The Programme

In effect of the works of the Interministerial Team for National Minorities in March 2000 work has been initiated on the preparation of the Pilot government program for the Roma community in the Małopolska province for the years 2001-2003. The Program was accepted by the Council of Ministers of February 13, 2001, thus becoming an official government document.
The program was prepared and is now being implemented by:

• representatives of government administration (primarily of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration);

• local governments of the Małopolska province (gminas are the basic units on which the program is based );

• Roma organizations (participation of the Roma community in the development and implementation of the program is a fundamental condition of its success);

• Non-governmental organizations.

Engaged in the program were, appointed in the first half of 2000, plenipotentiaries for the Roma affairs active in the local government structures as well as plenipotentiaries appointed by local Roma communities. These plenipotentiaries are presently participating in the Programs implementation.

The Program involves such issues as education, health, combating unemployment, social care, housing, security, the Roma culture, knowledge of the Roma people in the Polish society and knowledge of the reforms taking place in Poland among the Roma people.
The Basic aim of this Program is to achieve full participation of the Roma people inhabiting the territory of the Małopolska province in the life of the civic society and to remove the differences separating this group from the rest of the society. It is particularly important to even out the differences in such areas as education, employment, health, hygiene, housing accommodations, ability to function within a civic society. The main assumption of the Program is to work out mechanisms which would allow to achieve the above mentioned objectives.
It is a pilot program. As it is being implemented and experience gained its individual elements (particularly as regards education) will also be applied in other regions of Poland. It has been assumed that it should be a long-term program (lasting a minimum of a dozen or so years).

The program is financed out of the resources of the:

• Government,

• local government,

• non-governmental organizations,

• and the European aid funds.

The resolution concerning the Program came into force of March 1, 2001. Of March 26 the Program has been officially inaugurated. Appeals for a state budget subsidy are presently collected to assist in the implementation of the individual tasks provided for in the Program. There are also trainings organized in connection with the Program for, among others, people working in the local governments, teachers and representatives of the Roma community