GENDER EQUALITY

Seeking full equality for Traveller and Roma women and acting in solidarity with women and women’s organisations in Donegal and nationally.

A large number of Roma and Traveller women and girls continue to face multiple discrimination in various areas, ranging from health to employment and education, amongst others. They also have limited opportunities to influence the policies that most concern them. (Council of Europe)
Some Roma and Traveller women may face sexist, old-fashioned and set views or even restrictions in career guidance or working life both from the majority population and male community members. (Council of Europe)

ONGOING WORK

A successful women’s gender equality group by the DTP which began in 2019, opened up conversation around women’s rights and having a space for Traveller women to come together to talk about what was going on in their lived experiences and about inequalities between men and women.
In late 2022 DTP launched a Women’s Awareness project and appointed two community health workers to promote gender equality and raise awareness among Traveller women and girls across the county about domestic, sexual and gender based violence and to work with the support services to ensure that the needs of Traveller women were being met in a culturally sensitive manner.
DTP supports the development of community leadership and gender equality with men and women from the Traveller and Roma communities.
Issues relating to Gender Equality are also being addressed in the context of the National Strategy for Women and Girls (2017 – 2020).
DTP is mindful of The Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (2016 – 2021) which contains actions in relation to vulnerable groups, including Travellers and Roma.