The regional dialogues led by Voice of Romni continue.

After intensive work in Dnipro, we travelled to Kharkiv to jointly develop recommendations for the Regional Implementation Plan of the Roma Strategy together with local leaders and representatives of the authorities.

This is already the third region where we carry out this work with local experts, and each new dialogue reaffirms how essential it is to consider the specific context and needs of each region. Our goal is not only to discuss existing challenges, but to analyse why they emerged and identify pathways to improve the situation.

Our team is committed to ensuring that the Regional Action Plan for 2026–2028 becomes an effective tool for those responsible for its implementation. That is why we traditionally involved local Roma leaders, representatives of various departments of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, the regional Office of the Ombudsperson, the Employment Centre, social services, and the Main Department of the National Police. We shared what we see from within: the real needs of Roma communities and why many issues remain unresolved without the support of the state and partners. In turn, representatives of state institutions outlined why some of these challenges may have a systemic nature within Roma communities.

Working together through each thematic section of the Regional Plan enabled us to identify effective solutions and articulate them as concrete recommendations.

We strongly believe that implementing the Roma Strategy is our shared responsibility. We see that each side is currently demonstrating readiness to carry out the Regional Plan, and we hope that our cooperation will continue to be just as effective.

The Voice of Romni team is already preparing for the next dialogues. Ahead of us are four more regions of Ukraine, where we will continue developing recommendations for the Roma Strategy with full consideration of local contexts.