Promoting the usa of ESI Funds for Roma inclusion

The consideration of Roma inclusion

in a large number of ESF and ERDF thematic

objectives and investment priorities,

beyond the specific IP 9.2. implies substantial

progress in terms of Roma policies and opens a lot of opportunities to achieve impact

if it is appropriately implemented.

The use of other thematic objectives which could have potential to reach Roma people

(e.g. 2, 5 and 6)

could be considered as merely anecdotal.

Fields of intervention

It is positive to observe that in the adopted Operational Programmes

countries incorporate

actions addressing the four key fields of intervention identified by the EU Framework for

National Roma Integration Strategies (employment, education, healthcare and housing),

together in some cases with

interventions in other areas such as the

fight against

discrimination or social inclusion/community-level social integration

(i.e. community-

centres, field social work, intercultural mediation, access to social services…).

Despite the wider scope in terms of fields of intervention, and similarly to the 2007-

2013 programming period,

interventions are mainly focused on employment and

education while healthcare and housing are considered to a lesser extent,

although

housing issues are acquiring increased importance, with specific lines of support.

The area of

healthcare

is however primarily included in general lines of support and

considered from a global approach (initiatives covering different areas).

One of the main challenges perceived in the previous programming period was the

design and actual implementation of an

integrated and multidimensional approach

(both in terms of foreseen interventions and funds). In the 2014-2020 period,

despite

the fact that it is widely recognised as a crucial element

to address complex situations

for Roma inclusion, it is

still not broadly considered

and when it is the case, it is often

not clear how it will be implemented in practice.

While these approaches are of particular relevance in areas with relatively widespread

geographical segregation and marginalisation or where Roma are overrepresented, it

important to go further and apply

them

in all types of interventions targeting Roma,

emphasising

links between the different fields.