROMED2 at National level)
(+ 1 Country that launched
ROMED2 at National level)
Over 100 Mediators active in the
Over 100 Mediators active in the
Municipalities
Municipalities
71 Community Action Groups
71 Community Action Groups
(CAG)
(CAG)
5 to 10 Representatives of
public institutions,
including Schools involved
in each of the 69
Municipalities
Each CAG is composed of 5 to
20 People 79 Roma Communities
each counting between
500 and 5000 Members
Approximately 500 representatives
of the local administrations
Between 1000 and 1200 active
Roma CAG members By the end of the Programme close
to 100 000 Roma will be touched
by this process of Mediation

10. The aim of the programme
ROMACT sets out to:
ROMACT aims to strengthen the capacity of local and regional
authorities (targeting both elected officials and senior civil servants)
to develop and implement plans and projects for Roma inclusion.
• Concretely build the capacity of local authorities to perform their
roles and responsibilities when it comes to the implementation of
practices which improve Roma inclusion, particularly to become more
responsive and accountable;
• Identify (where they exist) or create mechanisms and processes which
promote and ensure good governance standards
• Improve the efficiency, effectiveness, ownership and sustainability of
local policies, measures and delivery of services.

11. Renewals/New
Agreements CoE/EU
ROMED 2 – New Agreement to be signed between the CoE and DGEAC
Period 1 January - 31 December 2015.
Includes the Evaluation of the Programme since 2011
2nd ROMACT agreement to be signed between the CoE and DG EMPL
Period Period December 2014 - December 2015.
For the existing municipalities and the inclusion of Greece in the programme
3rd ROMACT agreement to be signed between the CoE and DG EMPL
Period mid-2015 to Mid-2016
For new Municipalities in present programme countries and new
Municipalities in new programme Countries

12. THANK YOU!
www.coe-romed.org
http://coe-romact.org/