General – Page 4 – ERGO Network

Call for Expert – Development of Civil Society Toolbox on Countering Antigypsyism

Call for Expert – Development of Civil Society Toolbox on Countering Antigypsyism

Deadline for Applications: 2 July 2025

The European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network (ERGO), in cooperation with the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) and the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), is seeking an experienced expert to develop a Civil Society Toolbox on Countering Antigypsyism, with a specific focus on:

Promoting positive narratives about Roma
Formulating counter-arguments to antigypsyist rhetoric
Raising awareness of Roma history as a tool to combat antigypsyism

This publication is part of a broader effort to strengthen civil society’s capacity to counter antigypsyism and promote equality, dignity, and historical awareness.

Objectives and Scope

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive Civil Society Toolbox on Countering Antigypsyism, aimed at equipping Roma and pro-Roma civil society organisations, youth and educational initiatives, and human rights NGOs across Europe.

The specific objectives of the publication are to:

Promote positive narratives: Provide strategies for creating and amplifying authentic, affirmative, and counter-biased representations of Roma communities in public discourse, education, media, and advocacy work
Counter antigypsyist rhetoric: Develop clear, practical counter-arguments and framing techniques that civil society actors can use to challenge anti-Roma narratives in political, institutional, and public arenas.
Offer accessible guidance on Roma history: Deliver well-researched, engaging content on key aspects of Roma history, emphasising its relevance in contemporary human rights education, commemoration efforts, and awareness campaigns.

The Toolbox will be published in English and will include executive summaries translated into Romani and all project languages. It will be distributed digitally to at least 2,000 recipients—civil society partners, educational institutions, public authorities, and EU-level stakeholders—during the Jekhipe project implementation period.

Scope of Work

The expert will be responsible for drafting a 30 to 40-page digital publication that provides practical tools, approaches, and examples. The Toolbox should:

Be practical and user-oriented, easily understood and applied by civil society organisations of various sizes and capacities
Incorporate intersectional, rights-based, and community-informed approaches, reflecting the lived experiences and diverse identities within Roma communities
Draw on existing resources, case studies, and best practices from across Europe to ensure contextual relevance and applicability
Ensure the content is actionable and adaptable, enabling users to apply the tools in local, national, and European-level advocacy and education efforts

Expected Deliverables

Draft outline of the toolbox structure and content – by 11 July 2025
Draft version of the toolbox – by 25 July 2025
Final version incorporating feedback from ERIAC, ERGO, and CEPS – by 8 August 2025

Budget

A maximum of €4,000 is available as an expert fee.

(Design and translation will be managed separately through a dedicated budget.)

Candidate Profile

We are seeking an expert with the following qualifications:

Proven knowledge of Roma rights, antigypsyism, and Roma history
Strong understanding of human rights education, narrative framing, and counter-discourse
Experience in developing practical, engaging, and accessible tools or similar materials within a human and civil rights context
Experience working with or within Roma civil society
Excellent writing and research skills in English

Application Process

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following by 2 July 2025 to i.mihalache@staging.ergonetwork.org with the subject line: Call for Expert – Development of Civil Society Toolbox on Countering Antigypsyism:

CV highlighting relevant experience
Short motivation letter (max. 1 page) outlining your interest and proposed approach
1–2 samples of relevant publications or similar work (in English)

Timeline

Deadline for applications: 2 July 2025
Selection and contracting: 7 July 2025
Work period: 7 July – 8 August 2025
Final deliverable due: 8 August 2025

New funding for Roma Civil Society in the EU

Are you a Roma or pro-Roma organisation in an EU Member State working to fight antigypsyism, promote equality, and uphold EU values? The ROVA project is here to support your mission.

ROVA – Roma Civil Society Organisations Promoting EU Values – is a new initiative led by ERGO Network and partners to empower grassroots Roma civil society across the European Union.

Mission of ROVA

We aim to empower Roma-led and pro-Roma CSOs to drive positive change, safeguard fundamental rights, promote equality, and strengthen civic participation across the EU.

What we do

ROVA will support:

120 local Roma and pro-Roma civil society organisations
15 national Roma coalitions

…in Spain, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Czechia, Slovakia, and other EU Member States.

