Work on preparation of Local Action Plan for Roma inclusion

The Municipality of Bačka Palanka continues with activities related to the improvement of the position of Roma. For this reason, within the project "EU support to Improvement of Living Conditions of Roma", an operational meeting of the Mobile Unit for Roma Inclusion was held, which is preparing a new Local Action Plan (LAP) for Roma inclusion for the period 2021-2024. The Mobile team, working directly with the Roma community, has so far collected various data related to the needs of the Roma population in Bačka Palanka. Only on the basis of such collected data can plans be created in the manner to offer adequate and feasible solutions tailored to the needs of the Roma community.

The new Local Action Plan will cover various challenges the Roma community faces and will contain a set of measures and activities that should lead to the improvement of the exercise of rights and increase the social inclusion of the Roma. By defining LAP measures, the local self-government will strive to improve the position of the Roma in areas such are housing, health, education and employment.

Work on the preparation of this strategic document will be intensively continued in the coming period, and its finalization is expected at the end of February 2021.

By implementing the Local Action Plan for improving the position of the Roma, through the implementation of realistic, sustainable and systematic measures, local governments achieve significant results in creating an environment for improving the living conditions of Roma community. The implementation of LAP activities creates additional value - closer cooperation between local institutions is achieved, but the formal conditions are met, as a result of which, by possessing such a strategic document, the doors of European funds are opened, i.e., the possibility of participation in programs and projects targeting vulnerable categories of the population.

The Mobile Team for Roma Inclusion, which played a key role in the preparation of the LAP, was formed in 2018 as an operational advisory body. It includes representatives of the local administration, Municipal Council, Center for Social Work, educational institutions, Health Center, NES branch and representatives of the civil sector. The main function of the Mobile Team is to identify and consider the real needs of the Roma population, as well as to determine the support needed to improve their overall position.

In addition to the project support available to the Mobile Team for Roma Inclusion in the data collection process, a series of trainings were organized for the members of the Mobile Team, which significantly increased their capacities.