BEST PRACTICES FOR ROMA INTEGRATION Extra-curricular activities are organized for Roma and Egyptian children in Berane, Montenegro, as part of a project supported by the BRPI small grants programme, 19 July 2013. (OSCE/Tomislav Georgiev) EMPOWERING ROMA COMMUNITIES A Roma youth network, Roma participation on municipal community boards, action plans to address the needs of local communities, and a compilation of region-wide good practices to combat discrimination — these are just some of the achievements of the Best Practices for Roma Integration project (BPRI) in the Western Balkans in 2013. BPRI aims to improve the quality of life and access to rights of Roma communities in the region through increasing participation in political and public life and decision-making, improving housing conditions and combating discrimination. In 2013, more than 10,000 Roma in 20 selected municipalities across the region benefited directly from BPRI’s small grants programme. Through grants of up to 5,000 euro, the BPRI programme supported local municipalities and local Roma NGOs and — equally importantly — encouraged co-operation between them to ensure that Roma are directly involved in all actions that affect their communities. In Lezha, Albania, for instance, while grants paid for some modest infrastructure improvements, a more significant benefit was the creation of a community board that included both municipal representatives and representatives of Roma NGOs. Co-operation with Roma communities at all stages of implementation has raised awareness of their needs and improved the quality of municipal services. Along with such infrastructure improvements, other projects supported by the scheme included help for a local Roma radio station and support for the integration of Roma pupils in schools. BPRI shared the methodology of the small grant scheme with the Albania, which is planning a similar small grants scheme to improve the living conditions and housing of its Roma communities. One of BPRI’s goals is to ensure greater participation of Roma communities in policymaking and decision-making processes, especially at the local 66  /   ODIHR Annual Report 2013