New research project MIGRAEDU supports refugees with disabilities
The recently launched ‘Understanding Migration Realities: Teaching Through Migration Research in Diverse Societies’ (MIGRAEDU) project aims to increase the capacity of Romanian and Polish stakeholders to provide support for people displaced from Ukraine with disabilities, through the development of e-learning materials for refugee students.
The project takes a participatory research approach, exploring perceptions and experiences of refugees in relation to support they have received from service providers in their host country. The project is an initiative of Collegium Civitas Poland, implemented in partnership with the Research Institute for Quality of Life (ICCV) and funded by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).
New questions included in Timisoara’s Quality of Life barometer
The 9th edition of Quality of Life Barometer – a survey developed by the Western University of Timisoara in partnership with the municipality of Timisoara – included, for the first time, questions on the public perception of refugees and other migrants.
The barometer provides empirical data for local public authorities and other institutional actors regarding social dynamics in the local community, in order to guide public policies and strategic planning. 2 355 people answered questions on multiculturalism and diversity, interactions with third country nationals (TCNs), migrant support services and migrant integration.
Amendments to the Citizenship Act affect refugees
An amendment to the Romanian Citizenship Act reduced the mandatory residence period for people with refugee status, provided they actively integrate into society. Exemptions were also introduced regarding the minimum period of legal stay for citizenship applicants who are stateless or from third countries, if they can show that they have made significant contributions to the economy or to the arts and culture and sports sectors, or that they have contributed significantly via volunteering.
Additionally, the amendment introduced an obligation to show a Romanian language proficiency certificate, demonstrating a level of fluency of at least B1, for applicants seeking (re)acquisition of Romanian citizenship.
AIDA country report on Romania published
The 2024 AIDA Report on Romania was recently published, alongside the 2024 update to the AIDA Annex Report on Temporary Protection in Romania. AIDA, the Asylum Information Database, is a project managed by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) that provides annual accounts of the legislative changes and implementation of EU asylum legislation in 19 EU Member states and 6 non-EU countries.
The country report shows development in several areas – including asylum procedures, reception conditions and integration – since 2023. The annex on temporary protection highlights a bilateral agreement between Romania and Ukraine on the mutual recognition of education credentials that led to 97% of children with temporary protection being enrolled in school by mid-2024, as well as the securing of access to the state allowance for children and to social benefits for beneficiaries of temporary protection.
ActionAid report on civil society’s response to those displaced from Ukraine
ActionAid in Romania published the preliminary results of a research project on the impact of the ongoing arrival of people displaced from Ukraine on civil society. The project explored challenges faced by NGOs in terms of capacity building, cooperation with key actors and funding.
The report notes that over time, the nature of the work of NGOs has shifted from provision of emergency aid to early integration measures, promoting integration into local communities. Services being offered now include language training, education, healthcare, social protection, and employment assistance.
