The second Advisory Group meeting was organised in close cooperation with the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees and supported by the ROMACTED Support Team for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The event brought together the main relevant stakeholders from 10 programme municipalities, as well as international community, Roma community members and other relevant stakeholders. The aim of the meeting was to reflect on the progress and discuss next steps in programme implementation.

Ms Saliha DJUDERIJA, Assistant to the Minister of Human Rights and Refugees, chaired the opening panel, highlighting the relevance of ROMACTED and how it compliments implementation of the National Action Plan for Roma and opportunities for further synergies. Ms DJUDERIJA also said: 

the engine for change lies at local level, which the programme complements with its action.

The deputy Head of Office from the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo, Ms Loreta VIOUI, welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of positioning the programme in the framework of the Thematic Action Plan for Roma Inclusion, as well as the Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mr Orhan USEIN from Roma Integration Action Team (Regional Cooperation Council) reminded the audience on the recently signed Poznan Declaration and the way the EU integration is closely linked to Roma Integration. Ms USEIN also highlighted the agreement between Roma Integration and ROMACTED Programme regarding the replication of action from central to local level. Beside the recently published Guidelines on Roma sensitive budgeting, he added that housing and employment of Roma are in the top of the priorities. Moreover, the legalisation comes as the easiest way to solve the housing issues.

ROMACTED Programme Manager, Mr Marcos ANDRADE, discussed the different context perspectives of the programme in the Western Balkans and Turkey and the upcoming small grants scheme for programme municipalities. He also added that:

the next phase of the programme will go in hand with building further accountability, sustainability and autonomy of the process.

The event was also an opportunity for the ROMACTED municipal contact points to present their achievements, plans and reflect on the synergies with other Roma interrelated projects.

The conclusions and recommendations for the future were discussed by Mr Marcos ANDRADE and Ms Saliha DJUDERIJA. It was concluded that the ROMACTED Programme is a strong point for Roma inclusion in the mainstream society and should be expended or replicated to all municipalities where Roma population reside.

ROMACTED Programme aims at building up political will and sustained policy engagement of local authorities to enhance democratic local governance and empowerment of local Roma communities. The programme is being implemented in the ten partner municipalities of Bijeljina, Brčko, Donji Vakuf, Gradiška, Kakanj, Prnjavor, Travnik, Tuzla, Visoko and Vukosavlje in Bosnia and Herzegovina.