Talking to Roma women from Crăcăoani

It was an intense dialogue with two women mayors full of initiative from the host commune Crăcăoani and the neighbouring commune Vînători Neamț, young Roma women or with more experience, local and regional civil society, mass media and professionals working on the ground. "I felt equal to the important women around the table" one of the participants told us. "I didn't think there was a real dialogue anywhere else on the issues of women in the Roma community, and everything in such an optimistic tone", remarked a doctor present at the hopeful discussions of the women around the council table.

The discussions at the Crăcăoani town hall table continued directly in the community in the form of a rural Brunch for which the Roma women (despite the rain that messed up the fire and the preparations) cooked traditional Roma dishes in a cauldron on the stoves, packed 550 sarmas the night before the event, but also cozonac, cake and many other goodies appreciated by the guests coming from Iași, Roman, Piatra Neamț and the communes neighbouring the village of Crăcăoani.

It was an unforgettable day, we hope for all those who learned more about the life of Roma women in the Romanian rural communities, and the feminist support and solidarity shown by all the participants in the event will turn into a constant, and the model of good practice will be move to other rural localities as well. "When are you coming to our commune?" was the question asked by a participant from a village 30 km away from Crăcăoani. Soon, we hope, soon.

This event is part of activity no. 8 - Local Feminist Solidarity Events carried out within the project "Gloria - feminism and strategic approach of gender equality" - Feminism Gloria and was organized to promote and develop the capacity of NGOs members of the Romanian Women's LOBBY Association. The project supports the development/continuation of the promotion of the presence of women's organizations in the life of local communities by supporting events emblematic for them, which strengthen their presence in the life of citizens and support them in expanding their membership and creating a feminist solidarity between the leaders of organizations and the beneficiaries of the communities they come from.

The event took place within the project 'GLORIA - feminism and the strategic approach of gender equality', carried out with the financial support of Active Citizens Fund România, a program funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the SEE 2014-2021.

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Contact:
Irina Simiuc, Project Manager
E-mail: irina.simiuc@cmsc.ro