Roma Women Research Articles

An evaluation of early marriage and the mental state of Roma women: A cross-sectional study.

Early marriage (i.e., at less than 18 years of age) is a significant global problem threatening the well-being of women. This cross-sectional study evaluated early marriage and the mental health of Roma women in Adana, Turkey. Data were collected between March 2019 and September 2019 using the Descriptive Characteristics Form and the Brief Symptom Inventory. We interviewed 272 married Roma women over 18 years of age, of whom 59.6% (n = 162) had married before the age of 18 years; of these, 14.2% had done so before the age of 15. Significant positive correlations were found between the duration of the marriage and measures of interpersonal sensitivity, somatization, depression, anxiety, phobia, paranoid ideation, psychoticism, and the Global Severity Index in the women who had married early. Among women who married after 18, the duration of marriage had a significant positive relationship with somatization and phobic anxiety. Early marriage and a longer duration of marriage were associated with more symptoms of psychological distress.

COVID‐19 crisis, Romanian Roma migrant women, and the temporary geographies of lockdown in the Spanish home

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic exposed the persistent problem of gender, class and racial inequality that has been neglected or poorly addressed globally. The effect of the lockdowns and other pandemic restrictions on the home cannot be undermined. Additionally, investigations on the relationship between Roma migrant women, household practices and the COVID‐19 pandemic still warrant more exploration in the social scientific literature. This research investigates these topics through the lens of Romanian Roma migrant women in Spain during the pandemic. Using geographies of home and gender perspectives based on focus group interviews with Roma women in eastern Spain, we claim that these women encountered multiple problems during the pandemic, built through replication of practices, objects and rhetoric of home. The findings suggest that home has not lost its utility, as the experiences of Roma migrant women during the COVID‐19 crisis give fresh aspects for reconsidering the living conditions for women and their families under restricted pandemic circumstances. We conclude that Roma women reproduce and co‐produce the home as a living space in times of pandemic crisis.

Engaging Czech-Slovak Roma women in the co-creation of an antenatal care information resource

Abstract Background Czech-Slovak Roma women in the UK suffer barriers to antenatal care such as stigma contributing to reduced engagement with health services. There is a scarcity of research and intervention studies with this population. This study aims to co-create an antenatal care community information resource with a group of these women through participatory research. Women's stories of their pregnancy journeys would be able to provide an understanding of their maternity needs, to inform design considerations for a prototype of an antenatal care information resource. Objectives 1. To understand Roma women's needs in pregnancy, childbirth, and maternity services through storytelling 2. To share with women publicly available antenatal information resources such as pregnancy apps 3. To co-create a low-resolution paper prototype of an antenatal care information resource that meets their needs Research activities 1. Six two-hour workshops with 6-8 women supported by a peer researcher and an interpreter. 2. Two workshops focused on the co-creation of an antenatal information resource. 3. Design-based participatory methods and thematic analysis, culminating in a community event and webinar for public and professional stakeholders. Findings The women's pregnancy journeys covered several topics such as unplanned pregnancies, nausea and vomiting, pregnancy loss and birth trauma. Through all these, the main message they wished to convey was the need for women in the community to overcome the stigma of seeking help for their mental health. Our information resource developed using a co-creative participatory approach, signposts Roma women to reliable information and healthcare provision potentially reducing poor maternal and perinatal health outcomes. This study could be replicated in other marginalized newly arrived groups of migrant women to facilitate timely uptake of antenatal and mental health support services. Key messages • Czech-Slovak Roma women face stigma in seeking help for their mental health during pregnancy. • Roma women can be supported to overcome stigma through design-based participatory research.

A mixed methods study on challenges for Roma women and access to health in Greece

A mixed methods study on challenges for Roma women and access to health in Greece

Assessing the Level of Knowledge and Experience Regarding Cervical Cancer Prevention and Screening among Roma Women in Romania.

