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Description
The National Roma Inclusion Strategy for the period 2013 to 2020 states that Roma women are a particularly excluded group; there is a traditional division of roles in Roma families; the relationship towards women is patriarchal; women are often marginalized and discriminated; due to their subordinate position they do not have the ability to plan a family. According to the results of the research for 27% of young Roma women in Croatia, the key reasons that lead to school dropout are early marriage, pregnancy and becoming a parent (15%). Of Romani women who have children, 50% of them gave birth to their first child underage, and 17% at the age of 16. The general goal of the project is to include young Roma women in all social, economic and political flows by reducing underage pregnancies and increasing their number finishing the primary and the secondary education. Also, the goals of the project is to raise the capacity of Roma NGOs, Councils of the Roma National Minority members and individual actors from the Roma Alliance Kali Sara for public and legislative advocacy, and to establish cross-sectoral cooperation with relevant institutions to prevent and support Roma women in cases of forced marriages and underage pregnancies, but also other forms of gender-based violence. The beneficiaries are young Roma women aged 13 to 18; the project will have an emancipatory effects, motivating them to continue their education, empower them to ask for help and conversation, and we will ensure the realization of their rights; representatives of CRNM and Roma NGOs are educated on legislative advocacy in the context of the upcoming The National Roma Inclusion Strategy and gender equality policies; Relevant institutions at the local level are more willing to cooperate in combating violence against Roma women, the Office for Human Rights and the Rights of National Minorities and the Office for Gender Equality include representatives of CRNM and Roma NGOs in policy working groups.
Summary of project results
According to the policy analysis from the study: "Inclusion of Roma in Croatian Society: Romani Women, Youth, and Children" (Klasnić, Kunac, Rodik, 2020), when it comes to Romani women, the National Strategy for the Inclusion of Roma for the period from 2013 to 2020 (NSUR) states that this is a particularly excluded group; there is a traditional division of roles in Romani families; the relationship towards women is patriarchal; women are often marginalized and exposed to discrimination; due to their subordinate position, they lack the ability to plan families. From the areas in which the NSUR detects issues faced by Romani women, it is evident that there is a mismatch with international and other policy documents in Croatia that promote and protect women’s human rights. An area such as violence against women, as defined by: the Beijing Platform for Action, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the National Strategy for the Protection Against Domestic Violence for the period 2017-2022, and the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence – is not specifically included in the NSUR. When reviewing the National Policy for the Promotion of Gender Equality 2011-2015, in section 1.2. "Improving the social position of women from national minorities," measure 1.2.3 states that the number of scholarships and subsidies for secondary and higher education for Romani women will be increased. However, this document does not define the causes that prevent young Romani women from completing primary and secondary education, nor has a measure or activity been developed to address this issue. Additionally, the National Strategy for the Protection Against Domestic Violence for the period 2017-2022 does not once mention Romani women as a distinct target group. However, the (too) small number of measures and activities specifically targeting Romani women, as one of the most socially excluded groups in Croatian society, indicates insufficient development of topics and priorities when addressing this target group. According to research findings (Klasnić, Kunac, Rodik, 2020), 17% of Romani women are illiterate, compared to only 0.13% in the general population (DSZ, 2016). For 27% of young Romani women in Croatia, the main reasons for dropping out of education are marriage, pregnancy, and becoming a parent (15%). Of Romani women who have children, 50% had their first child as minors, and 17% before the age of 16.
Following advice from our partner organization, the education of young Romani women will take place in three cycles, each lasting 4 hours at each location. This structure is designed to ensure maximum focus and engagement for the target age group. The methodology and content for each educational cycle will be further defined in collaboration with the Roma in the Centre Initiative.
The education will be delivered using a participatory methodology, where during the first session, young Romani women will have the opportunity to express their opinions on the position of Romani women in the community, early marriages, and teenage pregnancies. The language and discourse will be age-appropriate, and the methodology will be highly interactive to maintain the full attention of the participants.
The main topics covered in the educational sessions will include: women''s human rights, the right to live without violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, international standards for the protection of women''s human rights, and institutions and organizations that can assist in reporting violence. The aim is to empower the women to freely decide when and with whom to have children.
At the end of each educational cycle, the young women will have the chance to speak confidentially and personally with the project leader and activity coordinator from CŽS about their experiences. They can report violence, forced marriages, or sexual relationships, and receive legal and psychological advice, as well as support to help them report human rights violations to the relevant authorities, if desired.
To raise awareness and inform young Romani people about gender equality and the importance of education, a leaflet will be created containing key information about the protection of women''s human rights, the right to live free from violence, and the right to decide on family planning.
Additionally, a manual will provide essential information that complements the educational cycles. It will serve as a useful resource for the young Romani women to refer to between cycles, offering information to read over and over. At the end of the manual, a directory will allow them to contact feminist organizations and other institutions for support whenever they feel the need.
During the first two-day workshop on legislative advocacy, all participants will be introduced to the policy cycle and the process of public policy development. They will map all relevant stakeholders involved in the creation of the National Strategy for Roma Inclusion (NSUR), identifying key topics and priorities, with education undoubtedly being the top priority for the Romani national minority.
In the second two-day workshop, representatives of the Roma National Minority Councils (VRNM) will become familiar with international standards and documents on the protection of women''s human rights, the public-political framework of gender equality in Croatia, gaps in NSUR and the National Gender Equality Policy, and will discuss measures and activities that should be incorporated into the new NSUR. Additionally, they will develop a legislative advocacy plan for gender equality for Romani women.
This same structure of two two-day workshops on legislative advocacy will be held for representatives of Roma organizations.
Throughout these workshops, participants will also be introduced to civil campaigns, examples of good practice, and the use of modern advocacy tools (such as social media campaigning), as well as how to select campaign target groups. In the second two-day workshop on public advocacy, campaign instruments will be created, target groups for the campaign will be defined, and a public campaign plan to promote the education of young Romani women will be developed.
Given the prevalent poverty in the Romani community, promotional materials will be produced to motivate volunteers and other stakeholders (such as the media). These materials will be distributed to young Romani women, volunteers, media representatives, and members of the working group for the creation of NSUR and the National Gender Equality Policy.
A video spot will be used as part of the civil campaigns, leveraging its audiovisual impact to influence viewers significantly. Notably, the young Romani women themselves will create the video, with the project team assisting in its production and distribution.
Additionally, a radio jingle will be produced on "Vedri Radio," the first online radio station for national minorities, run by a young Romani woman, Vedrana Šajn.
The project includes a series of meetings with all relevant institutions at the local and regional levels in six counties where the project is being implemented. The goal is to prevent and support Romani women in cases of gender-based violence, involving representatives from Roma civil society organizations (CSOs) and Roma National Minority Councils (VRNM). These meetings will result in the creation of cooperation protocols.
Once the invitations to the meetings with relevant institutions are sent, all participants will receive the meeting agenda and a memo outlining the key challenges and proposed solutions. This will ensure that the discussions remain focused and constructive, promoting a more effective connection between systems dealing with cases of violence against women, particularly Romani women.
Although there is a national protocol for handling domestic violence cases, implementation challenges are evident at the local levels. Specifically, the protocol is not applied when it comes to Romani women, especially in Međimurje, where the highest concentration of Roma settlements is found. In these areas, social workers rarely visit, and the police are often ill-prepared to assist Romani women, dismissing the issue as a “cultural dimension.”
The final meeting with representatives from relevant institutions will aim to adopt a cooperation protocol for addressing violations of Romani women’s human rights and gender-based violence.
The most significant outcome of the project thus far is the successful implementation of three educational cycles for 200 young Romani women. During the preparation of the project’s publication, we asked some of the participants for feedback after completing the workshops. We believe the project has made a notable impact on the prevention of teenage pregnancies and has significantly increased motivation for continuing education within the target group (more details in the section "Special Achievements, Stories, and Impressions of Participants").
Many participants from the project attended the Fourth Congress of Young Romani Women and Roma, where they openly shared their experiences of discrimination, which began as early as primary school. These experiences of stereotyping, exclusion, hurtful words, and lack of support and acceptance from the majority hinder their growth and development, as well as the self-confidence necessary for activism and fighting against such societal issues. Therefore, it is crucial to continue working with young Romani women, listen to their challenges, and empower them on their personal and activist paths.
