“If we don’t address the issues of Roma people now, we will have to invest much more effort and resources later.”
Starting from 2010, Roma social-medical mediators have been assisting Roma communities in Ukraine. They are primarily members of the Roma communities who are trusted and respected among the Roma population, and who possess a certain level of education. The main reason for this work is the need for Roma people to access proper medical and social services. Discrimination-free access to these services for Roma people has always been a challenge.
Mediation is one of the mechanisms aimed at solving this issue. It is used in Europe and Ukraine, including to overcome inequalities between Roma and the local population, especially regarding employment, medical services, education, and social services. Over the years, mediators have gained the trust of the average residents of Roma settlements. By daily helping Roma with their medical and social needs, mediator networks have managed to form an information base on the social, medical, legal, educational, and other needs of Roma communities, while also developing an understanding of their main characteristics and specifics.
With the support of the Roma Program Initiative of the International Renaissance Foundation and the ROMED-2 program, the “Chirikli” Charitable Foundation has started promoting the model of Roma social-medical mediators in order to gain support from the government at national and regional levels.
The main partners of the “Chirikli” Foundation in implementing the program of Roma social-medical mediators are the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture, and other ministries and departments. A lot of work is done with local and regional authorities. For example, collaboration was established between the “Chirikli” Foundation and local and regional centers of social services for family, children, and youth in various regions of Ukraine.
The work started in Kyiv with the City Center for Social Services for Family, Children, and Youth and the Darnytskyi District.
Oksana Safronova, an employee of the Kyiv City Center for Social Services for Family, Children, and Youth, shared her impressions and thoughts on collaboration with the “Chirikli” Foundation:
“We coordinate the work of 10 social services in the city. I am very pleased that two years ago we signed a contract with the “Chirikli” Charity Foundation and got to know the Roma mediators. The scope of our work expanded because we previously did not pay much attention to Roma families.
It was the mediator who went to those places, talked to the Roma people, and invited them to us. We have a day center on the basis of the Kyiv center where anyone in difficult life circumstances can come. They don’t even ask for a name there. You can receive professional legal assistance there. I know that such assistance was provided to a Roma person because making a passport for him was very difficult since he was registered in another region; the lawyer had to go there. These efforts lasted for two years, but they eventually managed to get him a passport.”
Recently, within the framework of this project, documents were prepared for Roma people who needed them. I know other very pleasant stories, a few of them. For instance, a Roma woman who came to our day center met a young man. He was an orphan who faced difficult life circumstances – he was kicked out of his home by relatives. They liked each other and formed a family. Now this woman has given birth to their second child. Initially, she lived in a social dormitory, and he used to come there. It turned out that as an orphan, as our lawyers proved, he was entitled to housing, and he received it. They helped with repairs. And now the couple has a second child and they live together harmoniously.
The key is the trust of Roma people in our social workers and mediators. We receive quite a few inquiries from other regions and areas. I am very glad because when I think about this joint project, I see that it is successful and effective.”
In 2014, the “Chirikli” Foundation started working with the Darnytskyi City Administration of Kyiv. We chose the Darnytskyi District because a Roma camp settled there, and there are places with concentrated Roma population.
“The city authorities have never paid attention to the problems of Roma people. I believe that if we don’t address the issues of Roma people now and leave them in the same state, then later we will need to invest much more effort and resources to solve these problems. Every person has the right to a dignified life and access to medical services, and we must ensure the realization of these rights. This fully applies to Roma people,” said Hennadiy Sintsow, the head of the Darnytskyi District State Administration of Kyiv.
As part of the cooperation under the ROMED-2 program, a special working group for Roma issues was established in the Darnytskyi District State Administration. This group holds regular meetings with Roma mediators and community representatives. Together, they plan their work and gradually implement the planned activities.
Additionally, within the scope of cooperation, work is being carried out at the Family Center. Natalia Kostiuk, the director of the Family Center of the Darnytskyi District of Kyiv, says, “Very often, the following problems arise. Roma families, even those who reside permanently in the district, don’t always know where to turn for help. So, with the appearance of the mediator in our district, our work, especially for civil servants, became easier in this direction. The mediator directs anyone from a Roma family to a specific institution, and we receive ready clients whom we can help. The family gets registered, they can receive material and psychological assistance, as well as clothing. In the Center of Social Services for Family, Children, and Youth, there is a responsible specialist who deals exclusively with Roma issues, and this is also thanks to our cooperation with the ‘Chirikli’ Foundation.”
For Roma women, a special club was created near the library through the mediator. Women with various issues can come there and discuss them.
We have the Department for Family and Youth Affairs. The head of the family policy department, Serhiy Mehet, oversees the work with Roma issues. I can confidently say that no public servant in the camp has the same level of respect as he does. When he comes to the camp, Roma men talk to him on equal terms.
And one more thing. The so-called “Roma radio” works very well – you should never lie in any case. It’s better to tell the truth, like “I don’t have information about this, I will find out and tell you (call, inform) later.” If you deceive them once, don’t expect their trust afterwards. Information about a lie, even a small one, spreads instantly, and the attitude later is like “why talk to her (or him)…”
I want to say that our work with the Roma community is very well established. This is probably the only district in Kyiv that hasn’t ignored this problem. It’s worth noting the position of Hennadiy Sintsow, the district head, his socially active position. This applies to all issues without exception. Therefore, we have managed to address the Roma situation like this.
And if we continue the phrase “Roma problems can be solved if…”, I would say this: if we don’t treat the Roma community as separate from the people who live in this district, if we see Roma as equal citizens of Ukraine just like all other residents of our district (at least during their time living here), if we treat them not with irony but seriously, with respect as human beings, then they also respond and are ready to cooperate,” Natalia Kostiuk concluded.
And from us, we want to add that the district authorities have extensive and well-thought-out plans to improve living conditions in the Roma camp in the Darnytskyi District. We also hope that the “Chirikli” Foundation will manage to establish equally effective cooperation with other districts of the capital where similar issues exist, particularly with the Holosiivskyi District.
P.S. The project “Expanding the Opportunities of Roma Social-Medical Mediators in Ukraine” is implemented with the support of the “Roma Health” program of the International Renaissance Foundation and the “Roma Program Initiative” of the International Renaissance Foundation.