Background and Objectives: Romania ranks among the countries with a particularly high rate of mortality that can be prevented through prevention programs, screening, early detection, and prompt care. Cervical cancer (CC) is a major cause of these preventable deaths, affecting individuals from marginalized and rural regions, as well as the Roma population. The purpose of this article was to identify accurate and consistent information about the Roma population on the risk of CC, as well as the importance of understanding the causes of the disease and awareness of the available prevention methods. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire applied only to Roma women in Romania. Results: We enrolled 759 patients in this study. These were divided into two groups: Group 1 comprised 289 (38.1%) women who had been tested for HPV infection, while Group 2 included 470 (61.9%) women who had never been tested for HPV infection. Characterization of women in Group 1: mostly aged between 25 and 54 years, with high school education, married, who started sexual activity under the age of 18 years, with only one sexual partner, and had over five pregnancies. Regarding contraceptive methods, 35.7% of women do not know or use any contraceptive method, and 32.2% use hormonal contraceptives. Two thirds of the women tested had heard of HPV, and 19.7% were vaccinated against HPV with at least 2-3 doses. A percentage of 8.7 had a diagnosis of CC, compared to those who were not tested (p-0.0001), whereas 63% of the tested women did not know much about CC, as opposed to 85.7% of the group of untested women. Conclusions: Cervical cancer (CC) continues to be a public health concern in Romania, particularly among vulnerable groups. Promoting campaigns to raise awareness for HPV vaccination and CC screening are necessary to reduce the associated mortality and morbidity.

Perspectives of Roma Women on Gender Equality: A Qualitative Study in Mersin

This research was conducted with the aim of examining the perspectives of Roma women on gender equality within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The study was designed based on the phenomenological approach, which is a qualitative research method. The study group was limited to ten Roma women residing in Mersin. The data for the research were obtained through individual in-depth interviews. In the analysis of the data, the content analysis technique was used. As a result of content analysis, the research findings were examined by forming themes within the sub-goals set for 'Gender Equality,' one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These themes include: (1) Education, (2) Discrimination against women and girls, (3) Domestic violence, (4) Early or forced marriage, (5) Economic and social opportunity equality (6) Reproductive health and rights. According to the research findings, Roma community often adheres to traditional views, Roma women experience gender inequality, lack access to quality education, lack economic and social opportunities, and are not sufficiently involved in public spaces and the workforce. It has been revealed that Roma women face discrimination due to both their ethnic origin and gender, which causes double disadvantage in the context of intersectionality.

Comparative study of factors influencing cytological screening for cervical cancer attendance in Hungary among Roma and non-Roma population, in relation to Slovak and Romanian results

To the present day, the prevalence and incidence of cervical cancer remains very significant. For disadvantaged groups such as the Roma, screening for the disease should be given increased attention, as members of this minority have lower access to health care and lower average health literacy. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of cytological screening for cervical cancer among Hungarian-speaking Roma and non-Roma populations in Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, in relation to the possible influencing factors. We also investigated respondents' perceptions of the importance of cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination. In this paper, we focus on presenting the data from Hungary in relation to the results from the other two countries. The study sample size was 1366. Data were presented as mean ± SD and proportion. To compare Roma and non-Roma samples, the independent samples t-test was used. Cross tabulation with Pearson's chi-square test with calculating phi/Cramér's V effect size (p<0.05) was used to reveal association between ethnicity and studied variables. In Hungary, a higher proportion of Roma women (p = 0.004) did not attend cytological screening for cervical cancer compared to non-Roma women, a difference confirmed in the other two countries. Non-Roma women attached greater importance to attendance at cervical cancer screening (p = 0.022). The Roma population aged 18-65 years had lower rates of annual cytological screening for cervical cancer compared to non-Roma in all age groups, while the annual screening rate decreased with age, regardless of ethnicity. Further health promotion to prevent cervical cancer in the Roma and non-Roma population would be necessary, regardless of national borders, specifically to address risk factors in all age groups, with a focus on young people, who are less aware of the risk, and older age groups, who mostly believe that the disease does not affect them due to their age. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(36): 1416-1425.

Seroprevalence of Infections with TORCH Agents in Romania: A Systematic Review.