Organisations will receive both financial support and a tailored capacity-building programme to help them:

Advance access to fundamental rights
Promote equality and anti-discrimination
Encourage civic engagement and democratic participation
Raise awareness of the human rights situation of Roma
Improve monitoring of national Roma strategies
Foster dialogue between Roma communities and authorities

Why this matters

The ROVA project is grounded in the core values of the European Union, as enshrined in Article 2 of the Lisbon Treaty and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights:

Human dignity – inviolable and must be respected and protected
Democracy – based on political rights and representation for all
Freedom – of thought, movement, expression, religion and assembly
Equality – equal rights before the law
Human rights – including the right to privacy and freedom from discrimination

By supporting grassroots efforts rooted in these principles, ROVA strengthens Roma civil society as a pillar of European democracy.

Available funding

Three types of project grants are now open:

Up to €30,000 for Roma/pro-Roma NGOs in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Czechia, or Slovakia (2nd round: €25,000)
Up to €20,000 for Roma/pro-Roma NGOs in other EU Member States
Up to €15,000 for national Roma coalitions (one round only)

Deadline: 5 August 2025

📝 NGOs: submit a concept note
📜 Coalitions: submit a full proposal
📬 Applications must be submitted online – email submissions will not be accepted

👉All materials for the application are available on www.rovaproject.org
📩 Need support? Contact: rova_ergo@staging.ergonetwork.org

————————————————————–

Funded by the European Union, with co-funding provided by the EVZ Foundation. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the European Commission, or the EVZ Foundation. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority nor the EVZ Foundation can be held responsible for them.

This call for applications is published within the framework of the ROVA project. The ROVA project is implemented by ERGO Network and five of its member organisations (Autonomia Foundation – Hungary, FAGIC – Spain, Integro Association – Bulgaria, Nevo Parudimos – Romania, Romanonet – Czechia) between January 2025 and December 2027.

ERGO Network General Assembly 2025

ERGO Network General Assembly 2025

We held our annual General Assembly on 28-30 May 2025 in Prague, Czechia. This year’s Assembly, hosted by Slovo21 and RomanoNet, was particularly important for us as our members and staff gathered to explore ERGO Network’s new branding and experience Roma culture during the Khamoro Festival organised by Slovo21.

The assembly brought together our members from 25 European countries. During the fully packed days, we engaged in discussions, shared the news, projects, and ups and downs. This General Assembly was a little different from the rest, because we also brought in some external meetings. In addition to Khamoro, we also met with the Czech Governmental Council for Roma Affairs, a branding agency, and new participants coming for the Jekhipe conference. All of this is below.

From Visual Identity to Cultural Activism

The first day of the General Assembly was dedicated to sharing members’ news and exploring ERGO Network’s new branding and visual identity. We were lucky to have Mirna Silajdzic, the founder of Love Your Mother consultancy, who was behind the rebranding process of ERGO Network, but also the branding of Roma Week and our new ROVA project. Mirna could share her firsthand expertise and motivated our members to think of visual identity as a tool to communicate their work in the best possible way.

The day continued with the Jekhipe project “Using Culture to Fight Antigypsyism” in cooperation with Slovo 21. The official event began by focusing on the Czech context, where various activists from across the country shared their work and experiences. Later, the discussion shifted to the European context, where our members, Saska Jovanovic from Italy, Bianca Galusca from Spain, and Nina Trollvige from Sweden, spoke about the specifics of their work in their respective countries. And this is not all! To conclude our day with even more Roma culture, we attended the Khamoro festival at La Fabrika and enjoyed beautiful music performances by bands from Czechia, Greece, and Spain.

Elections and New Members

The next day, the assembly continued with a statutory session, during which our members voted on the Strategy of the ERGO Network until 2030, as well as the Annual and Financial reports for 2024. Our Network grew bigger and stronger as we also elected the new associate members: Ara Art (Czechia) and 1Hungary (Hungary). We also welcomed the European Media People organisation to become our new Friend of ERGO.

And our associate members from last year – Romni APS (Italy), Suomen Romaniyhdistys (Finland), and Trajosko Drom (Sweden) – were promoted to the full member status and finally could also participate in the voting.

