UN Women Moldova marks International Roma Day

Date: Thursday, 11 April 2013

On 8th of April, International Roma Day, in Tibirica commune, Calarasi district, UN Women organized a Round Table to discuss the challenges and issues of Roma women and their involvement in decision making process on the successful example of Roma women from the village of Schinoasa, which is part of the Tibirica commune. Roma women from Schinoasa village, representatives of Tibirica and district authorities, NGOs working with the rights of Roma, and international development partners took part in the Round Table.

The Round Table was preceded by the launch of the water pump station in the Schinoasa village. Tibirica commune was one of the Joint Integrated Local Development Programme target communities in 2011-2012, that supported women and men from Tibirica and Schinoasa in identification of their priority needs, that lead to successful implementation of local project related to provision of water supply system to ensure good quality water for Schinoasa women and men and improve their living standards. 10 of 30 families were connected to the new water system, and the remaining ones are to be connected within the next several weeks.

The event brought together representatives of local and central public authorities, development partners, Roma NGOs, and other stakeholders to discuss the situation of Roma people in Moldova, and particularly specific issues affecting Roma women, such as access to good quality water, education, health care services and employment. A particular focus was made on the importance of Roma women empowerment, and their inclusion in decision making process exemplified by the successful experience of Schinoasa, to achieve the improvement of the situation.

During the Round Table Roma women from Schinoasa expressed their intentions in terms of improvement of pre-school education services for their children and creation of a medical point in Schinoasa. Local and regional authorities pledged support for these plans and urged the Roma women and men to remain active in voicing their needs and problems and proposing solutions to them.

The round table and the launch of the pump station were organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and represented an activity of launching a new initiative for empowerment of Roma women in Moldova.

The water supply project in Schinoasa has been developed, supported and co-funded by the Joint Integrated Local Development Program, implemented by the Government of the Republic of Moldova with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the financial support of the Government of Sweden.