Empower Roma Youth 2025

ongoing

"The 2025 annual working plan, part of the 3-year strategic work plan ""Empower Roma Youth"" (ERY), aims to strengthen Roma youth participation in European youth processes and raise awareness about antigypsyism. This will be achieved by empowering mainstream youth organizations to combat antigypsyism in their daily work. Over 6 million EU citizens are Roma, with more than half being young people. According to Phiren Amenca's 2021 survey, 95% of young Roma have witnessed or experienced antigypsyism. Phiren Amenca bridges the gap between the realities of Roma youth and EU policymaking, providing expertise to design inclusive approaches in key strategic documents, including the EU Roma Framework and Erasmus Plus/ESC Inclusion and Diversity Strategy. We also empower grassroots Roma youth civil society to engage in decision-making processes and take part in EU programs like the European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus Plus. Our strategic objectives are: Foster dialogue and build awareness to combat antigypsyism; Empower Roma and non-Roma individuals and organizations to utilize EU youth programs; Capacitate youth workers and organizations with knowledge and methods for working with Roma youth; Strengthen the Phiren Amenca Network, connecting Roma and non-Roma organizations for youth empowerment. Key activities include: Advocacy and policy development; Empowerment and capacity building; Awareness raising and communication. This plan promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion, protects young Roma’s rights, combats antigypsyism, and contributes to the EU Youth Strategy and related youth instruments."