Roma Housing Rights for Sustainable Urban Development
Roma Housing Rights for Sustainable Urban Development Project was launched in December 2015 and financed under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) tool. The aim of the project is to enhance the involvement and participation of the Roma community in the processes of social inclusion in housing.
The Roma remain the most vulnerable and disadvantaged ethnic group, living on the outskirts of cities and towns across the country, often segregated from the general population. In the past years, Habitat for Humanity Macedonia has been working in assisting Roma families in improving their living conditions, and has determined a need for a more inclusive and wide ranging approach to solving the problem of substandard housing for the Roma. Thus, Habitat for Humanity Macedonia, with its partner organization ROMA SOS from Prilep, supported by Cherenja from Shtip and Sumnal from Skopje started with the implementation of latest project ”Roma Housing Rights for Sustainable Urban Development” which is funded by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).
Current project aims at the promotion of basic rights for decent housing, as a right of all citizens and at encouraging civil initiatives for improving the housing quality in three Roma settlements in Prilep, Shtip and Skopje (Municipality of Chair).
Project duration and goals:
The project will last 18 months and will strengthen the local mechanisms of cooperation and networking; it will motivate the participation of Roma people in the decision-making processes at local level, in the processes of community development, urban development and social inclusion.
Project activities include:
- Creating local leader groups in all three municipalities.
- Capacity building in housing and development for LLGs through training, mentoring and coaching.
- Realization of over 15 workshops and trainings on local and national level.
- Preparation of base line studies on housing conditions and level of urbanization in the Roma neighbourhoods in Shtip, Prilep and Chair.
- Preparation of participative analysis of local and national policies on housing and urban development.
- Enhancing cooperation with local authorities and private sector to improve housing and urbanization of "Roma settlements".
