Fourth National Platform on Roma Integration in Albania
- 29 Sep 2020
- News
National Platform Albania, online meeting
The fourth National Platform on Roma Integration in Albania, organized by the Regional Cooperation Council Roma Integration Action Team, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection was held on 29th September 2020.
Opening addresses to the meeting were given by Mr Orhan Usein, Roma Integration Head of Office, followed by Ms Merita Xhafaj, General Director and National Roma Contact Point from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Mr Alessandro Anguis from EU Delegation, Mr Adriatik Hasantari, Executive Director of Roma Active Albania and Ms Romina SEFA, Director of Center for Social Advocacy.
Given the exceptional circumstances with travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic the meeting was held online, but nevertheless, it has produced fruitful discussion on Roma Integration on planning the most effective solutions acceptable for all the stakeholders, including the Roma community, central and local governments, the general society, and other interested parties.
During the meeting, Mr Usein expressed special gratitude to Ms Xhafaj and line ministries in Albania for their continuous collaboration, particularly, during the outbreak of COVID-19 crises. They have, jointly with Roma Integration, facilitated a broad societal dialogue regarding the response to the pandemic crisis and its consequences to the Roma community to ensure broad needs assessment, proper short, medium and long term response, and adequate consideration of Roma in the mainstream measures.
The meeting also enabled the dialog on the key issues in “Implementation and Priority Measures for 2019 - 2020 for Roma”, and opened a conversation on the “Report on the implementation of Roma Integration Public Policy in Albania for 2019” by discussing specific priority area and follow up on the recommendations of the annual report, with a main focus on providing social housing for Roma.
Findings from the National Platform will be incorporated in the Roma Integration technical assistance that will be provided to the Government in the upcoming period, and the full Policy Brief is available for download at the Roma Integration website.
