On 24 May, over 60 participants from local and central level, as well as national and international stakeholders, gathered together at the Conference on “Fostering and Promoting the employment of the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities”. The event was organised by the Office for Good Governance/Office of the Prime Minister (OGG/OPM) and supported by the ROMACTED II Programme on Promoting good governance and Roma empowerment at the local level, a joint programme between the European Union (DG NEAR) and the Council of Europe. 

The conference presented the employment policy undertaken by the Office for Good Governance on fostering and promoting employment of the Roma and Ashkali Egyptian communities. Best practices in regard to fostering and promoting employment at the local level were shared by those currently implementing some of the ROMACTED II small grant projects: the community projects for engaging health mediators, a start-up flower shop, and women’s handcrafts in tailoring foster and promote employment among Roma Ashkali Egyptian communities, particularly among women and youth.

Mr Frank Power, Head of the Council of Europe Pristina Office, pointed out that employment of  the Roma Ashkali Egyptian communities is a priority area in the Strategy for Advancing the Rights of Roma/Ashkali communities (2022-2026), and in the Declaration on Western Balkans Partners on Roma Integration within the enlargement process, known as the Poznan Declaration, as well as the Council of Europe’s Recommendation Rec(2001)17 of the Committee of Ministers on improving the economic and employment situation of Roma and Travellers. 

Mr Habit Hajredini from the Office for Good Governance presented the work of the inter-ministerial team on fostering and promoting employment among Roma Ashkali Egyptian communities and invited local and central institutions to contribute to information sharing and advancing of community rights in employment.

Mr Stefano Gnocchi from the EU Office informed those present that a Roma seminar would be organised this year in Pristina with employment being one of the priority areas to be addressed.

The conference offered a platform for fruitful discussion, information exchange, and sharing of suggestions for different stakeholders including at the local level on how to further the employment policies for the Roma Ashkali Egyptian communities.