On March 26, 2025, the Federal Board of the Central Welfare Association of Roma and Sinti in Germany (ZWRSD) met with the Federal Political Director and Diversity Policy Spokesperson of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Ms. Pegah Edalatian, to discuss the tasks and goals of the welfare association, which was founded in the fall of 2024.
As a nationwide umbrella organization, the ZWRSD brings together the welfare-related tasks of Roma and Sinti in Germany, thereby filling a crucial gap in the landscape of associations. It cooperates with existing umbrella organizations in the field of welfare services.
Social work and its related fields have historically been deeply entangled with the history of persecution against Sinti and Roma in Germany. Even today, social work often perpetuates paternalism and discrimination. Many social service providers implement projects "for" Roma that repeatedly reproduce stereotypes and racism, portraying Roma as incapable of integration instead of questioning their own approaches and attitudes.
The Central Welfare Association provides services for members of the Roma and Sinti communities through community-based counseling in various areas – ranging from anti-discrimination and migration to residency rights and educational support.
At the same time, the association represents the interests of the communities in the field of welfare services at the federal, state, and municipal levels. It also works to raise awareness among policymakers and administrators about the background, concerns, and needs of Roma and Sinti.
To sustainably improve the situation of Roma and Sinti within the areas of ZWRSD’s activities, the association must be placed on structurally secure footing. This requires action primarily at the federal level, but also at the state level. The EU’s Strategic Framework for the Equality, Inclusion, and Participation of Roma until 2030 (EU Roma Strategy), which is to be implemented by the European Union member states, provides the essential foundation for this effort. Improvements must be made in key sectors such as education, housing, employment, and healthcare, while combating discrimination, reducing poverty, and increasing community participation must be achieved as cross-cutting objectives spanning all sectors.
While the four sectoral goals can be addressed through the work of the association and its member organizations—provided they receive the necessary structural funding—achieving the cross-cutting objectives requires close collaboration between policymakers, administrators, and Roma self-organizations. The meeting with Ms. Edalatian was an initial step in this direction. Moving forward, strong political support, particularly from the federal government, will be necessary to combat discrimination in the long term and ensure the equal social participation of Roma and Sinti.