PRESENTATION

Background of the project

The stand point of the EMPOW-AIR project is that violence against women is the most widespread violation of human rights. Analysis of the phenomenon of VAW concluded that no class, race or nationality were exempt from it. This statement was and attempt to emphasise commonality in women’s experience of gender-based violence. However, transnational feminist have increasingly questioned this assumption of commonality and emphasised the need to also recognise the diversity in women’s experience of violence, in the state’s responses to this violence and in women’s ability to access helps and support.

Male violence against Roma women remains a largely invisible phenomenon in research, policies and programmes within the EU. Following the 2004 and 2007 enlargements of the EU, the Roma became the largest ethnic minority group in the EU (estimate 10M). This new framework brought about a further political recognition of the Roma within the EU, which led to the incorporation of Roma issues in the EU political agenda. Moreover, some studies have been carried out on the situation of Roma women in Europe. However, there are almost no studies or policies tackling issues of human rights of Roma women within their community, affected by practices such as violence against women.

Even though there are no statistics available on the prevalence of violence against women in the EU Romani communities, some studies and the professionals working in Roma issues claim that Roma women are especially vulnerable to intimate partner violence. Violence against women within Roma communities is a complex issue, due to the pervasiveness of patriarchal structures, and an area where sensitive issues like the Roma identity and the gender roles get mixed in.

The European Parliament resolution of 11 March 2009 on ‘The social situation of the Roma and their improved access to the labour market in the EU’ (2008/2137(INI)), stresses that “Roma women have a low status in family hierarchy, marry early and often suffer violence against women”. Factors such as the cultural taboo towards gender violence, a widespread acceptance of violent situations by Roma women or the lack of trust on state agents prevent survivors of violence against women to have access to adequate protection. Furthermore, legislation on violence against women does not typically address Roma women as a specific group. In Spain (estimated Roma population: 650,000, largest Roma community in Western Europe), an exception is the 2008 law for the rights of women to eradicate sexist violence in Catalonia, which remains to be implemented.

Detailed information, training and specific tools are needed so that professionals working with the Roma population can effectively identify situations of violence against women and apply prevention measures. This arises now as an even more urgent issue, as recent EU policy documents (Council of the European Union conclusions on the Eradication of Violence Against Women in the European Union, presented in 8 March 2010) have adopted this approach and specifically call for attention, at a EU level, to the special circumstances of women in vulnerable situations, as is the case of Roma women.

Objectives of the project

The general goal of EMPOW-AIR is to expand research on male violence against women in intimate partnerships within Roma communities in order to generate tools which help professionals in dealing with violence detection and prevention. EMPOW-AIR promotes empowerment of Roma women to address gender violence situations and raises awareness on the existence of violence against women within the Roma communities among decision makers, professionals working with the Roma population and the Roma population itself.

The target group of EMPOW-AIR is Roma women, who will not only be addressed directly in empowerment and sensitisation workshops, but will ultimately benefit from an increased awareness and knowledge of professionals and political actors, with a view to ensuring access to an appropriate protection against violence.