Roma Program dates back to 1998 – 1999, when support was provided to the initial projects of non-Roma NGOs working with Roma children (workshops, literacy courses, "acquisition of basic habits" etc). At this time, FOSI ROM supported the establishment of the first Roma association, along with a round table and a sociological survey on the status of Roma. According to the 1991 general census, 3,282 citizens identified themselves as Roma. However, subsequent data (obtained in the survey conducted by local Social Welfare Centers, Red Cross offices and Roma associations) indicated that the figure was close to 21,000(1) in 1999. According to some information, after the outbreak of war in Kosovo, more than 40,000 Roma from Kosovo passed through Montenegro, mainly on their way to Western Europe. Data on education among Roma population raises concern(2), whereas unemployment, unresolved legal status, poor living standard and living conditions are some of the issues faced by Roma in Montenegro.

Roma Program secured its place among FOSI ROM strategic priorities in 2000, when a total of 12 projects were funded, mainly from the area of education (prep-courses, literacy courses, vocational training). In 2001, a total of 34 projects were supported, including scholarships for 13 Roma high-school students. In 2002, 12 projects were supported, mainly focused on educational activities and improving Roma education (with the exception of a few media projects).

Since education was identified as absolute priority and key precondition for successful resolution of other Roma issues (such as protection of fundamental human rights and better social integration), various segments of the Roma Program at the time responded to this priority:

• Support to the project "Kindergarten as Family Center and Roma in it", aimed to include Roma children of pre-school age in formal education (the project was successfully implemented during school years 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 at the "Jelena Ćetković" pre-school institution in  Podgorica and in 2004 expanded to "Radmila Nedić", Berane and "Dragan Kovačević", Nikšić);

• Support to projects providing remedial courses to Roma children attending elementary school;

• Support to literacy projects (together with the Training Center (Radnički univerzitet)) intended for Roma children whose age (9 - 18) disqualified them from enrolling elementary school. The aim was to offer them a second chance to start a certain grade of elementary school, after passing the extraordinary exam organized by the Training Center;

• Educating Roma NGO activists;

• Support to projects providing different types of vocational training;

• Support to projects raising the awareness among Roma women on the right to health care;

• Scholarships for Roma high-school students.

Bearing in mind the above and being aware of the problems identified with regard to Roma education and the need to achieve sustainable results, FOSI ROM and UNICEF signed the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Montenegrin Ministry of Education in February 2003. The Memorandum specified the signatories’ responsibilities in the area of education of Roma children. In line with the Memorandum, and for the purpose of creating a sustainable Roma education model, FOSI decided to use additional funds available through the Roma Education Initiative, Budapest (OSI network initiative REI) to gather relevant donors and make a significant step forward towards setting up experimental model centers for education of Roma children in three Montenegrin sites. It applied with the project "Roma Education Initiative in Montenegro", which was approved in late September 2003 and took off in 2004. FOSI ROM, UNICEF and the Ministry of Education (funded by REI and with expert/operational support of the Pedagogical Center of Montenegro as principal implementing partner) targeted intensified integration of Roma children (aged 0 – 18) in formal education. The project was implemented in three Montenegrin municipalities (Berane, Podgorica and Nikšić) and (in addition to the given partners) involved a number of Roma and non-Roma NGOs and international institutions working on the common task of providing a positive, successful education model, to be further developed and upgraded by the Ministry, to the extent of its professional and financial capacities, following project completion (school years 2003/2004 and 2004/2005).

Modifications in implementation of Roma Program in 2005 resulted from a general OSI initiative, in the context of implementation of Decade of Roma Inclusion (2005 - 2015), to reallocate financial resources for Roma education to the newly established Roma Education Fund (REF) situated in Paris. After reallocating most of the Roma Program budget to REF, FOSI focused on the advisory role in the project "Roma Education Initiative", which enabled it to contribute to further development of the project that was awarded significant attention and resources in the past two years. In 2006, together with the Ministry of Education and other partners from the civil sector, FOSI monitored the implementation of this project, as of October 2005 funded by REF. By extending its support to the education reform process, FOSI maintained its impact on improving the integration of Roma in formal education on the systemic level, primarily by supporting improved standards in inclusive education and development of institutions and activities to promote the inclusion of Roma children in the media. In the given period, FOSI also invested efforts in the promotion of the National Action Plan for the Decade of Roma Inclusion and strengthening the capacities of Roma NGOs for more active engagement in monitoring relevant government policies concerning Roma.

In 2006 and 2007, FOSI ROM further advocated for long-term and sustainable policies that define certain aspects of the situation of Roma. FOSI ROM took an active part in the monitoring project "Equal Access to Education for Roma", implemented by the network OSI European Union Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP), Budapest, together with OSI Education Support Program and Roma Initiative Office. The project aimed to continuously monitor the impact of relevant national programs concerning Roma education in the countries participating in the Decade of Roma Inclusion, with special emphasis on desegregation policy and promoting the participation of Roma civil sector in defining the priorities of national education policy. Within the project, a four-member team from Montenegro developed the report "Equal Access to Quality Education for Roma in Montenegro", which includes an assessment of the quality of education of Roma children in Montenegro and recommendations to relevant agents as to the wasy to improve the approach applied. The report was presented to the professionals at the Round Table organized in April 2008.

In 2008, FOSI ROM devoted special attention to enhancing the capacities of Roma NGOs for more efficient participation in defining and addressing Roma issues in Montenegro. Since the Strategy to Improve the Situation of RAE in Montenegro was adopted in November 2007, further institutional support was provided - with support of OSI Roma Initiative Office, Budapest - to the Coalition of Roma NGOs "Roma Circle" in order to create the preconditions for the Roma sector to focus on strategic issues. In cooperation with the network OSI Local Government Initiative, Budapest, FOSI ROM implemented the program to enhance the capacities of relevant representatives of Roma civil sector to write policy papers and advocate their interests.   

In implementing its Roma Program, FOSI ROM remains committed to the priorities identified in the current program strategy, for the purpose of further promoting Roma integration by means of supporting projects that enhance their capacities and further promote their identity.

¹ Data from the document of the Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs "The Situation of Roma in Montenegro", May, 2003. (back^)

² Research concerning education of Roma in Montenegro, conducted by the competent state institutions and international organizations in Montenegro, shows that 77.9 % members of this population do not have any educational qualification. Out of this number, 80.6 % are illiterate and only 16.5 % of Roma completed elementary school. Less than 10% of Roma children who start elementary school manage to complete it. (back^)