10/04/2024
FSG
On 9 April, the Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) presented the report Evaluation of the results and impact of the Calí Programme, for the Equality of Roma Women 2016-2023 in Brussels.This programme, cofounded by the European Social Fund, is a pioneering initiative, not only in Spain, but for the European Union as a whole, by developing specific actions to promote equality for Roma women from a comprehensive approach. Calí has worked on equal opportunities through personalised pathways to improve the employability and social inclusion of Roma women, especially the most vulnerable profiles; gender equality and co-responsibility between Roma women and men; support for women victims of gender-based violence; as well as equal treatment and the fight against discrimination and antigypsyism, especially addressing cases of intersectional discrimination suffered by Roma women.
FSG has developed this programme from 2016 to 2023 incorporating a technical team of 34 expert professionals, mostly Roma women, distributed in 30 cities in 14 Spanish regions, which has been an innovation compared to previous experiences.
The impact study concluded that the programme is "relevant, efficient and coherent with the needs of the participants, as well as effective in achieving its objectives.” Specifically, the research carried out to evaluate the programme has found a positive and significant impact on the lives of the participants, mainly in the fight against discrimination and antigypsyism, the development of personal skills and employability. 92.5% of the women participants expressed their satisfaction with the Calí Programme.
Calí Programme for the equality of Roma women 2016-2023
This event in Brussels began with the institutional inauguration by Annelisa Cotone, member of the Cabinet of Commissioner Dalli, DG Justice and Consumers of the European Commission, who declared that “Calí provides political guidelines to address the equality of Roma women.” Referring to the work carried out by FSG, she highlighted its representatives: "You have tested programmes that work. Your work is a reference in and it has great potential for replication." For her part, Sara Giménez, Director General of FSG stressed that " Social transformation requires professional, specialised and long-term work. The European Social Fund makes it possible.”
The round table, moderated by Pepi Fernández, coordinator of the FSG's Calí Programme, included Sandra Montoya, Calí worker, who began her speech by stressing that "Roma women do not start from zero, we start from minus 3" and recalled that "we also have goals and life projects that are more difficult for us to achieve. For this reason, the work we do in Calí must include attention to intersectionality and interculturality as essential.”
Rebeca Escudero and Jenifer Montoya Rodríguez, Calí participants, shared their experiences of the assistance they received as victim of discrimination and as participant in the Calí training pathways respectively. Jorge Serrano, representative of the Burgos Local Police from the Diversity Management and VioGen Unit, commented on how "for years we have been collaborating with the Calí Programme to tackle antigypsyism and jointly attend to the victims from a human rights perspective". Noelia Lardies, office manager of the company Eulen Flexiplan in Zaragoza, valued positively the coordination with the Calí Programme to jointly contribute to the training and labour entry of the participating women.
Representatives of the different administrations and funding bodies also participated and gave their assessment of the results of the programme.
According to María Iglesia, Head of Unit ESF Spain & Malta, of the DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, "the results indicate that the programme is a reference and can be transferred to other contexts, because of the value it has given to the lives of Roma women and because it is efficient and effective. ESF+ want to have a direct impact on people, as Calí does, a source of inspiration for other Member States. And to demonstrate the usefulness of investments, like the Calí".
Irena Moozova, Deputy Director General for International Dimension of Justice Policies, Rule of Law and Equality, DG Justice and Consumers, European Commission said " Calí is a good example of how to use EU funds to combat anti-Gypsyism and to reach out to the most needy, most vulnerable. Roma women are the most vulnerable and face multiple discrimination in their professional and personal lives. The conclusions of the Calí are valid for incorporation into public policies." Finally, Joana Prats, Director of the Department of Relations with Social Entities at "la Caixa" Foundation, stressed that “Calí incorporates accountability for efficiency, confidence in achieving results and social commitment to reach the most socially vulnerable people. Public-private cooperation is essential, synergies and avoiding duplication. The long term is essential in this collaboration and the involvement of participants. It is important to transfer this experience.".
The Director General for Family Diversity and Social Services of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, Patricia Bezunartea, among other issues, highlighted that “Calí contains many valuable elements to be transferred to public policies: intersectional view of Roma women (increased risk of vulnerability), individualised and integrated methodology, human rights perspective, participation, demonstrating that it is possible to reach those who are furthest away, discrimination approach, involvement of various administrations, demonstrating results. The way of working with some groups needs to be changed in a structural way and adapt public services to their needs.”
Celia Gabarri, head of Gender Equality and Roma Women at FSG, closed the conference by recalling the relevance of having programmes such as Calí "where there are so many Roma women behind them to improve their lives and the perspective of having a better future".
4 676 Roma women in a situation of high social vulnerability have participated since the Programme began in 2016. Of these, 56% are between 25 and 45 years of age; 46% live on less than €500/month and 70% have dependent minors. 63% have a primary school education.
These women have worked with individualised pathways to favour their social inclusion and their pre-employment training and employability. A total of 1 546 training courses on personal development and 406 occupational and digital skills courses have been set up. As main results, 2 457 women have started an active job search and 704 of them have found a job. In addition, 280 have returned to formal education.
Calí has also accompanied 392 women in cases of gender-based violence and has implemented 2 736 awareness-raising activities on gender equality, co-responsibility and prevention of violence in which 17 209 women and 9 422 men have participated.
The Calí Programme has dealt with 1 708 cases of ethnic discrimination and antigypsyism and has carried out 246 awareness-raising activities on antigypsyism in which 5 232 key agents, including State security forces, have been trained. In addition, 924 awareness-raising activities on equal treatment and the fight against discrimination have been carried out with the participation of 5 152 women and 2 994 men.
The Calí Programme has been financed by the European Social Fund within the framework of the Operational Programme for Social Inclusion and Social Economy (POISES) and co-financing from the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, the "la Caixa" Foundation, and various regional and local administrations, among others. The Calí programme has been renewed and continues its implementation in the new ESF+ programming period 2021-2029 in Spain.
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