ROMED: 2nd session Training of Mediators, Odessa, Ukraine

Report from Zemfira Kondur – National Focal Point for ROMED in Ukraine.

Following the invitation of the Odessa Regional Administration on the 14 and 16 March 2014, the ROMED training for Roma mediators and social workers took place in Odessa, Ukraine.

23 Roma mediators and social workers from Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporozhie, Transcarpathia , Kiev and Odessa participated in the three-days training. The main aim of the training was to improve the skills of mediators in the social sphere, and for

social specialists to improve their skills in their work with Roma families through mediation.

The ROMED training was followed by a meeting with the regional authorities from Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporozhie, Transcarpathia , Kiev and Odessa, Parliament representatives and the Roma mediators. The meeting was opened by Mr Vladislav Stankov, Head of the Department of Culture, Nationalities and Religions of the Odessa Regional Administration, and by Ms Aksana Filipishyna, representative of the Ombudsman for children's rights, non-discrimination and gender equality.

The following issues were discussed: achievements of the Roma Mediators Program in Ukraine and Odessa region; the conditions and procedures for issuing the identification documents in accordance with the Action Plan for liberalisation of the EU visa regime for Ukraine;  practical experience of the Roma mediators in solving problems of identification documents for  Roma; the innovative model of  cooperation between the Roma mediators and social workers; comments and recommendations for the Draft of the Odessa Regional Action Plan for the implementation of the  Strategy for the Protection and Integration of the Roma national minority into Ukrainian society up to 2020.

A photo gallery of the events is available here.