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A Voice For the Voiceless

MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

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Roma Information Project

Europe's 8 million Roma have long suffered from poverty and poor health as a result of discrimination, prejudice, and low levels of education. But in recent years, Roma culture has enjoyed something of a renaissance and Roma advocacy groups are springing up throughout the continent. They have been so successful at exposing discrimination that the treatment of Roma is now a key test of admission to the European Union. The Advocacy Project has been working with the Open Society Institute (OSI) to empower Roma activists by helping them to make better use of information technology. This has been undertaken at the request of OSI officials who have worked with Roma for years and concluded that they would benefit enormously from being able to communicate better with each other and with the outside world. Roma advocates often find it difficult to collaborate and communicate, even within countries. This is one of the unfortunate legacies of their physical, cultural and intellectual isolation.



The pilot phase of the Roma Information Project (RIP) was launched in January 2002. The goal was to train a team of six Roma "eRiders" who would be able to provide ICT support to over 100 of OSI's Roma grantees. This support would be tailored to the needs of each group. This model of support is consistent with AP's approach, which is to strengthen community advocates and networks, by helping them to make better use of information. The ability to strategically use information is a rare skill, and it has to be nurtured and encouraged, rather than imposed. Advocates need to understand the need for information, and use information in their campaigns. They must acquire the technical skills to maintain websites and produce newsletters. They may have to work together in teams - which poses its own challenges. This kind of skill building is built into the Roma Information Project.

What is an eRider? eRiders are "part trainer, part management consultant, part computer expert." They provide consulting and assistance with technology strategy development, make repeated visits to the organizations they serve, and provide advice and information by phone and e-mail. They can work locally, or in entire regions. eRiders often "cross-pollinate" the groups they service, by transmitting insights, tools, and tips as they travel throughout the sector. The eRider or roving technology consultant model has been intensively tested over the last 3 years in countries as diverse as Bulgaria, South Africa and Kazakhstan. Over 20 eRider projects have started around the world.

During the assessment phase, the RIP managers identified two projects that seemed likely to benefit from the use of IT. One sought to encourage collaboration between groups of young Roma women Macedonia, Hungary and Serbia who were seeking to end a demeaning custom that requires them to publicly demonstrate their virginity onm the even of marriage. The second project, in Hungary, seeks to connect a Roma MP, Laszlo Teleki, with his constituency members.

The Advocacy Project identified and trained two Roma eRiders, Gyula Vamosi, 23, from Hungary and Enisa Eminova, 20, from Macedonia, to support these two projects. During 2002, AP's Technical Director provided intensive training for both eRiders, and arranged for them to attend the annual Circuit Rider Round-Up Conference in Florida (April 12-14, 2002). The conference brings together IT experts from around the United States and it provided the two Roma eRiders valuable exposure.

 

The eRiders are all young community leaders. eRider Gabi Hrabanova, left, from the Czech Republic discusses strategy with Ivan Vesely, director of Dzeno the Roma Press Agency in Prague.

The two eRiders showed how ICT can be integrated into projects, and used as a tool of empowerment. Ms Eminova has helped Roma researchers from the three countries work together through e-mail, participate in an online discussion group, and use the web for research. She has also arranged for their data to be formatted and posted on a website that was designed in 2001 by a network of Roma women (www.romawomen.org/youngleaders). In Hungary, eRider Gyula Vamosi was able to help MP Teleki join a discussion group with other Roma leaders.

The project has already generated considerable local interest. The Hungarian daily paper Nepszabadsag has run an article on this innovative use of information technology. USAID has highlighted RIP as an innovative project that deserves close attention.

RIP moved from being an assessment to a full project in October 2002. The number of e-Riders was expanded to six, and they are now working in Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Macedonia. Gratified by the initial results, OSI has asked AP to work on expanding the training and developing tools that could serve a global community of eRiders. AP trained 17 eRiders from Central and Eastern Europe and several CIS countries in Kosovo in November 2002. Each has gone on to start interesting and innovative projects in their own countries.

The following pages illustrate different aspects of the Rome Information Project. AP's work with eRiders is in its infancy, but it has already shown that Roma - one of the world's most disempowered communities - can use information technology to improve their lives. This raises important questions. How can the technique be expanded to other groups in need? How can the benefits be measured in a manner that donors will understand? How can eRiders help advocates to move beyond basic technology, to using the Internet more strategically in their campaigns? These questions will all be raised by RIP in the months ahead. They also make a strong argument for more research on, and support for, eRider projects.

The RIP eRiders are:

• Nora Costache - Romania — Email Nora!

• Enisa Eminova - Macedonia — Email Enisa!

• Gabi Hrabanova - Czech Republic — Email Gabi!

• Maria Metodieva - Bulgaria — Email Maria!

• Miro Olah - Slovakia — Email Miro!

• Gyula Vamosi - Hungary — Email Gyula!

The Roma Information Project is supported by the Open Society ( Information Program, Network Women's Program and Roma Participation Program) and by the Advocacy Project.

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