WHAT ARE THEY?
The International Congresses of Roma Women are one of the most relevant activities that we have developed in the history of our organisation.
The Congresses are spaces for dialogue led by Roma women from different countries and contexts where they discuss the difficulties they face and how to find common solutions to them.
To date, we have held 2 editions, in 2010 and 2018, which have brought together more than 700 Roma women from 16 European countries.
¿CÓMO SE ESTRUCTURAN?
The Congresses take place over several days. Each one has a specific theme, such as education, the labour market or feminism.
They are structured as follows:
- Initial conference or round table: in which the subject matter and the latest available evidence are explained.
- Working groups: the topics are worked on in groups, to share experiences, dreams and hopes. One person moderates these groups, and another takes notes.
- Common sharing: a spokesperson from each group explains the conclusions they have reached. These conclusions are shared, and then sent to political actors in the field of education.
In addition to the invaluable contribution of the women who take part in them, these congresses are made possible thanks to the support of volunteers, who collaborate with the Drom Kotar Mestipen in ensuring all logistical details.
SOME COMMENTS FROM PARTICIPANTS
“My dream is to be able to see Roma youth inside the universities… To see my children, my granddaughters having educational training, training that I was not able to have. We don’t give up our Roma identity in favour of studies, we are still Roma, but studying, together with our traditions”
…“The dream of a mother who attended with her two daughters after a year of working became a reality (…). Now my dream is to organise assemblies against racism all over Europe… Demonstrations of all Roma women against the racism we suffer”
“My dream is to come to the next congress with a folder and to be able to read for you what I will have written”
1st International Roma Women’s Congress
2nd International Roma Women’s Congress Barcelona 2018
You can read more information about the International Congresses of Roma Women at the following link:
dromkotar.org/congress/es/
Here you can read the document of Conclusions and the Roma Declaration of Barcelona, of the first International Congress of Roma Women, held between October 8 and 10, 2010.