Festival KHAMORO Parade

The definite highlight of our assembly was the Festival KHAMORO parade, which started at Wenceslas Square in the Old Town Square of Prague. It was unforgettable to see the Roma music and dancing from all across Europe filling the city of Prague, and we were so proud to get to be a part of it and share our identity with the world. You can see some more photos from the parade here

Our journey continued to the Liechtenstein Palace, where we met with Lucie Fukova, the Czech Commissioner for Roma Affairs; Mr. Enrico Lakatoš, a diplomacy student and member of the Roma Affairs’ Council; and Michal Miko from RomanoNet. Czechia. The Czech Governmental Council for Roma Affairs shared their insights into their impressive work done over the years. They shared both their achievements and their aspirations for the future in the Czech context, and we could draw inspiration from the progress that has been made in Czechia.

Conclusion

The 2025 General Assembly concluded with reflections on the shared experiences. Gabriela Hrabaňová, ERGO Network Director, closed the day expressing her gratitude to all participants and extended an invitation to the next General Assembly. We left the ERGO Network General Assembly 2025 in Prague with new inspirations, new friendships (and strengthened old ones), tools on how to fight against antigypsyism, and, most of all, with gratitude for the strong network that we have.

Forced Evictions: SOS Zaharna Fabrika in Sofia

Forced Evictions: SOS Zaharna Fabrika in Sofia

Zaharna Fabrika, or the Sugar Factory, is a district in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, which has operated as an informal Roma settlement for over 80 years. Yet on 15 April 2025, the municipality proceeded at the demolition of multiple dwellings in the community, despite a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, leaving over 200 Roma individuals homeless.

This recent forced eviction of Roma families from their homes reveals a deeper systemic issue – the persistent housing insecurity faced by many Roma communities in Bulgaria, against the backdrop of historical and ongoing deep-seated antigypsyism. For centuries, Roma communities have been caught in a vicious cycle of exclusion, where systemic barriers to adequate housing are both a symptom and a cause of their marginalisation.

Zaharna Fabrika’s plight reflects a broader pattern across the country, where over 70% of Roma neighbourhoods lack formal land ownership status, detailed spatial planning, or adequate infrastructure. This crisis is rooted in historical neglect, discriminatory policies, and legal obstacles that continue to undermine Roma housing rights.

Today, the families evicted from Zaharna Fabrika are sleeping in tents near the ruins of their former homes, exposed to harsh weather and without access to basic sanitation or healthcare. This brutal displacement violates their fundamental rights and underscores a broader failure to address Roma housing insecurity. While some temporary support has come from grassroots organisations, the local and national governments have largely abandoned these families.

Despite their vulnerable situation, these families face mounting institutional hostility. Chemical toilets that had been provided were removed without explanation, and attempts by residents to engage with local authorities have been met with legal threats. The response from political leaders remains muted, reflecting entrenched prejudice and a political environment that often prioritises economic interests over human rights.

In response, organisations like our members, Integro Association, and partners from ATD Fourth World, Trust for Social Achievement, and Roma for Democracy have stepped up, providing immediate relief while advocating for systemic change. However, these efforts are hindered by a lack of political will and systemic racism.

Read here the statement by Integro Association on the situation of the Roma families evicted from Zaharna Fabrika, and here is the petition to policy-makers that they initiated.

As the families of Zaharna Fabrika struggle for survival, their situation should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers across Europe. True housing security for Roma requires not just emergency aid, but a deep, systemic overhaul to address decades of neglect and exclusion.

It is time for the EU and national governments to commit to a fair and inclusive housing strategy – one that prioritizes human dignity over bureaucratic barriers. Only then can we hope to break the cycle of exclusion and build a future where every Roma family has a secure place to call home.

ERGO Network urges European and national policymakers to act now – to invest in inclusive, affordable housing, to staunchly commit to combatting antigypsyism in housing and across the board, and to support the grassroots movements working tirelessly for Roma rights.

Without this commitment, crises like the one Zaharna Fabrika will only proliferate, further entrenching inequalities and exclusion for Europe’s Roma.

For more information about the ongoing efforts on the ground in Bulgaria, please contact Liliya Makaveeva (l.makaveeva@gmail.com), Director, Integro Association.

