Deadline: 16 November 2011
Open to: Roma NGOs, advocacy organizations and think tanks from Cluj-Napoca, Belgrade, Bucharest, Kosice, Kumanovo, Miskolc, Nis, Ostrava, Pesc, Skopje, Sofija, Vidin
Grant: Up to a maximum of USD 20,000 per city project
The Open Society Roma Initiatives will undertake a monitoring project on Roma in European Cities, and in its first phase will commission background research on the situation of Roma in 12 cities across 7 countries of the Decade of Roma Inclusion (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia).
The research will focus on the situation of Roma in 12 selected major cities across Decade countries with significant Roma populations, looking in particular at the extent to which local policy addresses inclusion and equal opportunities, seeks to include Roma in the policy-making process and how social, economic and political needs and aspirations of Roma communities are addressed. In each selected city, monitoring will focus on the following general areas:
- Health
- Housing
- Education
- Employment
- Local media
- Consultation and participation
- Identity
- Safety and security
The Roma Initiatives are currently seeking research teams from the 7 countries to carry out Phase 1 of the research:
In Phase 1 in each city the researchers will:
- Provide a detailed overview of population, demographics and past city policies;
- Carry out extensive interviews with, but not limited to, city officials, community leaders, civil society, journalists and others working on integration or Roma related issues within the selected city;
- Examine current city initiatives and policies in place in the 4 key priority areas of health, housing, education and employment, the extent to which they are succeeding and/or failing the integration of Roma citizens;
- Review the role of the local media when reporting and representing Roma;
- Assess, through interviews and desk research of existing material, the engagement of municipalities with their Roma citizens and the level of consultation, Roma participation and representation in key decision making.
The selected cities are:
- Cluj-Napoca (Romania)
- Belgrade (Serbia)
- Bucharest (Romania)
- Kosice (Slovakia)
- Kumanovo (Macedonia)
- Miskolc (Hungary)
- Nis (Serbia)
- Ostrava (Czech Republic)
- Pecs (Hungary)
- Skopje (Macedonia)
- Sofia (Bulgaria)
- Vidin (Bulgaria)
Applicants selected to carry out Phase 1 of the project will receive details of Phase 2.
Eligibility
Several requirements must be fulfilled:
- Applicant organization must have previous experience on the situation of Roma in the country.
- Lead Researcher must have significant research and writing experience.
- Lead Researcher must have good written and oral English language skills (the report will be prepared in English and only later translated into the local language).
- Lead Researcher must have postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject.
- Contacts with Roma communities, representatives and NGOs in the relevant city
Grant
The Open Society Roma Initiatives may award grants up to a maximum of USD 20,000 per city project. The duration should not exceed 4 months: the project should commence in January 2012 and complete by April 2012.
Application
Interested organizations should submit a detailed letter of interest in English, providing a profile and history of the organization, its research record, and CVs of the designated researchers, and an accompanying budget.
Applications in English should be sent by e-mail to roma@osi.hu by November 16, 2011.
