On Tuesday, November 28th, we invite you to join a public debate titled “Inclusion vs. Exclusion,” as part of the “ȘURA – Laboratory for Inclusive Civic Experimentation and Engagement” project carried out by the Mihai Eminescu Trust Foundation in the village of Archita, Mureș County. The debate will take place at the headquarters of the Veritas Foundation, located at 34-36 Horia Teculescu Street, Sighișoara, between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM. To participate, please complete the form available at the following link.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Supported by:
Active Citizens Fund – Romania
Scope of the public debate on November 28, 2023:
Social inclusion is one of the European Union’s fundamental values. We cannot discuss social inclusion without acknowledging that there are individuals and vulnerable groups that confront social exclusion either temporarily or for extended periods of time.
Legislatively, social inclusion is defined as a set of multifaceted measures in the fields of social protection, employment, housing, education, health, information-communication, mobility, security, justice, and culture, aimed at combating social exclusion and ensuring the active participation of individuals in all economic, social, cultural, and political aspects of society (Social Assistance Law no. 292/2011, and its subsequent amendments and completions).
In 2006, the national mechanism for promoting social inclusion was established at central and county levels by Government Decision no. 1217/2006. Following this decision, the National Commission for Social Inclusion was established alongside social inclusion commissions at the county-level.
Furthermore, through amendments to the Social Assistance Law, a baseline package of social services for children and families was legally enshrined to ensure every child’s right to survival, development, and protection, and to combat poverty. These social services were legally assigned as mandatory, universal responsibilities of central and local public authorities.
In Romania, a National Strategy for Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction has been adopted for the period 2022—2027. The Strategy reflects the progress made through the implementation of the previous strategy (effective between 2015-2020), while aiming to improve persistent deficiencies and promote a new governance model based on increased solidarity, constructive cooperation, and shared responsibility among all concerned authorities.
The Strategy specifically mentions several issues identified in the “DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS REGARDING SOCIAL INCLUSION AND THE STANDING OF VULNERABLE GROUPS IN ROMANIA 2019” study, conducted by SNSPA, and administrative data from MMSS:
- In absolute terms, 6,360,000 people were exposed to poverty and social exclusion as of 2018;
- Public social assistance services are not accessible to all citizens in each administrative-territorial region;
- Although social workers are a key link in the implementation of social assistance policies, only 17% of SPAS comply with the ratio of 1 social worker to 300 beneficiary persons;
- Although the social assistance system offers various benefits and services, they are neither generous nor comprehensive, nor do they conform to other contemporary systems in developed European countries which are moving towards outright prevention of poverty through information-focused social services – e.g., prevention, counselling, and education;
- The high percentage of young people at risk of poverty or social exclusion is correlated with the national dropout rate, which has remained high in recent years, predominantly in rural areas. Approximately 4 out of every 10 15-year-old students are functionally illiterate. Children from disadvantaged families are more likely to lack basic skills, underscoring that education is unfair in terms of providing equal opportunities to all students;
- Despite having the highest rate of homeownership in Europe, Romania also has one of its highest overcrowding rates, especially among families with children. 56% of Romania’s population below the poverty line live in overcrowded households. Young people and generally people at risk of poverty are more likely to be severely deprived of adequate housing conditions;
- People with disabilities are much more exposed to the risk of poverty or social exclusion compared to people who do not belong to this vulnerable category.
The Strategy establishes six key priorities:
- Ensuring the right to social assistance and the implementation of social policies concerning the protection of children, families, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, as well as other persons, groups, or communities in need or at risk of social exclusion, at the local level;
- Reducing social and economic disparities at the local level by charging local communities with responsibility over their development;
- Consolidating and supporting social entrepreneurship and the social economy;
- Improving social dialogue mechanisms;
- Improving the development of active employment policies through social dialogue by integrating educational and social services, harnessing the potential of young people in the labour market, and increasing the employability of persons with disabilities and older workers;
- Improving social protection for those engaged in precarious and/or informal work, for workers exposed to abuse from their employers or from the intermediaries facilitating their employment, for the unemployed, and for persons with low incomes.
The Strategy itself, alongside other active regulations, bring to the fore new legislative possibilities:
- Community and intercommunity programs to combat poverty and social exclusion covering several key areas: social assistance, health, education, housing, and employment;
- County-level social inclusion plans;
- Baseline package of social services for children and families;
- Integrated community services;
- Methodology for monitoring segregation in schools;
- Methodology for financing and providing the baseline package of social assistance services to children and families;
- Methodology for the annual estimation of the number of dependent elderly persons who require support for day-to-day activities, who do not receive assistance from informal caregivers or volunteers, and who live in poverty/have incomes below the minimum pension allowance.
Although efforts supportive of social inclusion seem advanced from a legislative standpoint, delays in their implementation can negatively impact the social inclusion process: for example, county inclusion plans and specific methodologies listed in the Strategy have not been elaborated or approved, etc.
Investments supporting implementation of the “Integrated National Social Assistance System – INSAS” have only recently been approved and will be rolled out over a three-year period. Implementation is necessary for the digitalization of the social protection effort, as well as for the creation of the integrated IT system that will ensure online interaction among citizens with ANPIS and with subordinate institutions. The online platform will allow online case management based on individual characteristics, without requiring that individuals go to a physical counter, thus facilitating access to a wide range of public electronic services, assistance, counselling, and guidance.
Social inclusion was also discussed on November 14, 2023, during a working meeting organized by the Mihai Eminescu Trust Foundation (MET), in collaboration with the Centre for Social Development, as part of the “ȘURA – Laboratory for Inclusive Civic Experimentation and Engagement” project. The meeting highlighted a series of opportunities and challenges in the field of social inclusion.
Following this meeting, the key questions for the public debate (scheduled on November 28, 2023) were established:
- What measures can support social inclusion?
- What necessary actions should be prioritized?
- What other key considerations should we account for in the process of social inclusion?
These essential clarifying questions will ensure a strong basis for action at the local, county, and national levels.
In developing the vision for our public debate, we considered the following:
- Opinions expressed by participants at the working meeting focused on social inclusion held on November 14, 2023, organized as part of the “ȘURA – Laboratory for Inclusive Civic Experimentation and Engagement” project
- Social Assistance Law no. 292/2011, with subsequent amendments and completions (https://www.mmanpis.ro/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/L-292-2011.pdf, https://www.mmanpis.ro/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/LEGE-Nr.-231-din-5-noiembrie-2020-pentru-modificarea-Legii-asistentei-sociale-nr.-292-din-2011.pdf)
- Government Decision no. 1217/2006 regarding the establishment of the national mechanism for promoting social inclusion in Romania (https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocumentAfis/75419)
- Government Decision no. 440 of March 30, 2022, approving the National Strategy for Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction for the period 2022-2027 (https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocumentAfis/253819)
The public debate will take place on November 28, 2023, at the headquarters of the Veritas Foundation in Sighișoara, at 34-36 Horia Teculescu Street, starting at 10:00 AM.
The opinions collected through the public debate will be synthesized into a report that will be made available to the public within two weeks of the event. The report will be sent to all participants (at the email address indicated in the registration form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfx5QzwC3senr0reNgZknfNVUtE9skKFF1FdfliO_8B47c6jQ/viewform), will be posted on the website www.mihaieminescutrust.ro for the general public, on the organizers’ Facebook pages, and will be sent to key decision-makers in the field and to local public authorities.
The Commission for Initiating the Public Debate:
Michaela Türk,
Mihai Eminescu Trust Foundation (MET)
Nicoleta-Margareta Anghel,
Centre for Social Development (CEDES),
Sighișoara
November 23, 2023