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Description
DajPhen is a project proposed by the E-Romnja Association in partnership with Sastipen, which approaches the motherhood of Roma women as a process, from the decision to get pregnant to the support services both in the health system and in the community. In Romania, discussions about motherhood are defined from a perspective of white, educated, middle-class women and this creates a type of representation that defines the idea of being a mother. Roma women as well as poor women, women from rural areas or women from other minority groups are often marginalized as the '''' portrait built ''''for a mother does not overlap with their existence based on daily survival. Our project starts from these aspects and addresses the birth as a process starting with the decision to become a mother, the development of support networks for Roma girls / women during pregnancy, access to health services, treatment and ultrasound during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding, treatment in the hospital during pregnancy and support provided after birth. The main beneficiaries of this project will be the Roma girls / women, considering that in Romania the problems they face are related both to the community patriarchal system and to the inaccessibility to reproductive health services. So the project as it is built wants to start from the bottom up, involving both teenagers, fathers and community members as well as local, county, national, social media, service providers and the general public to change their perspective on birth. Starting from the community resources aimed at empowering Roma women to create their own narratives and access to public services, the added value of the project is the partnership created with Sastipen, which provides dialogue with public institutions and advocacy actions for the improvement of health policies.
Summary of project results
Roma women, especially in rural and urban marginalized communities, face significant barriers to accessing maternal and reproductive healthcare. A 2019 study revealed that many Roma women, with an average age of 15 at first childbirth, lacked proper medical guidance and faced discrimination in healthcare. Structural challenges, including sexism, distance from healthcare centers, and lack of health insurance, contributed to the issue. A UNICEF study highlighted that Roma women only receive care in the third trimester, leading to insufficient monitoring of pregnancies. The project aimed to address these systemic issues, particularly in sexual and reproductive health, and to ensure that Roma women and girls had the necessary support and education.
The project targeted Roma mothers, both adults and minors, throughout the maternal journey, from conception to access to reproductive health services during and after pregnancy. Several key activities were implemented to address the identified challenges. These included organizing meetings and workshops with Roma women and girls to discuss sexual and reproductive rights, providing educational materials on sexual health, and advocating for better access to healthcare services. The project also involved organizing exhibitions on Roma maternity, holding three debates on reproductive health, and involving men in the discussions to raise awareness across genders. Additionally, a training program for Roma health mediators was conducted to improve their capacity to assist women in accessing health services. Advocacy efforts included petitions to institutions, meetings with the Ministry of Health, and the organization of a national conference attended by relevant authorities, civil society, and stakeholders
The project reached over 1,000 people, including 205 Roma women and girls, and 85 men and boys. It organized 17 monitoring visits, 9 roundtable discussions, and a national conference attended by key stakeholders. It also formed a support group for 156 women and produced a video documenting Roma women’s experiences with the healthcare system. The project successfully improved awareness of reproductive health and facilitated better access to healthcare services for Roma women.
The project created lasting changes by empowering Roma women with knowledge and resources to improve their health outcomes. Advocacy efforts have started ongoing conversations with authorities to improve healthcare services for Roma communities. Long-term, the project aims to reduce maternal mortality rates and enhance gender equality, contributing to better health and social inclusion for Roma women.