Torres Vedras
The External Evaluation Case Study for Torres Vedras by Blomeyer & Sanz s.l. is available in Portuguese and English. Visit the Resources section for other 14 case studies of the evaluation.
Portugal Country Findings of the external evaluation available in Portuguese and English.
*Disclaimer: The information and views set out in this page are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Council of Europe and/or the European Commission. Neither the Council of Europe, the European Commission nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Torres Vedras is situated close to Lisbon and has a population of around 80 000 inhabitants. Due to Portuguese regulations which forbid ethnic data collection, the exact number of Roma in Torres Vedras is unknown, however the mediator and the municipality estimates that there are around 300 Roma living in Torres Vedras.
The majority of the Roma families live in the largest social neighborhood of the city (Boavista). While some families rely on social welfare, the majority of Roma in Torres Vedras are street vendors or seasonal workers.
The Municipality installed tents in front of the municipal market so as to ease the access of vendors to the market.
Up until November 2015, Mr Carlos Miguel - former mayor of the municipality of Roma origins himself - has shown great support toward the process of participation triggered by the programme. A video presenting his onlook on the issue is available in the ROMED2 in Media section of the website or watch the video here.
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Photo gallery - ROMED2 in Torres Vedras
The Community Action Group in Torres Vedras is composed of up to 12 members, 2 of whom are women, with ages ranging from 18 to 36 years old and schooling levels up to secondary level. One member started university studies but was compelled to quit for economic reasons. One member is a pastor in the evangelical church.
Related articles:
Commissioner for Human Rights says progress in participation of Roma in local decision-making should be sustained in Portugal
Coverage of Commissioner for Human Rights' visit in Torres Vedras, Portugal
In Torres Vedras, the Community Action Group mobilises the Roma community for a food donation.
Interview with Mr Carlos Miguel - Mayor of Torres Vedras
Professional integration of members of the local Roma community: success stories
The Municipality of Torres Vedras invests in the integration of the Roma community
Diario de Noticias (Portugal) on the Community Action Group in Torres Vedras
Short-term priorities:
- The hiring by the municipality or entities of the Social Network (Promotorres, Parish councils, Social centers, NGOs) of 5 Roma people - three men and two women (through Programmes of IEFP – Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional - Portuguese Institute of Employment);
- Increase by 3 the number of persons working within this framework until October 2015 (8 employees in total);
- Negotiate with the municipality of a small subsidy for the local church’s monthly rent (540 euros/month);
- Organise an anti-discrimination event within the municipality;
Long-term priorities:
- - Reduce the unemployment rate among Roma in Torres Vedras;
In Torres Vedras, the strong commitment of local authorities towards the ROMED2 process of participation of the Roma community provides an excellent example of the achievements possible through this approach.
In December 2014, Mr Lindo Cambão was hired by the muncipality for his function of mediator and local facilitator within the Roma community through the CEI+ programme of the IEFP – Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional, and since 2016 his employment was taken on by the municipality through the local budget.
Furthermore, with the help of the local facilitator, the municipality of Torres Vedras conducted surveys with the Roma community so as to assess training needs in view of an application for vocational training courses through the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement.