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| Fundación Secretariado Gitano | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fundación Secretariado Gitano |
| Formation | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Madrid, Spain |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Social inclusion and rights advocacy for Roma people |
| Region served | Spain, European Union |
Fundación Secretariado Gitano is a Spanish non-profit organization dedicated to the social inclusion and promotion of the rights of Roma communities in Spain and across Europe. Founded in 1987 in Madrid, the organization operates programs in education, employment, health, and housing while engaging with European, national, and local institutions such as the European Commission, the Spanish Parliament, and municipal councils. Its work intersects with civil society networks including Amnesty International, Council of Europe, European Roma Rights Centre, and solidarity movements in cities like Barcelona, Seville, and Valencia.
The foundation emerged during a period marked by post-Franco transitions involving actors such as the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, the People's Party (Spain), and regional administrations in Andalusia and Catalonia. Early alliances included faith-based groups like Caritas and NGOs linked to the United Nations Development Programme and the European Social Fund. Over decades the organization responded to landmark events such as the expansion of the European Union in 2004, debates around the Lisbon Treaty, and court rulings from the European Court of Human Rights. Prominent social movements and personalities—ranging from activists associated with the Congreso de los Diputados to cultural figures in Madrid theaters and festivals—have intersected with the foundation’s trajectory.
The foundation’s stated mission aligns with principles promoted by international instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Treaty on European Union, and directives from the European Parliament. Objectives encompass increasing school attainment in communities served in provinces such as Toledo, Granada, and Zaragoza; fostering labor integration in sectors represented by unions like the General Union of Workers and the Workers' Commissions; improving access to services coordinated with hospitals affiliated to the Spanish National Health System; and combating discrimination referenced in rulings by the Constitutional Court of Spain.
Governance features a board of trustees interacting with regional delegations in autonomous communities such as Galicia, Murcia, and Basque Country. Administrative links exist with municipal councils in Bilbao, Alicante, and Las Palmas, and with educational entities like the Ministry of Education (Spain) and universities including the Complutense University of Madrid and the University of Barcelona. External oversight and partnership include audits from financial bodies modeled on practices by Fundación La Caixa and collaborations with research centers such as the National Research Council (Spain).
Programs span early childhood initiatives that coordinate with schools tied to the Ministry of Education, vocational training in cooperation with employment services such as the SEPE (Spain), and health promotion coordinated with providers of the Spanish National Health System. Community centers operate in neighborhoods served by municipal social services in Seville and Malaga, while cultural projects engage festivals like Carnival of Cádiz and museums such as the Museo Reina Sofía. Employment schemes have partnered with corporations engaging with chambers like the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations and trade bodies in Barcelona.
Advocacy efforts include participation in consultative mechanisms convened by the Council of Europe and the European Commission's anti-discrimination units, submissions to committees of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and collaboration with legal advocacy groups including the European Roma Rights Centre. The foundation has engaged in policy dialogues influencing instruments such as national equality plans debated in the Cortes Generales and social inclusion strategies developed with regional governments in Andalusia and Catalonia.
Funding sources combine public grants from entities such as the European Social Fund, contracts with ministries like the Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda (Spain), and private support from foundations in the mold of Fundación ONCE and BBVA Foundation. Strategic partners have included international NGOs like Save the Children, academic partners such as the Autonomous University of Madrid, and municipal administrations in Zaragoza and Valladolid. Collaborative projects have received technical cooperation from agencies modeled on the European Investment Bank and transnational programs involving the Open Society Foundations.
Impact assessments reference educational indicators in reports comparable to those produced by the OECD and demographic studies published by the National Institute of Statistics (Spain). Evaluations have measured outcomes in school retention in provinces like Alicante and employment insertion in urban centers such as Madrid and Valencia. Independent reviews and audits follow standards akin to those used by Transparency International and research outputs disseminated through conferences at institutions like the European University Institute.
Category:Non-profit organizations based in Spain Category:Organizations established in 1987