The activities of the project point out the importance of health services for the Roma women in order to turn to the much needed research and studies within this sector, a process based on human rights for identifying of the specific situation of the Roma women. According to this, NRC’s goals are to contribute and ensuring that all necessary and provisions will reflect the real needs of the Roma women, than generalization and assumptions which do not express enough the health status of the Roma women. Health protection remains an issue of great importance for the Roma women, thus analyses of the health protection status represents a key for moving towards improvement and change of policies and practices. The Roma women are in a “double disadvantage” because, first of all they are Roma, and second they are women. The health protection of the Roma women does not represent a great concern for the authorities, and many Roma women do not even have basic personal documentation, like birth certificates, ID cards, citizenships so they do not have access towards health services. NRC will make researches in four cities in R. Macedonia where most of the Roma population lives – in Kumanovo, Bitola, Prielp and Kriva Palanka which is in the north-east region in Macedonia where the Roma live in extremely difficult conditions.

The health of the Roma, the advantages of a healthy and an informed woman who will know where to turn for help is one of the main activities which NRC is planning to implement. Prosperity and health of the Roma woman, path towards challenges is an activity supported by the Woman Health Program of SOROS – Budapest. A data base will be created about the health of the Roma woman. For this purpose 6 assistants were engaged who are working on the field and at the same time are informing the women, where and how they can turn for help.

A lawyer will be available for consultations in cases where there is no health insurance and where there is unequal treatment towards the Roma women by relevant institutions. Within the frames of the project a report will be delivered and analyses of the project activities as well as submits to World Health Organization, UN and other relevant institutions. Our final analyses will be delivered to the relevant institutions in R. Macedonia.

The project is supported by the Republic Institute for health protection.

Duration of the grant: August 2007/2008