Eurodiaconia links diaconal actors to examine social needs, develop ideas and influence policies impacting Poverty and Social Exclusion, Social and Health Care Services and the Future of Social Europe.
Eurodiaconia also provides a platform for transnational networking and best practice sharing.
As the leading network for diaconal work in Europe, we look to develop dialogue and partnership between members and influence and engage with the wider society. We do this to enable inclusion, care and empowerment of the most vulnerable and excluded and ensure dignity for all.
We aim to see a positive social change in Europe through:
Praxis, enabling membership engagement and partnerships
Advocacy, creating a network of competence to impact policies at European and national level
Identity and values, supporting the development of approaches and thinking on Diaconia in Europe today
Sunday, May 19, 2013
| First official assessment of the Roma integration strategies |
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29 May 2012
Last week the European Commission published the first official assessment of the National Roma Integration Strategies (NRIS). All Member States (except Malta which has no Roma population) had submitted a strategy; however the assessment shows a mixed evaluation. The main weaknesses of the national strategies were that too often neither clear measures to reach targets nor appropriate funding were specified. According to the Commission’s assessment the majority of Member States have so far failed to allocate sufficient budgetary resources for Roma inclusion. Only 12 countries have clearly identified allocated funding, whether from national or EU sources, and presented specific amounts for Roma inclusion policy measures in their strategy papers. In terms of the four priority areas: education, health, housing and employment, few Member States defined a comprehensive approach to improve the health of Roma. Similarly few propose concrete measures as part of an integrated approach to tackling the housing situation of Roma. Eurodiaconia was however pleased to see the Commission recognise that “Addressing the lack of registration of Roma in the national population registers and the lack of identity papers, where applicable, is an absolute pre-condition for ensuring equal access to public services”. They go on to urge the Member States to address this immediately and properly. The document also states that from now on, Member States must show that they have appropriate NRIS in order to receive European Social Funds (ex-ante conditionality). It also explains that in order to link with Europe2020 headline targets, NRPs (National Reform Programmes) will now be scrutinised for coherence with NRIS and where appropriate, references to Roma integration will be made in Country-Specific recommendations. The European Commission will report annually to the European Parliament and the Council on progress made in the NRIS. See Eurodiaconia’s NRIS assessment here |
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