REF Board Meets

The REF Board met for the first time in its new Budapest office on September 9, 2005 to review the first cohort of its education projects, progress in establishing the organization, and the 2005 work program.  Four education projects were approved subject to satisfactory arrangements that need to be worked out with the project implementing organizations and some of the governments involved.  Once all pending details are settled, all REF projects will be listed on our website.

The REF Board met for the first time in its new Budapest office on September 9, 2005 to review the first cohort of its education projects, progress in establishing the organization, and the 2005 work program.  Four education projects were approved subject to satisfactory arrangements that need to be worked out with the project implementing organizations and some of the governments involved.  Once all pending details are settled, all REF projects will be listed on our website.

The Board emphasized strongly that REF projects will have to have Roma leadership and participation, the programs they support will have to demonstrate sustainability and that scaling up, including a contribution to policy reform, will be desirable for REF projects, in order to secure Board approval.  Education projects for Roma students which address the above issues adequately are expected to have a greater positive impact on the environment in which Roma education programs are implemented in countries participating in the Decade of Roma Inclusion.

A number of other projects will be reviewed at the next Board meeting, which is now scheduled for October 1-2, 2005.