Maternal-fetal infectious pathology-notably the TORCH panel (Toxoplasma gondii, rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex viruses)-critically impacts maternal and neonatal health. This review collates data on the seroprevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against TORCH agents in Romanian women, aiming to discern regional and population differences and identify risk factors. Twenty studies were included in the review, revealing variable seroprevalence rates across the country. Regions such as Moldavia and Banat showed higher anti-T. gondii IgG seroprevalence rates than Bihor, with notable declines in Banat. Rural, older, and multiparous women showed elevated T. gondii IgG rates. Anti-rubella vaccine introduction significantly reduced the prevalence of anti-rubella IgG antibodies, but recent vaccination coverage decreases raise concerns. CMV and HSV seroprevalence varied geographically, with rural areas generally showing higher CMV rates and HSV influenced by factors like education level and number of sexual partners. Concurrent seroprevalence of multiple TORCH components in some cases underscores potential common risk factors. This study highlights the importance of continuous monitoring and preventive measures such as vaccinations and awareness campaigns to mitigate the health impact on the pregnant population.

Where are the Roman women of Ovilava? A spatio-temporal approach to interpret the female deficit at the eastern Roman cemetery (Gräberfeld Ost) of Ovilava, Austria

In historic and prehistoric populations, the sex ratio can often only be determined based on bioarchaeological analyses of cemeteries. In this context, a so-called female deficit has been described, which clearly contrasts the sex ratio typical of recent populations. The present study aims to analyze the sex ratio in the eastern cemetery (‘Gräberfeld Ost’) of the Roman town Ovilava. This site is located beneath today’s city of Wels in Upper Austria (AUT), in the northwestern region of Noricum. Spatial as well as chronological aspects of the sex ratio were considered. A total of 111 individuals older than 15 years could be included in the analysis. Radiocarbon dating allowed a chronological classification of the burials. In addition, a spatial analysis of the cemetery was carried out using a geoinformation system. For the whole sample, a sex ratio of 200.0 and a marked female deficit were recorded. Considering the individual age classes and the periods separately, an apparent female surplus emerged among individuals younger than 20 years (sex ratio = 62.5). With increasing age class, the proportion of females reduced dramatically; among the over 40-year-olds, the sex ratio was 370.0. There was also an apparent female deficit in the Early Roman and Imperial Roman Periods but an almost balanced sex ratio in the early Middle Ages. Furthermore, the sex proportion varied between the cemetery areas. Consequently, a female deficit occurs mainly during Roman times and in specific areas of the burial ground.

Women’s participation in the interwar Roma movement in Romania

This article analyzes the involvement of women in the Roma emancipation movement in interwar Romania. It aims to clarify several issues, such as the particularities of their participation, what they wanted to achieve, the problems they were confronted with, and how they tried to respond to those challenges. After offering some background information on the organizations of Romanian women and their social work serving as inspiration sources and social capital, the article analyzes the statutory provisions of the main Roma organizations aimed at women and compares these with women’s effective involvement in the movement throughout the 1930s. Roma women’s activism did not exist outside the Roma movement, but developed strictly within it. At least in the first stage (1933–1934), in the organizations led by (the more modern) Calinic I. Popp Șerboianu and G.A. Lăzărescu, Roma women were perceived and presented both as a resource and as an interface of the Roma emancipation project.This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0.

Forgotten pioneers? The Karelian connection and the role of Kaale women in the mobilization of Finnish Roma at the start of the twentieth century

While studies of Finnish Kaale pioneer men within the process of Roma mobilization in Finland have become more common in recent years, little to no information or discussion has thus far focused on the role of Roma women within these processes, their visions for the future of their communities, and their connection to the shaping of Roma civic emancipation in Finland. Based on recently discovered archival sources, this article addresses these gaps by exploring the lives of two key Roma women: Ida Blomerus and Sofia Schwartz. This article also analyzes the ways in which their engagement can only be understood by considering the dynamics occurring in a particular region of the country, Karelia. Through this, the aim of this article is to demonstrate that Romani women´s involvement constitutes a crucial aspect of the civic emancipation movement in Finland and that Roma women were neither passive subjects nor silent voices within the history of Roma mobilization.This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0.

