Tirana, 13 May 2014– The Children Human Rights Centre of Albania – CRCA and Observatory of the Rights of Child, in collaboration with the Municipality of Tirana organized the Workshop “Every Roma Child in the Kindergarten”. This workshop was intended to bring together key stakeholders of the Qark of Tirana, to discuss solutions and recommendations that affect the improvement of the living conditions and the integration of Roma children in preschool education.
The UNICEF initiative “Every Roma child in the kindergarten” supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Austrian Cooperation for Development and implemented by CRCA Albania, Observatory of Rights of Child and YWCA, aims to establish and support local networks in early childhood issues and the integration of Roma children in preschool. At this meeting, representatives of public institutions and civil society expressed their commitment to continue working in support of the Roma community and especially for the integration of 3-6 year old children in the kindergarten, and find a solution to the series of problems that need to be addressed in the future.
Mr. Altin Hazizaj, Executive Director of CRCA Albania and moderator of the meeting, in his speech said “It is time for the society to be aware and understand that discrimination is not the solution but the integration of all Roma and non-Roma children who belong to vulnerable and marginalized strata”.
Mrs. Aulona Mancaku, Director at the Social Resources of the Municipality of Tirana in her speech said “We guarantee that we have used and will continue to use every mechanism to make sure that as many Roma children as possible are integrated in the public kindergartens of Tirana”.
Mrs. Ilda Bozo from the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth, said: “The Roma community faces a number of problems, but education is a very important issue. The starting point, considered as paramount is the investment in pre-school education. If we invest in pre-school education at this age, all the members of this community will be better prepared for the other stages in life”.
Mrs. Tërshana, Director of the Observatory of the Rights of Child, said “The problems of the Roma at first glance look similar but are very diverse. The community faces sharp problems that require a variety of interventions, where the civil society plays a crucial and necessary role”.
Further discussions were focused on some important issues such as the vaccination of Roma children, the attendance rates at the preschool educational system and the services offered to this community, etc.
Mrs. Mirlinda Bushati, program officer at UNICEF, said that different studies show that “If we invest initially in preschool, without doubt the return will be even greater in the future”.
The workshop was attended by the representatives of the main institutions of Tirana including the Municipality, Economic Aid Office of the Municipality, Child Protection Unit,Regional Education Directorate, Regional Health Centres, Directors of Kindergarten, Public Health Directorate and Social Services, representative of local organizations, etc.
The Workshop continued with open discussions between the participants focusing on raising issues that this community faces and was concluded with a series of recommendations for addressing the problems Roma children face in the city. Some of the main recommendations of the workshop focused on:
A number of different initiatives on education and awareness of Roma mothers should be undertaken;
The poor and marginalized communities must be exempt from the 5 000 LEK quota that is required to enter a kindergarten;
Tirana’s Municipal Council should set quotas for Roma children in order to access public kindergartens with meal and without meal;
Tirana’s Municipal Council must find solutions to: i) kindergarten classes and groups over the allowed capacity, and ii ) increase the fund for meals and for children to be enrolled .
Parents from the Roma community should be present at school boards.
For more information, please contact:
Mersila Ballo
HRH, CRCA Albania
Cel: 0694060392
E-mail: mersila.ballo@crca.al