For more information about ERGO Network’s work on Roma access to quality and affordable housing, please contact Amana Ferro (a.ferro@staging.ergonetwork.org), Senior Policy Adviser.

For more information on Roma access to quality and affordable housing, please read our full research report here.

European Mental Health Week: Shining a Light on Roma Mental Health

European Mental Health Week: Shining a Light on Roma Mental Health

At the initiative of our partners at Mental Health Europe, Europe observes Mental Health Week 2025 from 19 to 25 May, taking place this year under the theme “Care for mental health, invest in social rights”. This perspective is particularly pertinent for Europe’s Roma, who face significant systemic barriers that hinder their access to mental health care and support, including antigypsyism.

The Roma are disproportionately affected by poor mental health outcomes, including higher rates of suicide and suffering from stress, depression, or anxiety, given an ongoing state of poverty, deprivation, and marginalisation. Factors such as poverty, unemployment, inadequate housing, as well as ongoing discrimination, take a significant toll on Roma mental health, which also has a negative impact on children.

In Slovakia, research from 2020 indicates that many excluded Roma households experienced long-term stress due to debt (37.6%), serious illness (24.8%), cold houses (23.9%), hunger (13.5%), discrimination (12.9%), and forced evictions (10.1%), which severely impacted mental as well as physical health. 17.6% of Roma women and 10% of Roma men suffer from depression, compared to 7.7% of non-Roma women and 5% of non-Roma men.

Despite this, many cannot access necessary care due to factors such as:

Social Determinants: Poverty, inadequate housing, and unemployment exacerbate mental health issues while they create additional barriers to accessing support.
Limited Availability of Services: Healthcare facilities are often scarce in rural and remote Roma communities.
High Costs: The expense of consultations and treatments acts as a significant deterrent.
Antigypsyism and Stigma: Discrimination within healthcare settings leads to a lack of trust in the system.

These barriers are part and parcel of a general context of historical neglect in what concerns Roma health needs – to find out more, read ERGO Network’s research report on Roma access to healthcare and long-term care (2022).

The European Commission’s 2023 Communication on mental health acknowledges the heightened risks Roma face due to socio-economic exclusion and discrimination. While this recognition is a step forward, the Communication falls short in putting forward the necessary measures to effectively tackle the situation.

Such measures could include, among others:

Anti-Bias Training for Mental Health Professionals: To combat discrimination within healthcare settings.
Promotion of Roma Health Mediators: These community-based workers play a crucial role in bridging gaps between Roma individuals and healthcare services.
Ethnically Disaggregated Data Collection: To better understand and address the mental health needs of Roma populations.

ERGO Network calls for these elements to be incorporated into EU mental health strategies, to ensure that Roma voices are heard and their needs addressed, as detailed in our full analysis of the Communication.

On the occasion of the European Mental Health Week, ERGO Network wants to shine a light on the barriers and potential solutions highlighted above, to create an equitable mental health framework for Roma communities across Europe.

Key elements of such a framework would need to include universal health insurance coverage, to ensure that all Roma individuals have access to affordable care; developing services within Roma communities, to reduce barriers to access; implementing policies to eliminate bias, antigypsyism, and segregation in healthcare settings, to restore trust; and involving the Roma in the design, implementation, and monitoring of mental health policies.

By addressing these areas, Europe can move towards a mental health system that truly serves all its citizens, including the Roma.

As we reflect on the theme of European Mental Health Week 2025, it is imperative to recognise that mental health is deeply intertwined with social rights. For the Roma community, achieving mental well-being requires systemic change that addresses the root causes of inequality and exclusion. Only through inclusive policies and practices can we ensure that mental health care is accessible and effective for all.

In the words of Mustafa Jakupov of the ERGO Network Board, “Mental health is a social justice issue. Roma communities deserve better – mental health must be a right, not a privilege”.

=> Watch his full video message here.

ERGO Network remains committed to advocating for the rights of Roma and will continue to work towards a Europe where good mental health is a shared priority for all, not a privilege for the few.

For more information about ERGO Network’s work on Roma access to quality, inclusive, and affordable healthcare and long-term care, including mental health care and support, contact Senior Policy Adviser Amana Ferro at a.ferro@staging.ergonetwork.org.