ERGO
partners
As
an international network, ERGO is committed to responding to the needs
and activities of all its key stakeholders. ERGO has four broad groups
of stakeholders: (1) membership and Roma civil society organisations;
(2) European, International and National institutions, (3) the broader
human rights community and (4) donor organisations
First
and foremost, ERGO’s key stakeholders are the members of its
network. As a network of Roma civil society organisation working
across a broad range of areas, who are all concerned with developing a
Roma grassroots movemet, ERGO’s first responsibility is to express
the concerns and address the needs of this group of stakeholders.
This
should be done trough a concentrated and multi stakeholders approach.
We need to develop better institutional links with Roma organisations
in the countries and start linking with the other NGOs dealing with
problems related to those we are dealing with. Developing a Roma
Network of Experts is a first step towards this as it targets the Roma
NGOs. Lobbying for a Roma National Day law should bring the political
aspect into our work and force links with the Roma and non Roma
political parties.
Once
those targets reached at the national level we will have good means to
promote the concerns of ERGO members.
Developing
links with European partners gives us a significant say in the
selection of participants for trainings. This influence needs to be
extended at the level of designing of programs and that need to be
taken in account by our members. The secretariat started and will
continue to put pressure on European Networks and International NGOs
to include ERGO members in consultations and if possible management
board.
Secondly
ERGO works closely with European, International and National
institutions to promote different approaches to Roma related issues.
These institutions include the European Commission, the European
Parliament, the Council of Europe, the UNDP, national governments and
institutions and other key EU agencies and actors, including the
European Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC).
The
ERGO secretariat already achieved some significant results but we need
a common ERGO members initiative to target more consistent these
actors .ERGO will need to identify and promote allies in the
structures mentioned above as there are a significant number of
opportunities available at this moment.
Racism,
poverty , exclusion are pervasive and far-reaching problems, in its
efforts to address this problem at a European level it is necessary
for ERGO to continue working closely with broader civil society,
including the trade existing specialised European networks ( ENAR,
EAPN and possibly FEANTSA), and the international human rights
organisations.
ERGO
also needs to target donor organisations and share the vision of long
term programs focused on building capacity trough movement rather than
trough services. In order to do this a meeting of donors should be
organised once ERGO has achieved some very concrete results.
Main
Objectives
-
Objective
1 -
Networking & Capacity
Building
:
Build a strong and healthy network of independent NGOs working on
Roma grassroots by capacitating further the existing members,
extending the existing ERGO membership to other countries (
Hungary
,
Serbia
) and extending the membership in
Romania
,
Bulgaria
,
Slovakia
for the next year.
-
Objective
2 - Public Policy Work: Make a significant impact on public
policy in relation to Roma grassroots related issues. This will be
done trough national Roma expert networks and national /European
reports. The lobby and eventual adoption of a National Roma Day
Law should be seen also as a step in this direction.
-
Objective
3 - Organisational Development: Develop a strong,
resourceful national organisations that are able to extend
national networks service those networks and provide reliable
communication and leadership for the ERGO secretariat.
These
objectives shall be tackled in the context of the strategic policy
orientations identified by the network, which are to be discussed by
the GA. Identified priorities at this point are :
-
Support
measures to increase needed skills for increasing visibility and
efficiency of the network as well as help building connections at
the political and diplomatic national and international level
-
Combat
anti-Gypsyism and influence policy in the development of measures
to combat anti-Gypsyism as a crime trough promoting an inclusive
human rights based grassroots Roma movement
-
Promote
equal treatment for people of minority ethnic origin disadvantaged
groups and build where possible alliances with other civic
organisations ( representation in the national coordinations of
the European Networks should be a priority)
-
Mainstream
Roma grassroots ideas and equal treatment policies and principles
within European and national public policies
Policy
activities of ERGO
During
its Work Programme, ERGO will continue to implement the objectives as
identified in the Strategic Objectives if approved by the GA. In
implementing its policy priorities ERGO will aim to be both responsive
to current and new developments, while maintaining its commitment to
Roma related agenda-setting and forward-looking policies. ERGO will
engage in essential policy activities which have not been envisaged in
detail in this work programme and will use opportunities available to
contribute to implementing the strategic objectives of the network.
Broadly the programme will respond to the priorities of the network
across four broad categories of actions:
1.
Enhancing the participation, involvement and solution
finding and their transposition in practice of Romani communities and
replacing the existing flawed approach based on artificial and often
corrupt leadership.
2.
Combating Anti-Gypsyism and advancing the protection of
fundamental rights of Roma.
3.
Mainstreaming Romani issues across EU policies and
within the programs of organisations promoting equal treatment of
people irrespective of ethnic origin or religion.
4.
Promoting horizontal policy activities, including
enhancing a range of policy relationships and networking. This will be
a common ERGO – Spolu initiative meant to develop better the
collaboration and task separation between the two.