POWER2ROMI: Empowering andalusian Roma women and girls’ mattering through reproductive justice

Coordinators: Manuel García-Ramírez and Virginia Paloma.

Duration: Ongoing project.

Abstract: Early marriage and motherhood among Roma women (REMM) in Andalusia impoverish their lives, puts them at risk for physical and mental health, makes them vulnerable to domestic violence, precipitates school dropouts and condemns them to precarious jobs. Although it is usually attributed to cultural patterns, overwhelming evidence affirms that the conditions of poverty and exclusion that they suffer have a very important explanatory weight. POWER2ROMI proposes that empowerment processes that link Roma women and girls’ recognition, personal and community influence to values of reproductive justice can reverse the risks of REMM. We understand reproductive justice as the defense and protection of the rights of women and girls to decide freely and responsibly their sexual identity, the children they wish to have, access to the information and means necessary to do so, as well as to reach the highest level of reproductive health. POWER2ROMI argues that Roma women and girls have the talent and capacity to lead their own challenges, and that Roma organizations must be scenarios that assure them opportunities to advocate for their reproductive rights. Through a Photovoice process of Community Based Participatory Action Research, POWER2ROMI:

1. Will identify the narratives and antigypsyist mechanisms that disregard the reproductive rights of Roma women and girls;
2. Will map the resources and references related to the defense of their rights in their communities;
3. Will train Roma grassroots organizations and Roma women leaders as facilitators of empowerment processes for women and girls to imagine and pursue goals of prosperity based on their Roma identity.

POWER2ROMI will enrich the good practices developed collaboratively in the RoMoMatteR and [J]itana.

Funded by:
Regional Government of Andalusia. Department of Economy, Knowledge, Business and University.