Socio-Economic Inclusion
CARE promotes the social and economic inclusion of vulnerable minorities and other marginalised groups by contributing to stronger capacities and improved opportunities for these groups to enable them to integrate into society and access their rights and opportunities. CARE also tries to address the structural conditions and barriers that keep people in a state of vulnerability and poverty. The change that CARE is working towards is related to improved social and economic conditions of vulnerable and marginalised groups, improved institutional and policy response, equal access to rights and services, strong civil society organisations representing vulnerable groups, as well as stable, peaceful and tolerant relations across ethnic groups. CARE’s work under socio-economic inclusion focuses on three key programmatic themes:
Roma Rights and Inclusion
The Roma constitute the poorest and most marginalised ethnic community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo. All available socio- economic indicators demonstrate that their situation in sectors such as education, housing, health and employment is far worse than the situation of the majority population and of other ethnic groups. This situation is recognised by the governments, which have initiated or participated in several initiatives to improve the situation of the Roma. Thus, through its engagement, CARE seeks to establish an effective and inclusive mechanism for implementation and monitoring of the national and local strategies and action plans in the fields of employment, housing, health and education through support, institutional strengthening and capacity-building of both governments and non-governmental actors with particular focus on Roma youth activists and leaders.
The programming supported by: European Union
Civil Society Development
CARE’s projects seek to increase stability and peace as well as promote a culture of human rights and strengthen capacities of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to provide social services. The complementary services CSOs provide are invaluable for the most vulnerable groups and individuals. In that respect, providing support to CSOs that implement activities and provide social protection services for the most vulnerable and marginalised population represents invaluable contribution to the society. CARE works with organisations that support and provide shelter to women victims of violence, people with disabilities, LGBTQI population and vulnerable children. By making these non-governmental service providers strong actors in the realm of social welfare and social protection and by contributing to professionalization of respected CSOs, CARE projects give a significant contribution to the socio-economic inclusion and poverty reduction.
The programming has throughout the years been supported by various foundations and donors including European Union, Austrian Development Agency, Czech Development Agency etc..
