With the support of the Government of Switzerland worth about 123,000 euros, the projects will be implemented in the next eight to ten months in Bor, Kragujevac, Lebane, Leskovac, Niš, Novi Pazar, Pirot, Vranje, Vrnjačka Banja and Zaječar.
 
Independently or in partnership, local governments and civil society organizations will implement projects which improve the accessibility of public services in the field of education and health, improve sanitary conditions and provide support for the recovery of living conditions and income generation, as well as better occupational safety for collectors of secondary raw materials.

"The greatest value of the projects supported by the Swiss PRO Programme is precisely the creation of change which leads to a an improved quality of life for citizens and social inclusion through better access to public services. The focus of this public call was on the Roma population in substandard settlements because the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic had a major impact on this multi-vulnerable part of the Roma community. Almost 40 registered projects have clearly indicated a  considerable need for various types of support, especially in terms of improving sanitary conditions and educating children," said Nataša Ivanović, Programme Officer for Social Inclusion.

The projects were selected within a public call that lasted from 25 January to 26 February 2021 and was open to 57 local governments from Šumadija, western, eastern and southern Serbia, which in accordance with the Mapping of Substandard Roma Settlements have at least an informal settlement with at least 100 citizens, as well as civil society organizations with at least two years of experience, especially in efforts to improve the status of the Roma national minority.

More information on supported projects is available in the Public Call Results overview.