SERBIA: EmpowerED

The lack of or inadequate education of Roma children – especially Roma girls – has a serious impact on their lives. Without a school-leaving certificate, it is almost impossible for many of them to find regular employment. In Novi Sad, only around 65 per cent of Roma children complete primary school. As a result, many work in informal or precarious conditions, are exposed to an increased risk of social marginalisation, exploitation and discrimination and often suffer from poorer health conditions.

Roma girls are particularly disadvantaged, as rigid gender roles prevail in traditional Roma communities. Little importance is often attached to girls‘ education, which means that they and Roma women are among the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in Serbian society.

The Empower Education project, which is implemented by Volkshilfe together with its partner NSHC, focuses on a comprehensive approach in order to sustainably improve the educational situation of Roma children in Novi Sad:

• Supporting Roma children through tutoring and promoting personal skills: Roma children receive targeted tutoring based on the concept of ‘service learning’. Relevant local stakeholders are involved in order to ensure long-term improvements. In addition to tutoring, resilience workshops and vocational orientation courses are offered specifically for Roma children.
• Promoting inclusive education in schools: Teachers and specialists take part in workshops to expand their skills in the field of inclusive education. The aim is to improve the care and support of Roma children – especially girls.
• Strengthening local cooperation and raising public awareness: The project attaches great importance to networking relevant local stakeholders and creating a broader awareness of the issue. Roma parents, local authorities and organisations are better connected, while the public in Novi Sad is made more aware of the challenges facing the Roma community.

As part of the project, 50 Roma pupils, most of whom are girls, are benefiting by improving their academic performance, skills and mental resilience. In addition, 24 teachers are gaining in-depth knowledge on the topics of gender equality and inclusive education. The local public is being made more aware of the concerns of the Roma community, while the networking of relevant stakeholders is contributing to a sustainable improvement in the educational and living situation.