It took three years of hard work to register the first in Ukraine Roma self-government. The creation of the other three took only three months. It's an incredible experience and success.

The newly created institutions will enable representatives of the Roma national minority to delegate their representatives to the local authorities in order at a qualitatively new level to represent and defend the interests of their Roma communities.

Next year, with the aim of empowering the Roma community in Mukachevo district in decision-making processes at the local level and ensuring sustainability of the established institutions, a network of representatives of local authorities and members of the Roma self-government is to be established, which will allow to build effective interaction between Roma communities and local authorities to ensure a permanent dialogue between the parties relative to the vision areas of development of the Roma communities with the participation of all parties.

The Human Rights Foundation "Rozvytok" prepared by 2 assistants in one community (one from the Roma community from the founding group and one from the Resource Centre for the development of Roma self-government), who will be the key link between the members of the SGBs of the Roma community and village councils.

The members of the SGBs of the Roma community will be included in coordinating councils, commissions and committees of village councils and participate actively in the discussion of the draft decisions and development of rural target programs on development of territories where the Roma settlements are located.

During creation of SGBs special attention was paid to involvement of the Romani women into participating in initiative groups and including them in steering committees. Now we have at least two Romani women in each SGB, who occupy the posts of Vice-Chairpersons and secretaries.

The members of the SGBs of Roma communities of the villages of Velyki Luchki, Pavshino and Chomonyn. Photo courtesy of HRF "Rozvytok".

Reference
The aim of the project “Empowering Roma communities in Mukachevo district in decision-making processes at the local level", implemented by Human Rights Foundation "Rozvytok" with the support of Roma Program Initiative of International Renaissance Foundation, is to strengthen the capacity and legal empowerment of the representatives of the Roma community in Mukachevo district in governing processes of Roma communities.