On March, 14th, seven Swiss Ambassadors will learn first-hand about Roma integration during their field visit in Stolipinovo (Plovdiv), the largest Roma neighbourhood in Bulgaria and in Europe. In Plovdiv Municipality, the Bulgarian-Swiss Cooperation Programme co-finances a municipal project, dedicated to the social inclusion of Roma and other vulnerable groups through education and health.
The Swiss Ambassadors to Bulgaria, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia and Romania, as well as the board member of the Roma Education Fund (Budapest) are in Plovdiv on the occasion of the 4th Roma Inclusion Regional Seminar of SDC, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (12 – 15 March 2018). The Ambassadors will visit the educational and health centers under construction, meet teachers, parents and children in the Kindergarten Lilia and share their rich experiences from a variety of countries during the seminar.
For the first time, Bulgaria hosts a SDC regional seminar on Roma inclusion. It is dedicated to exchanging experience and views from the Swiss programmes in Southeastern Europe and drawing conclusions on how to draw and implement successful inclusion projects with a focus on sustainability and working with state and local institutions.
Experts from the SDC headquarters in Bern and their colleagues from the offices in the Balkan countries will participate in the seminar. Representatives of the European Commission, the Council of Europe ROMACT Programme, as well as Roma organizations will contribute to the discussions.
The Bulgarian participants will present their experience on working with public institutions and achievements and challenges in social inclusion of Roma and other vulnerable groups under the ZOV Programme (Health and Education for All), implemented in six Bulgarian regional centers, including Plovdiv Municipality. Representatives of the ministries of labour and social policy, health, education and science, partnering in ZOV, as well as the municipalities of Plovdiv and Sliven will attend the discussions.
Note for the media:
The visit of the Swiss Ambassadors in the Kindergarten ”Lilia” is open to media with photo opportunities and possibilities for short interviews. Journalists are invited to the kindergarten at 11 am.
About the ZOV Programme
Health and Education for All
The integrated projects under the ZOV Programme are implemented in six large regional centers in Bulgaria (Plovdiv, Montana, Sliven, Ruse, Shumen and Burgas) in the period between 2013 -2019. ZOV aims to improve the access of Roma and other vulnerable groups to kindergartens and elementary schools, and to healthcare, as well as to improve the quality of education and health services. It targets children aged 0-10, young women, pregnant, mothers and young families in Roma urban neighborhoods and locations with more than 70% Roma population.
The key achievements of the Programme so far are: 377 children aged 0-10 have been newly enrolled in nurseries, kindergartens and schools; 3,970 children were given a chance to attend a complementary learning programmes; 4 new kindergartens/pre-schools constructed and 5 nurseries and kindergartens, and 2 schools totally renovated. More than 4,000 young mothers, pregnant women and children had medical check-ups and consultations in the newly repaired 8 health centers and the 2 newly built ones across the country. Health campaigns have covered close to 6,500 young Roma parents.
ZOV strives to secure sustainability, it is also expected that Bulgarian central and local institutions take the lead and the initiative to secure financial and human capacity resources beyond the programme.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy is the major partner on the Bulgarian side. The Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health also contribute with financial and programme input.
The total budget of the Programme amounts to 8 088 500 CHF, of which 6 920 000 CHF is the Swiss contribution.
For more information: www.zovprogramme.bg