Advocacy

REF advocates for a fair and inclusive society in order to bring educational equity for all Roma. It is pivotal for Roma students to have equal chances and opportunities to access quality education, and for Roma graduates and parents to have social and economic welfare through employment. In addition,  communities need to be empowered for their voices and interests to be heard and to shape educational policy frameworks.

REF’s advocacy activities aim to:

• Close the gap in education between Roma and non-Roma
• Improve access to quality education
• Ensure an increased number of Roma graduates from all education levels
• Ensure access to employment
• Increase the number of Roma teachers
• Work with policymakers on changes in curricula development and design
• Combat anti-Roma sentiment in education
• Empower and engage Roma communities
• Increase the impact of REF in policy shaping

To do so, REF follows four pathways in order to advocate among a broad coalition of stakeholders:

• Networking, coalition building, gaining political support
• Educational policy shaping
• Creating educational platforms for communities
• Increasing the employability of Roma Education Fund’s target groups

REF advocacy stresses a competence and ability-based approach, emphasizing the social, economic, and political capital of Roma people who represent Europe’s largest minority with considerable political, voting, and economic power.