The Geoportal of Roma settlements with substandard conditions was presented at the Regional Roma Housing Conference held in Tirana on 12-13 June 2024. This conference was organized by the Roma Integration III Joint Programme of the Council of Europe and the European Union.

The platform provides an overview of Roma settlements in municipalities with higher percentages of Roma populations across Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo*.

The maps included in this platform offer a visual representation of the settlements' geographic data. The platform provides a detailed overview of various data related to the settlements, including their locations and access to water, electricity, sewage systems, and street lighting. It also details the number of improvised units made from weak materials, the number of unlegalized structures, and information regarding the detailed urban plans for the settlements. Furthermore, this platform serves as a basis for planning local and national policies in housing and infrastructure projects. It addresses community needs for water and sewage networks, street lighting, the preparation of detailed urban plans, and local planning documentation.

The overview of the settlements also includes elements of the green agenda by displaying the number of dumpsites in the settlements and the need for collective or individual waste containers.

Regarding the data entered on the platform, the following figures are highlighted:

• Total number of substandard Roma settlements: 302
• Total number of structures made from poor materials unsuitable for construction (not durable and unsafe): 7,691
• Total number of meters for constructing the water supply system: 86,694
• Total number of meters for constructing the sewage system: 138,093
• Total number of meters for constructing the electricity system: 25,815
• Total number of meters for constructing the road network: 138,730
• Total number of meters for setting up public lighting: 107,932
• Total number of unmanaged dumping areas in or near the settlements: 138
• Total need for garbage containers: 1,891

All the data were provided in 2021 during the second phase of the Regional Initiative "Roma Integration 2020," conducted by the Regional Council for Cooperation. The data is based on a previously established Methodology for mapping substandard Roma settlements, also prepared within the Roma Integration 2020 phase.

The Geoportal of Roma settlements with substandard conditions serves as a foundational tool for planning and monitoring policies and activities in the housing sector across the region's countries. It also supports the fulfillment of commitments outlined in the Poznan Declaration, particularly those related to the legalization of settlements and the preparation of feasibility studies aimed at improving housing and social housing conditions.

The platform was developed and funded under the Roma Integration III Joint Programme, financed by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Roma and Travellers Division of the Council of Europe.

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