On 3 March 2026, Kyiv hosted the II National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity, organized by the non-governmental organization Association of Roma Women Voice of Romni.

The event became a large national platform for open dialogue between Roma activists, representatives of civil society organizations, government institutions, and international partners. Among the participants were Liudmyla Shemelynets, First Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine; Natalka Cmoc, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine; Ihor Lossovskyi, Deputy Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience; Eleonora Lotti, Acting Director of the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities; Tetiana Kudina, Programme Manager and Acting Head of the UN Women Office in Ukraine; Analee Pepper, Senior Adviser on the Protection of Women at the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office; as well as other influential opinion leaders.

During the forum, participants discussed the development of an inclusive and diverse society, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for Roma women, and their full participation in community life and in the fair recovery of Ukraine. The President of Voice of Romni, Anzhelika Bielova, noted that this year’s forum aimed to deepen the processes already underway and outline a shared vision for further actions to improve the situation of Roma communities in Ukraine.

“We not only discussed the challenges but also analyzed the barriers that limit Roma communities’ access to public services and identified practical mechanisms to overcome them through strengthening institutional solutions and partnerships,” she emphasized.

Special attention was given to the involvement of Roma advisers, the creation of effective referral mechanisms that help guide people to relevant institutions, and the role of Roma organizations and Roma women as leaders of change.

Key topics of the forum included:

– Implementation of the Roma Strategy until 2030: challenges and tools for effective implementation.

– Transformation of the needs of Roma communities following the start of russia’s full-scale invasion.

– Results of regional consultations held in seven regions of Ukraine at the end of 2025 regarding the effective implementation of the Roma Strategy at the local level.

– Best practices of cooperation between Roma and pro-Roma organizations, international partners, and government institutions.

– Development of partnerships between civil society, the state, and international partners.

The forum also included a cultural programme. A charity auction of paintings by Roma artist from Mukachevo, Tyberii Ionash, was held, as well as a performance by Roma singer Alona Chukalenko.

The II National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity concluded with a final session during which participants summarized the key ideas discussed throughout the panels and transformed them into concrete proposals. A list of recommendations was presented for government institutions, international organizations, and Roma civil society organizations. Each block contains clear steps for the effective implementation of the Roma Strategy, identifying responsible actors and explaining the importance of the proposed actions.

“Roma organizations must support one another. Our cooperation with international partners, representatives of government institutions, and other civil society organizations will be stronger if we move forward together. International partners will continue to advance localization, paying attention to different vulnerable groups and the organizations that represent them,” said Anzhelika Bielova during her closing remarks.

Participants of the forum confirmed their intention not only to raise issues and speak about the needs of Roma communities in Ukraine but also to cooperate systematically to address them, overcome crisis challenges, and ensure the inclusive recovery of the country. Significant work still lies ahead at the local, national, and international levels.

More about the forum was shared by the President of Voice of Romni, Anzhelika Bielova, during a live broadcast on Ukrainian Radio. She also discussed the challenges faced by the Roma community in Ukraine.

“II National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity” is organised by the NGO Roma Women’s Association “Voice of Romnі”.  The Forum is supported by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), which mobilizes philanthropy to strengthen communities’ ability to withstand disasters and recover equitably when they occur. CDP provides expert advice and resources while managing domestic and international disaster funds on behalf of corporations, foundations and individuals through targeted, holistic and localized grantmaking. The event was organised with the financial support of OXFAM Ukraine and International Rescue Committee. We would like to express our gratitude for the support and partnership of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience and UN Women.  

The views expressed during the event are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the above partners and donors.