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Annual Report 2006
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Roma Right Forum "ARKA" realizing the project"Documentation for Roma" which provides legal and financial service for 400 beneficiaries from Kumanovo municipality. The project is funding by the Swedish Helsinki Committee.                                       In frame of the activities, on June 17-18, 2006 RRF "ARKA" performed a seminar at the hotel"Gradce" in Kocani at  the topic"NGOs Role in the process of the Euro-intergation in Macedonia".The project is funded by SEI (Secretariat for European Integration) and SEA (Secretariat for European Affairs) to the Government of the Republic of Macedonia. 

Certifications

For the best realized project in 2001-2002

 

Certification for provided legal help to the citizens of Sopot

 
 ATIVITIES


 

Text Box:   Project Title: Legal Office for protection of refugees, seekers of asylum and people without citizenship Project Timeframe: 1991, ongoing Project Beneficiaries: Refugees from Kosovo and people without citizenship Activities: In 2005 “ARKA” provided free legal help to refugees who live in the Republic of Macedonia as well as other people without their citizenship. ARKA staff and lawyers in the organization have been working with individual applicants for citizenship by  providing  financial and legal help, especially for applicants who fulfilled  the terms of Article 14 under the Law on Citizenship. Project results: Through  project implementation ARKA provided  free legal and financial help to 399 people without citizenship. For some, the process of obtaining citizenship is finished. The rest of the cases are in process. As a result of ARKA`s activities we realized the need to continue helping individuals and families in collecting personal documentation as a basis of obtaining other human rights. In 2005, ARKA with financial support from UNHCR,  provided free legal help to refugees in resolving their citizenship status as well as providing and delivering humanitarian aid (hygienic packets) and New Years  gifts to the children of the displaced  families in Kumanovo.   Donor: UNHCR                Project Title: Project for Acquiring Citizenship for Roma Project Timeframe: April 01, 2005 - February 28, 2006. Project Goals and Objectives: Reducing the number of Roma people who are without citizenship in Macedonia. Target Group: Roma settlements and Roma individuals who need to legalize their residence or to become citizens in the Republic of Macedonia. Activities: In 2005, ARKA with financial help from ABA/CEELI, made efforts to provide help to the Roma population to become citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. With amendments and additions to the Law on Citizenship it was temporarily easier under Article 14 to acquire citizenship. This Amendment  expired March 02, 2006. ARKA members together with the project staff  of ABA/CEELI worked intensively with the project beneficiaries. They worked separately with every potential applicant for citizenship by providing free advice and legal help in completing all documents as well as in submitting applications for their citizenship. Project Results: Through the period of  project implementation (11 months) ARKA provided financial and legal help to 188 Roma people in the process of  completing  their documents, submitting and applying  for their citizenship. For some, this process is finished,  for the others  the process is on-going. As a result of ARKA`s  efforts to improve the knowledge level and awareness of the need for citizenship, we have witnessed  much success. Now many Roma people understand the importance of  having  Macedonian citizenship  for the realization of their other human rights and freedoms. Donor: American Bar Association/Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI)   Project Title: Human Rights Support Project Main project goal: Providing free legal help to alleged victims of  police abuse by the police officials of the Ministry of the Interior in their official duties as well as initiating legal and institutional reforms for more effective protection of human rights in regards of police treatment. Project Timeframe: April 01, 2005 - February 28, 2006. Target group : Citizens of the Republic of Macedonia Activities: Conducting interview with the alleged victim, collecting and completing  relevant evidence of police abuse ,submitting official complaints to PSU  (Sector for Internal Control and Professional Standards of the MOI), as well as providing complaints to the Ombudsman office and making criminal complaint application to the Elementary Public Prosecutor. Partnership for the project: Coalition ”All for Fair Trial” to Skopje "Center for Democratic Development& Initiative” in Tetovo  “CHOICE” in Strumica  and  “Center for Citizens Initiatives” in Prilep   Project Collaborators: Ombudsman office  representative person, PROXIMA EUPOL Mission, Sector for Internal Control and Professional Standards  to MOI and Elementary Public Prosecution office   Project Results: ARKA has filed thirty four (34) cases of  police abuse, three (3) of them in final trial phase   Donor: This project is financed by OSCE –Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje and FOSIM. The project is in realization.                         Project Title: “Citizens Advisory Center”   Main Project Goals: Improving  social-economic situation of Roma Contributing on an equal bases to a civil society   Programs aims:       Providing an objective basis for citizens to have an influence on authority;       Contributing to the dissolution of prejudices and negative stereotypes of           Roma population in the Republic of Macedonia. Project Objectives: · Identifying cases of human rights violence ; · Representing and attending of trial outcomes/results; · Preparing informative materials; · Training of  Roma population in field of human rights;   Project Beneficiaries: Roma population in the Republic of Macedonia, as well as other marginalized groups of population in the country.   Activities: · Conducted ten (10) educational workshops; · Educated over 500 Roma people about human rights; ·Visited many states institutions in  the following cities: Kumanovo, Kriva Palanka, Kratovo and Sveti Nikola; Helped  Roma people in writing and fulfilling documents about Roma problems and needs in their usual living; · Cooperating with all state institutions and working together to resolve the problems of the project beneficiaries.   Project Results: Through the  implementation of the advisory office we were able to provide assistance to more than 300 clients requesting a variety of  services.   Donor: Institutional for Opened Society Foundation in Macedonia;  Macedonian Center for International Cooperation  (MCIC)      NEW  PROJECTS   Project Title: Roma Registration and Personal Documentation Project   Project Time frame: May - December 2006   Project Goal: A serious  obstacle to the exercise of basic rights  by Roma  in Macedonia is a lack of basic documents. This is a pervasive problem and one that will unfortunately be passed from generation to generation until appropriate measures are taken. The right to a legal identity forms the basis  for recognition by the State  that an individual exists as a citizen, and thus has the right to services, resources, opportunities, and protection offered by the State  to its citizens.   Project objectives: The overall objective of the project is to reduce the number of Roma individuals lacking a legal identity and basic personal documentation In Macedonia. To build awareness In the Roma community of the importance  of establishing a legal identity and obtaining  documentation for  themselves and their children and where to seek aid in doing so. To provide to individual  clients the legal and financial assistance necessary for them to obtain personal documentation and establish a legal identity.   Project results: The result of the project  will be that 400 Roma individuals will be assisted in obtaining personal  documentation. Reducing the number of stateless Roma and unregistered  children. Access a number of basic rights from which Roma were previously excluded or could not enjoy fully, including the rights to legal employment or unemployment registration, basic free health care, social welfare and access to public education. The path to citizenship will become a reality and the door to participate in their society will finally be opened.   Project Activities:   The project will have two parallel  activities: ·        The first will consist of public awareness and outreach in the Municipality of Kumanovo and the towns of Kriva Palanka and Kratovo (face to face contact and going door-to-door using individuals who speak both the Roma and Macedonian languages); lawyers and staff members will provide the legal, administrative and financial  assistance that beneficiaries will need to register and obtain documentation. ·        The second  component will  consist of activities  focused on providing  individuals with the legal, administrative and financial assistance necessary for them to obtain personal documentation. ·        Project Donor: Swedish Helsinki Committee      Back              


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
ROMA RIGHTS FORUM ,,ARKA,, -Designed by Feat Kamberovski