On 28th November, 13 implementing partners organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), facilitated by the Roma Education Fund, stating that they are willing to provide support and assistance for preparation, implementation, reporting and monitoring of policies, programmes and project activities on access to quality education for Roma children and youth at all levels and raising the employability for Roma youth in Western Balkans and Turkey with the broader aim of social inclusion of Roma in their respective countries (see the list of organizations below).
The document was signed during the first networking meeting of the implementing partners organisations under the EU-funded project “Increased Education Opportunities for Roma Students and Youth in Western Balkans and Turkey” which has taken place in Budapest, 27-20 November 2018. The participants in the event discussed the challenges and opportunities for Roma children and youth, the gender mainstreaming accent of the regional projects, the visibility of the actions in enhancing education and employment of Roma, etc.
Grant awarding ceremony took place in Budapest on 29th November, where the implementing partners received a certificate stating that they have been selected by REF to implement regional interventions in the following spheres of action: expanding access to quality early childhood education and primary school, increasing performance and employability of Roma secondary school students, increasing access and participation of Roma students in tertiary education and transition to labour market.
Education leading towards employment is the new focus in the upcoming REF’s Strategy 2020-2030, as well as the quality of educational achievements, emphasized Nadir Redzepi, the Executive Director of REF, in his opening speech during the networking meeting.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
