Fundación Secretariado Gitano

Cali Programme[editar]

Calí Equality for Roma women

This programme addresses the specific needs of Roma women, based on a sound knowledge of their realities.

The aim of the programme is to promote the personal development of Roma women who are in a situation of special vulnerability, in order to enable them to fully exercise their rights as citizens, and to also strengthen their abilities and competences, in order to improve their chances of finding a job.  

From an individualised and intercultural approach, the programme offers tailored support, along with group and community work.

This programme also tackles key issues such as: the equal treatment of Roma people and the multiple discrimination against Roma women, by providing support and advice in cases of discrimination and by increasing Roma women´s awareness of their rights through group sessions.

This pioneering programme has been run from 2016 to 2019 in a first phase but it implemententation will be run until 2023. Currently, it is present in 29 cities across Spain by a team of 32 female professionals, 28 of them Roma, who have received specialised training.

With the support of the Social Inclusion and Social Economy Operational Programme (POISES), the Calí programme complements the work FSG has been developing for years under the European Social Fund, promoting access of Roma to the labour market, shining now a light on the inequality and multiple discrimination Roma women suffer.

Results that change women's lives

After three years, the results of the Calí programme show its great impact on the lives of the 2856 participating women: 315 have found a job and 122 have return to study. In addition, it contributes to promoting gender equality in the Roma community with 1058 awareness raising activities on gender equality in which 3178 Roma men and 5246 Roma women of all ages have participated. The Calí programme promotes and contributes to the defense of rights. The professionals working in the programme have provided support and counselling to 685 victims of discrimination.

Calí has also contributed to promoting equal treatment within the Roma community with 550 information activities on rights and against discrimination directed at the Roma community. More than 2.830 professionals have received training on gender and equal treatment to improve knowledge and awareness about the equality and rights of Roma women.The Calí programme is funded under the European Social Fund through the Operational Programme for Social Inclusion and the Social Economy (POISES), together with the Ministry of Health, Consumers and Social Welfare and "la Caixa" Bank Foundation.

Objectives

• Enhance the social inclusion of Roma women as well as their access to employment through actions that contribute to the development of their social, employability and personal skills and that promote gender equality, participation and work-life balance.
• Combat discrimination and promote equality by informing, assisting and accompanying victims of all kinds of discrimination, with special attention to cases of multiple discrimination Roma women face.
• Boost gender equality between Roma men and women and support breaking down cultural and social barriers that prevent Roma women´s social and economic promotion.
• Support and accompany Roma women suffering domestic violence.
• Raise awareness among society, public policy-makers, those working in relevant sectors (i.e. teachers, social or health care professionals etc), the economic operators or the Roma community itself, about negative stereotypes regarding Roma and, Roma women, in particular,.
• Influence policies on gender equality, equal opportunities and non-discrimination.

 

Participants

• Roma women (both, Spanish and of immigrant origin) with low employability, low-skills, low education levels, poor socio-economic conditions, with family responsibilities.
  
  
• Roma people victims of discrimination, in particular Roma women experiencing multiple discrimination.
  
  
• Roma women victims of domestic violence, or those who are at risk.

• The Roma community in general, including men and women across all age groups.

 

Lines of action

• Direct intervention with Roma women, based on a sound knowledge of their specificity and on the development of personalised support pathways in order to improve their social, personal and employability skills, and provide support in situations of particular vulnerability such as cases of domestic violence.
• Promotion of equal treatment and non-discrimination of the Roma community, in particular Roma women. We use a protocol for cases of discrimination, based on the detection, information, assistance and accompaniment in the exercise of their rights.
• Group and community work (Roma men and women across all age groups), as a means to increase awareness, prevent, motivate and change attitudes in order to break down the barriers that cause gender inequality and make reconciliation of personal, family and work life difficult.
• Group sessions with Roma men and women of all ages to inform them about their rights and how to exercise them. As a way also to deal with the underreporting of cases of discrimination.
• Actions aimed at achieving changes in structures, systems and policies in order to eliminate the obstacles that prevent Roma women´s socio-economic promotion, the defence of their right to non-discrimination, or access to their full rights as citizens, along with awareness-raising and advocacy activities and training of professionals.