Youth Meeting within the Framework of the ROMED-2 Program
On May 29-30, 2015, a gathering of Romani youth from Ukraine took place as part of the implementation of the ROMED-2 program. The event aimed to discuss youth policy development and engage Romani youth in shaping it.
The primary goal of this event was to increase awareness among Romani youth about their opportunities for engagement and collaboration with various organizations and institutions. The gathering saw the participation of Romani youth leaders from cities such as Kharkiv, Lviv, Odessa, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, and Uzhhorod. Representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Institute of Youth and Family Policy, and the International Renaissance Foundation also took part.
A significant portion of Romani youth in Ukraine faces challenges in terms of education and access to other public services. Additionally, Romani youth’s involvement in associations or NGOs is limited due to a lack of skills, knowledge, information, and support.
To address these issues, all activities held on May 29-30 were aimed at enhancing participants’ competencies in increasing Romani youth’s activism and stimulating collaboration between various stakeholders in the implementation of youth policy in Ukraine.
On May 29, a roundtable discussion was held within the premises of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (the Parliament). This event marked the second meeting at the parliamentary level within the last seven months. Supported by the Council of Europe and within the framework of the Romani Youth Action Plan, the event was conducted in collaboration with the NGO “League of Interns of the Ukrainian Parliament” as part of the ROMED-2 program.
Throughout these two days, participants were introduced to the Council of Europe’s approaches to youth policy development and implementation principles. They explored opportunities for networking, establishing contacts, and planning future collaboration projects with fellow participants and other partners. Discussions also revolved around the unification of efforts among Romani youth in Ukraine and Europe, as well as the realities of Romani youth’s lives and youth policy in Ukraine.
