Gender mainstreaming in Roma Education - BARABAL

Roma women  face multiple forms of discrimination and exclusion, on the grounds of belonging to a minority which historically suffers from socio-economic exclusion in Europe combined with the gender discrimination within the majority society as well as within the Roma community. 

The external barriers to Roma girls’ access to education in many instances combine with  internal barriers within the family and the community. Roma girls are more likely to leave education at earlier ages than boys, especially in the transitions between primary and secondary education, due to their family, household and care responsibilities and expectations within families and community. Thus one of the main factors of gender discrimination in society is  the unequal distribution of responsibilities and acceptance of gender related roles and stereotypes, women taking out the main responsibilities related to household, care and family.

Therefore, the project Barabal focuses on the following needs and challenges in order to overcome discrimination and social exclusion of Roma girls and women as identified by the partners based on achieved outcomes and barriers identified in former projects:

• the integration of gender perspective into education of Roma policies, programmes and practices;
• the recognition of diversity and changes brought about by Roma women to European society;
• the valorisation of women’s role played within family, community and their voice in society and media;
• the promotion of awareness about the gender inequalities and its consequences within Roma community;
• the promotion of awareness about the need for co-responsibility and shared conciliation between men and women;
• the awareness and active participation of both men and women in order to promote education, overcome social exclusion and work towards a more equal society;
• the active participation of Roma youth in the promotion of gender equality and education;
• the valorisation of gender equality among Roma to the decision-making structures at regional, national and local level.