Training Sessions 2010

Ethnic and gender discrimination is more often than not unconscious. Due to stereotypes not recognized as such people do not realize that they disadvantage others just because the color of their skin or their gender, and consequently they think they treat them, as they should and as they are worth to be treated. Even if legislation interdicts it, discrimination is practiced indirectly, having its covert forms and being masked by apparently neutral interventions. However, these interventions have negative implications just for or mainly for them since Roma women are excluded from a series of social and material resources due to the conditions they live in. Further on – maybe also due equating ideals about equality with the socialist “emancipation policy”, or at least with the idea of eradicating difference and cultural diversity – equality is perceived as a foreign element that does not fit into our post-socialist society. Moreover, the fetishism of competition in the context of market economy biases the causes of inequalities: it consolidates the idea that given equality before the law, the individual bears exclusively the responsibility for his/her success and failures. Such a conception that is widespread among people, does not recognize the impact of social relations and power structures that structures the life course and the available positions for a given individual.

Recognizing these phenomena, the project intends to make our target groups conscious about them and to promote the principle of equal opportunities alongside the principle of non-discrimination. This aims will be met by publishing and disseminating project materials (guides, leaflets, posters) and providing training sessions in four regions of Romania.

Promoting the principle of equal opportunities and non-discrimination through Guides, flyers and posters

In the first year several experts from Cluj and Timisoara will collaborate on writing informative guides, flyers and posters. These will be elaborated on the following broad topics: Roma cultures and communities; equal opportunities, non-discrimination and gender; intercultural communication and conflict management. These materials will be distributed to official and non-governmental organizations that work on these topics, employers, mass media, civil society, local administration, and agents in the domain of education. The annually edited, published and disseminated bilingual leaflets and posters will promote the principle of equal opportunities and non-discrimination among decision makers in the labor market, but also among Roma and non-Roma population.

Promoting the principle of equal opportunities and non-discrimination through the Training sessions

Training sessions will be provided in Cluj, Timisoara, Iasi, and Bucharest in the first and second year. The sessions are organized for mixed groups of Roma women and young people, and representatives of local administration, employers, civil society and mass media. The training sessions and the written material to support them are meant to be used as efficient tools in the promotion of the principle of equal opportunities and non-discrimination. These sessions will represent an occasion for Roma and non-Roma, men and women, young and old to share their images about the others. Meanwhile is the occasion to seek common solutions to the problems that usually occur during the process of searching a job, being employed or promoted or fired.

Training Sessions 2010