It is important to note that the educational program developed through this project, "For My Healthy Growing Up", will continue as part of the regular program of the Romani Educational and Cultural Center. Additionally, a project has been submitted in collaboration with the Zagreb Romani association, Romski San, for the City of Zagreb, as workshops have not yet been held for young Romani women in Zagreb.
In addition to the successful completion and printing of the project’s publication in three languages (Croatian, English, and Romani Chib), an international final conference was organized. This conference once again highlighted the complex position of young Romani women in Croatian and European societies. The conference aimed to present the project’s results and achievements, encourage further joint efforts to improve the position of young Romani women and increase their participation in education, and address relevant societal topics, including:
- Intersectional discrimination of young Romani women
- Recommendations for further efforts to prevent teenage pregnancies among Romani women
- Recommendations for increasing Romani women’s involvement in the education system and improving educational outcomes
- Presenting the perspectives of EU countries where Roma live and examples of good practices.
An excellent collaboration with Dr. Sofyija Zahova from the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute for Foreign Languages, Roma in the Centre in Iceland, resulted in a special acknowledgment for SRRH Kali Sara as a promoter of the Romani language, continuing the bilateral collaboration and planning new activities during the study visit of SRRH Kali Sara to Iceland.
During this reporting period, three Sectoral Cooperation Agreements were signed with relevant stakeholders from the cities of Beli Manastir, Slavonski Brod, and Sisak, where the Roma National Councils are now actively involved in combating gender-based violence against Romani women. While these agreements show a serious commitment, the project’s activities did not extend to further engagement and work with the intersectoral working group that should have been formed following the agreements. A Protocol for the work of this group has been created, but no meetings have been held so far. Without further engagement from the SRRH Kali Sara team, particularly in educating Romani women, members of the Roma National Council on gender-based violence, protective mechanisms, existing legislation, and related protocols, these agreements may remain ineffective.
Aware of the challenges, we will focus on planning activities and securing financial resources in the next period to transform these agreements from good intentions on paper into active mechanisms for protecting the rights of Romani women to live free from violence.
During this reporting period, SRRH Kali Sara has made significant advancements, including refining (streamlining) its Statute, holding an electoral Assembly, adopting a new Statute, and developing a new Strategic Plan for 2024-2027 and an Operational Plan for 2024. The key contribution of the Active Citizens Fund (ACF) in the strategic and operational planning process has been achieving full transparency within the SRRH Kali Sara team regarding funding sources and all planned activities for the upcoming year. Additionally, the responsibilities for each activity have been clearly assigned, ensuring that everyone is aware of their specific role in implementation, which was not the case previously due to partial communication within thematic departments.
For example, discussions with Maja Grubišić, who leads the Romani Educational and Cultural Center (REKC) and Romani Information Center (RIC), were held separately from the rest of the team, meaning each team member was only fully informed about the parts relevant to their direct involvement. Strategic planning has helped the team become familiar with everything that has been accomplished across all activity segments, enhancing understanding of the organization’s mission, vision, and objectives, while also improving team cohesion. Meanwhile, operational planning has strengthened solidarity among the team, particularly when one group faces a heavier workload than others, as everyone now has access to all relevant information.
Summary of bilateral results
The Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute for Foreign Languages focuses on pluriperspective research in foreign languages and cultures, particularly in linguistics and literature. Its goal is to enhance research and education in various languages, aiming to deepen understanding of multilingualism and the value of language skills and cultural knowledge in all areas of life. The institute promotes intercultural dialogue and contributes to society by organizing lectures, conferences with the International Center for Languages and Cultures, and publishing scientific materials and educational resources that facilitate communication in a globalized, multilingual world.As part of a project, a bilateral partner conducted a three-day educational cycle for young Romani women in different Croatian communities. The program consisted of three 4-hour sessions at each location, designed to match the attention span of the participants. The methodology and content were developed in collaboration with the Roma in the Centre Initiative and followed a participatory approach. In the first session, young Romani women were encouraged to express their views on their position in the community, early marriages, and teenage pregnancies.The educational topics covered included women''s human rights, the right to live free from violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, international standards for women''s rights protection, and the freedom to choose when, with whom, and how many children to have. At the end of each cycle, the participants had the opportunity to speak confidentially with the project manager and activity coordinator about their experiences, seek legal and psychological support, and report any instances of violence, forced marriage, or human rights violations to the relevant authorities.