My Body, My Rights

Bringing people together for
reproductive freedom

At a glance

At a glance

My Body, My Rights is a project led by IPPF members in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia, in partnership with a range of actors from within and around diverse Roma communities.

  • Funded by
  • Implemented by
  • Coordinated by

Project countries
and sites

Bulgaria
Serbia
Romania

Our focus

Our purpose is to improve access to life-changing sexual and reproductive healthcare for girls, women andyoung people in neighbourhoods facing high levels of deprivation, and where institutionalised discrimination and stigmatisation mean provision of healthcare, education and other vital social services is very weak.

Community-driven

Community-driven

Building on the expertise and commitment of Roma community members, together with the contributions of health mediators, social workers, care providers and teachers, we are also creating supportive contexts in which people have the freedom, skills and knowledge to make their own decisions about their sexual and reproductive lives.

Supporting inclusion

Supporting inclusion

Men and boys are actively included in our outreach, and youth is at its heart. This work is helping to overcome limited knowledge and trust in modern contraception among communities that often live in isolation and face exclusion from mainstream health systems.

Find out about our partners

Who are the partners
working together for change?

Click on each partner for more info.

  • Peer educators
    & self-support groups

    Roma women, men and youth have been trained as volunteers and organised to help and guide their friends, children, neighbours and families when they have questions and concerns relating to sexual and reproductive health (SRH).

    As a first point of reference, they support discussion about issues that matter to people and can help others to seek the healthcare they need.

    Next partner Health mediators

  • Health mediators

    As members of the Roma community, they act as a bridge between local people and the healthcare system, running SRH workshops and connecting women and girls with care providers.

    Their role in fostering trust, maintaining relationships and listening to people’s needs is central to the success of My Body, My Rights.

    Next partner Roma activists and civil society

  • Roma activists
    and civil society

    Local groups are key players in designing effective strategies for their own communities and supporting the promotion of reproductive freedom and gender equality.

    Roma NGOs are also successfully advocating towards local authorities for greater investment.

    Next partner Community nurses and teachers

  • Community nurses
    and teachers

    Teachers and local nurses together with health mediators are providing vital safe spaces for young people and their communities to talk about sex, sexuality, contraception, relationships, gender, consent and more.

    We are supporting them as they build essential skills that will empower young people to live safer, healthier lives.

    Next partner Doctors

  • Doctors

    Roma women and girls face many hurdles in accessing healthcare services that are difficult to get to, unaffordable, and discriminatory.

    Our partners are working with doctors to encourage them to make the journey to Roma communities, to get to know their clients’ needs, and to provide care that is free of charge.

    Next partner Decision-makers

  • Decision-makers

    There is an urgent need for local and national authorities, and politicians at all levels, including regional, to step up and play their part in providing the political and financial support needed to secure reproductive freedom and dignity for Roma communities on a sustainable basis.

    Some have started to respond, but there is a long way to go.

    Next partner Peer educators & self-support groups

Coordination,
learning
and exchange

IPPF European Network’s Regional Office team is responsible for overall coordination of the project and facilitating learning and exchange about successful strategies between the three country partnerships.

Further reading

Further reading

Read more about the health impacts of institutionalised discrimination and deprivation affecting Roma communities in Europe via WHO/Europe and the Council of Europe.

Next
section
Pathways to health,
safety and gender equality