Editorial: Roma women and civic emancipation in the interwar period

This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0.

Women and Literature in Thornton Wilder’s The Ides of March

Abstract Although of the approximately 120 fictional documents and letters composing Wilder’s epistolary historical novel The Ides of March slightly less than half are ostensibly written by female characters, the author had to defend his work from at least one accusation of being unfair to women. The aim of this article is to investigate how Wilder gives voice to four famous women of ancient Rome—Clodia Metelli (supposedly Catullus’s model for the Lesbia addressed in his poetry); Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt; Julius Caesar’s aunt Julia Marcia; and the actress and courtesan Cytheris—by subverting traditional stereotypes and rewriting their personalities according to modern issues. Wilder’s Roman women are multilayered, ambivalent characters struggling to overcome gender stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes toward them through a strong connection with art and literature.

Roma women activism under communist rule: The cases of the USSR (the 1920s and 1930s) and Bulgaria (1960s and 1970s)

Roma women activism under communist rule: The cases of the USSR (the 1920s and 1930s) and Bulgaria (1960s and 1970s)

Between Holy Church and Holy Human Rights

Abstract This article considers the experiences of Romanian men and women who expressed same-sex desire immediately following the collapse of Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime in 1989 until Romania's accession to the European Union in 2007. Drawing from the Adrian Newell Păun Queer Archives, this research puts at its forefront the voices of queer individuals to shine a light on the hardships of living as a sexual minority in the repressive environment of Romania in the 1990s. This research follows the broader framework of decolonizing Eastern European queer history by giving members of the LGBTQ+ community their rightful voices to tell the story of their plight and their perspectives in a country where they experienced widespread homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination. Through firsthand accounts, this article additionally exemplifies how queer individuals were able to survive hardship, to find their voices within their own community, and to begin experiencing and expressing themselves as a sexual minority.

PREVALENCIJA RAZLIČITIH OBLIKA NASILJA NAD ROMKINJAMA U ROMSKIM OBITELJIMA U IZOLIRANIM ROMSKIM NASELJIMA NA PODRUČJU MEĐIMURSKE ŽUPANIJE

PREVALENCE OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST ROMA WOMEN IN ROMA FAMILIES IN ISOLATED ROMA SETTLEMENTS ON THE TERRITORY OF MEĐIMURJE COUNTY ABSTRACT The subject of the research was the prevalence of various forms of violence against Roma women living in isolated Roma settlements in Međimurje County. The research was conducted by one-time research on the type of so-called draft »cross-section« at one point in time (spring 2020.) by survey method and on a random, proportional, stratified sample of 350 Roma women from 12 isolated Roma settlements in Međimurje County. There was a very high prevalence of exposure to all forms of domestic violence against women among Romani women, with 69,1% of Romani women surveyed saying they had experienced at least one form of violence (physical, psychological, sexual, and/or economic) at least once in their lives. By analyzing the collected responses on exposure to certain forms from each of the four groups of violence, new variables were formed by isolating all those Roma women who at least once or more often over time, and at least once experienced at least one form from each violence group. 61.,7% of Romani women have been exposed to some form of psychological violence at least once in their lives, 50.,3% of Romani women have been exposed to some form of physical violence at least once in their lives, 22.,3% of Romani women have been exposed to some form of economic violence at least once in their lives and to some form of sexual violence have been exposed 17.,1% of Roma women have been exposed to some form of sexual violence. The results showed that Romani women are extremely vulnerable due to the presence of several risk factors that go far beyond belonging to an ethnic minority or any other minority group. Key words: Roma women; Međimurje; gender violence; violence against women.

(Un)doing Feminisms Their Own Way

This article examines women's activism and feminism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on marginalised women's groups and organisations that are often excluded from academic research and international donor interests. The theoretical section presents the main characteristics of the development of women's organisations in post-war BIH, addressing the problem of NGO-isation of activism and feminism, which marginalises groups of women and organisations that do not belong to prominent liberal feminist organisations that pursue gender mainstreaming. Qualitative research based on in-depth interviews and analysis shows that these organisations mostly focus on the local level to meet diverse, specific, and sometimes urgent needs of women (e.g., Roma women, rural women, impoverished as well as women in small local communities) facing particular challenges while doing so. Although most of them do not clearly profess a feminist identity, they are aware of the patriarchal context, especially in their local communities, and their interpretations are mostly in line with the feminist ethics of care. However, the lack of organisational capacity, sustainable funding, and a clear feminist agenda in their work undermine their critical potential to be triggers for social change.

