14.06.2022
Improved access to health, employment and social services is key to better inclusion of the Roma-Egyptian (RE) population in Montenegrin society, and the position of RE mediator has proven to be an effective model for better exercise of these rights, said the Minister for Human and Minority Righths Fatmir Gjeka during the meeting with the regional coordinator of Help, Klaus Mock.
Minister Gjeka, emphasized the importance of the social inclusion of the Roma and Egyptian communities in Montenegro and importance of co-operation in this area with international partners. Successful cooperation on the implementation of strategic policies is key to achieving the planned goals, said Minister Gjeka, who has emphasized better access of basic human rights.
“The results of the projects that we are implementing, in order to improve the position and quality of life of our citizens from the RE population, has been a motivation to intensify efforts and design further activities,” said the Minister.
Regional coordinator of Help, Klaus Mock, congratulated the Minister on his appointment and stressed the importance of the area in which Help cooperates with the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights.
Mock said that the project is a continuity of Help’s work on the inclusion of the RE population in Montenegro, and that the effects of the work of mediators in the fields of employment, social and health care are recognized by both the community and local institutions.
“The ultimate goal of this project is to systematize the position of RE mediator in institutions at the local level . In this way, Montenegro would fulfill one of the recommendations from the last Progress Report from European Commission. We need to use the momentum and resolve the issue primarily for the benefit of the RE population, but also as proof of Montenegro’s commitment to the adoption of European values”.
Help, in cooperation with partners, the Capital City of Podgorica and the municipalities of Berane and Ulcinj, is implementing the project “Social inclusion of Roma men and women and Egyptians with the mediation of inclusion associates”, through which 43 mediators in social inclusion were trained.
The beneficiary of the project is the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, and a total of 34 Help Mediators have been working since October 2021, for a period of 12 months: 13 in the field of social protection, 11 in the field of employment and 10 in the field of health care.
Project coordinator, Diana Anđelić, reminded that the project is financed within the Program of the European Union and Montenegro for employment, education and social protection, and is being implementing in 11 municipalities.
“The Roma and Egyptian communities, due to their specifics, primarily due to the fact that most of them speak Albanian or Roma, have numerous benefits from the mediation of mediators in the access of guaranteed rights,” said Anđelić.
“Having in mind the importance of the role of mediators in the social inclusion of the Roma and Egyptian communities, the Ministry will give its full contribution from its competence to integrate the systematization of the position of the mediator into the public service system in Montenegro,” said Minister Gjeka.
It was agreed at the meeting that from their competencies, all involved stakeholders will help create conditions for permanent work engagement of trained mediators.
Minister Gjeka and representatives of Help also discussed other modalities of cooperation.
