RISE Project: Fostering Inclusive School Environments
Roma people living within our Union’s borders must enjoy equal rights, treatment, and opportunities as any other European citizen. To this end, the EU has adopted a legislative framework: the EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion, and participation. In line with this policy framework, the CERV programme promotes equality and improves inclusion of Roma people.
Across Central and Eastern Europe, discrimination and non-inclusive school systems systematically deprive children and youth from Roma communities of their right to education. Those that do enrol are likely to drop out before the end of basic schooling because of racism in schools. Many Roma children are tracked to ‘special’ schools and classrooms for children with disabilities, and let down by teachers' low expectations, simply because of their language or behaviour differences. Thus, Roma children and youth face serious challenges to complete even basic education.
One of the funded actions is the RISE project. This initiative, led by Caritas Alba Iulia in Romania, and in partnership with the Autonomia Foundation in Hungary, aims to address the issue of discrimination and antigypsyism within the educational system, focusing on the Roma youth in Romania and Hungary. Building on experiences gained and methodologies developed in previous projects, RISE will create inclusive educational environments, empower Roma youth to support their school retention, and influence policies to ensure equal access to education.
ERIACNET4EU: ERIAC Network to advance Roma inclusion by combatting and preventing antigypsyism
The project aims at protecting, promoting, and raising awareness of rights of Roma citizens within the EU and thereby at strengthening the EU values of equality, justice, and non-discrimination. By doing so, it aims to contribute to the development of a more democratic EU where all citizens can enjoy equal access and protection of their rights.
Created in 2017, the project is implemented by the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC). Its mission is to increase the self-esteem of Roma and to decrease negative prejudice of the majority population towards the Roma by means of arts, culture, history, and media.
ERIAC acts as an international creative hub supporting the exchange of creative ideas across borders, cultural domains, and Romani identities. It highlights Romani contributions to European culture, documents the historical experiences of Romani people in Europe and to disseminates a positive image and knowledge about Romani communities.
The grant received by the CERV programme will also allow ERIAC to regrant funds to its network members with the aim to increase their capacities, establish channels of communication with public authorities and EU institutions and to change narratives about Roma in Europe through advocacy, cultural diplomacy and intercultural exchange between Roma and non-Roma.
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