ANTHROPOLOGICAL “TERRAIN” ON SOCIAL NETWORKS: THE IMPACT OF MODERN TECHNOLOGIES ON ROMA GROUPS IN MONTENEGRO

Modern technologies, i.e. the availability of the Internet on various modern devices, have enabled the opening of “new” social portals and the interweaving of the virtual and real worlds. Social networks have branched out the possibility of connecting between different subjects and different communities, but also created an opportunity for anthropologists to research different cultural phenomena in a different way. With just one click, that is, by accepting the friendship of Roma men or Roma women on social networks, we gained insight into new practices. Personally, I have over seventy friends from the Roma population on my Facebook list, so practically, for many years, I could do “field research from home”. Namely, considering the frequency of Facebook using, as well as the diverse content that Roma publish on a daily basis, which ranges from visual information about their everyday life, sharing videos and photos with religious themes, live broadcastsing of holiday celebrations, engagements and weddings, a whole field of possible anthropological research opened up. Regardless of the fact that this method always depends on the “traditional” way of research, it revealed new practices and mechanisms that are very useful in process of searching for answers to following questions: How much and how are Roma groups changing and in what way the modern technologies and especially young people had an impact on those processes? How powerful has the Internet become in reuniting and bringing together separated members of the Roma family? In the preservation of tradition, even language, through the broadcasting of ritual practices? In strengthening religious identity due to wider availability of religious content? More precisely, the answer to the question of how Roma “live” in the virtual world and how that world affects the entire community when they are offline?

Work inequalities for Romanian women during COVID-19 pandemic

Inequalities between women and men in the labor market intensified during the pandemic, wiping out at least two years of progress over the past decade, accordingly to recent reports (European Commission, World Bank, etc.). The existing analyses estimate a "COVID-19 gap" that compares job losses with the increase in employment expected before the pandemic, finding that there are 5.1 million more women unemployed and 5.2 million fewer women working now, compared to what would have happened if the pandemic did not occur. According to Global Gender Gap Report 202," Romania was placed in the 88th position in The Global Gender Gap Index 2021 rankings, with the most significant decrease in Eastern Europe, as compared with the previous year. Our article is focused on the situation of Romanian gender inequalities. As methods of research, we used secondary analysis of data and focus groups. Our study's results discuss the situation of women's inequalities in the Romanian workforce market, particularly in the educational system. Our conclusions point out the necessity of solutions for Romanian women to ease their work's existing double and triple burdens.

THE SOCIAL CONTEXT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN’S FOOTBALL IN ROMANIA

In Romania, women’s football has not enjoyed a development that could ensure this sport a high level of competitiveness. During the communist period, women’s football existed rather at an amateur level, and while the Golden Generation of Romanian men’s football was getting results at international competitions in the 1990s, women’s football was barely starting to be formalised. The purpose of this study is to analyse the perception of female football players on different aspects of their professional life. The sample consisted of 126 women with ages between 12 and 34 years (with a mean age of 18), who completed an online questionnaire with 24 items. The statistical analysis was both quantitative (SPSS) and qualitative (NVivo). Respondents were asked to rate various aspects that interfered with the sports profession (family, society, opportunities, football career) and, although 30% already had a job in sports-related fields, some of them still wanted to focus on other areas of activity. Also, the identification of players with this type of sport shows the highest agreement, with an average of 4.59, and the opportunities for women in this field are considered better than ever, with an average score of 3.56, both items in range 1 to 5. The results emphasise that Romanian women’s football has experienced a significant increase during the last years, but the main problem identified in this sports sector remains the inequality in terms of media coverage and finance as compared to men’s sport.