What do we advocate for?
The “Advocacy and public policies” direction seeks to transform SASTIPEN’s experience in communities into concrete proposals for improving policies in health and social inclusion, with a focus on Roma communities. The organization acts as a bridge between real needs in the field and decision-making processes through applied research, policy analysis, strategy monitoring, and constant dialogue with authorities at local, national, and European level.
A central principle is “nothing for Roma without Roma,” by supporting the active participation of communities in the drafting and implementation of public policies. Through analyses, recommendations, and advocacy campaigns, SASTIPEN promotes equality, non-discrimination, and sustainable solutions for reducing inequalities.
The “SASTIPEN Projects and Programs” direction is the operational core of the organization, through which community needs are turned into concrete interventions at local, national, and European level. The work is based on research, direct consultation with beneficiaries, and collaboration with authorities and institutional partners, covering areas such as public health, social inclusion, education, and community development.
SASTIPEN implements community health programs, facilitates access to preventive services, and develops integrated community centers. It also contributes to strengthening health mediation and runs projects for educational support, vocational training, and social inclusion. Through partnerships and European funding, the organization promotes effective and sustainable models meant to increase community autonomy and the quality of life of vulnerable people.
Non-discrimination and equal opportunities are essential principles of SASTIPEN’s work, aimed at reducing the inequalities faced by vulnerable communities, especially Roma people. The organization promotes a human-rights-based approach according to which access to health, education, and social protection services must be guaranteed to everyone without discrimination.
Through its programs, SASTIPEN seeks to remove the administrative, social, and cultural barriers that limit access to services and opportunities, through information, civic education, professional training, and dialogue with public institutions. The organization monitors situations of inequality and supports the active participation of Roma communities in decision-making processes, contributing to the development of a society based on respect, dignity, and real equality of opportunity.
The work of studies, research, and monitoring is an essential component of SASTIPEN’s interventions, through which the organization documents the situation of vulnerable communities, especially Roma communities, and builds a stronger basis for more effective public policies. Research examines structural barriers affecting access to health, education, and social protection services, using data collected directly from communities and institutional sources.
SASTIPEN produces sociological studies, public policy analyses, impact assessments, and monitoring reports on national and European strategies, highlighting both progress and existing gaps. The organization documents and promotes effective intervention models such as health mediation and integrated community centers. Results are used in dialogue with authorities and in public consultation processes, contributing to the development of evidence-based policies adapted to the real needs of communities.
Integrated Community Service Centers represent a strategic direction through which SASTIPEN responds to the complex needs of vulnerable communities, especially Roma communities, by coordinating health, social assistance, and educational support services. These centers operate as local support points placed near beneficiaries, reducing the administrative, geographical, and social barriers that limit access to essential public services.
Their activity is carried out by multidisciplinary teams made up of health mediators, social workers, counsellors, and other specialists, who provide information, counselling, referral to medical and social services, health education, and support for accessing rights. The centers also contribute to strengthening dialogue between communities and local authorities and increasing civic participation. Through this integrated, beneficiary-centered model, SASTIPEN promotes social inclusion, improved access to essential services, and sustainable development in vulnerable communities.
The training, qualification, and continuous learning component is a strategic direction through which SASTIPEN contributes to the development of the professional skills of actors involved in social inclusion and in improving vulnerable communities’ access to health and social services.
As an accredited training provider, the organization implements qualification programs for health mediators, as well as training sessions for professionals from the medical and social systems, community workers, local leaders, and young people. Activities are adapted to field needs and use participatory, interdisciplinary methods oriented toward practical application. Through these efforts, SASTIPEN strengthens a network of specialists and community actors capable of sustaining effective and durable interventions.
The technical assistance component is a strategic direction through which SASTIPEN supports public institutions, local authorities, and civil society organizations in developing local and county action plans and in the effective implementation of programs aimed at Roma inclusion, especially in the field of community health. The organization provides methodological counselling, support for planning, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as facilitation of interinstitutional cooperation among local and national actors.
A central pillar is the support provided to the health mediation program, including through the Technical Assistance, Monitoring, and Evaluation Unit, which supports the work of health mediators and their coordinators. SASTIPEN also provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Health in the process of strengthening and improving this program and in implementing measures from the National Strategy for Roma Inclusion.