The Norwegian state will grant an additional EUR 20 million to projects for fighting poverty in Romania. The focus of these projects will be regions with a large number of Roma people, Norway’s Embassy to Bucharest announced on Wednesday, January 21.

“Romania faces serious challenges relating to poverty and social exclusion, particularly among the Roma people. This is why we are allocating funds from the Norway Grants to improve their living conditions,” said Vidar Helgesen, Norwegian Minister for EEA and EU Affairs.

The projects that will be funded under the program are targeted at children, young people, parents, the unemployed, the public authorities and NGOs. Funding will also be used for awareness-raising campaigns to combat discrimination and promote tolerance in the Romanian society.

“We will draw on expertise from organisations such as the World Bank and Unicef, and make use of experience gained in other projects, but new approaches will also be tried out,” said Helgesen.

The projects will be carried out in 15 counties all over Romania.

Norway has previously allocated around EUR 17 million for poverty reducing measures in Romania. With this new programme, the total will be EUR 37 million. The projects will run until 2017.

Romania is one of the poorest countries in the EU. More than 40 % of its population, or around nine million people, are at risk of poverty according to Eurostat. On the other hand, Norway is one of Europe's richest countries.

Romania will receive a total of EUR 305 million from Norway until 2017.

Government document: One in five Romanians live in poverty, 4.8 mln people make vulnerable group

Romania among highest rates of poverty and social exclusion in the European Union

One in three Romanian children is poor

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Wikipedia)