The European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network (ERGO) organised on 27 November a public event entitled Investing in our future: what work(s) for young Roma. The event was dedicated to presenting the results of quantitative research carried out in five EU Member States on youth employment methods, and launching a campaign to mobilise support for investing in employment opportunities for young Roma. The event was organised in advance of the 11th European Platform for Roma Inclusion, which took place that same day and the following day at the European Economic and Social Committee, on the topic of Transitions of Roma from Education to Employment. EAPN Romania and EAPN Portugal attended the Platform on behalf of our network.
EAPN President Sérgio Aires spoke in the ERGO public event, in an intervention focusing on investing in youth – breaking the cycle of disadvantage. He presented a recent campaign of the Portuguese Government, developed in close collaboration with the European Anti-Poverty Network – Portugal, entitled “Every person has the right to be whatever they want”. This is the first time the Portuguese Government promotes an anti-discrimination campaign targeting Roma communities in the country. Comprised of several posters as well as two YouTube videos (see more here), it is aimed at reaffirming the right of Roma children to be “whatever they want to be” when they grow up, without being held back by discrimination associated with their ethnic status. “Roma children, like all children, have a dream, and have the right for this dream to come true”, said Catarina Marcelino, Portuguese Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, at the launch of the campaign.
Access Sérgio Aires’s full presentation here.
For more information about EAPN’s work on Roma issues, please see here, or contact Amana Ferro (amana.ferro@eapn.eu), Senior Policy Officer in the EAPN Europe staff team.
