The
European Network Sastipen is the result of an initiative that began in 1995,
when the Fundación Secretaraido Gitano, (Spain) with the support of the
European Commission and the Spanish National Plan on Drugs, started a
programme which intention was to knowing the needs of the Roma population
regarding to the effects caused by drug dependencies and HIV / AIDS.
As the time went by and the network was gaining consolidation, this process was joined by partners from community countries where the Roma is subject to similar dynamics. Our aim is to get the involvement of every European organization interested in working with this population in the field of health in order to consolidate a European area of knowledge and information on the situation of Roma in Europe, with the possibility of becoming a valid mediator for the administrations regarding this issue and claiming their involvement with a population traditionally forgotten when designing social policies.
In brief, the SASTIPEN Network offers a meeting point to think about and exchange a platform to promote actions aimed at the improvement of the quality of life and the health of the Roma community.
