They are interested in getting to know their basic rights. Oxfam-supported health education initiatives in local communities in Serbia since 1997 have provided basic information on personal hygiene, common illnesses, health protection and family planning. I will not be ashamed to have proper medical care while giving birth to my fifth child. When the project started, it was run by development experts but now, with Oxfam's support, many have become involved in passing on information to others. Some have gone even further, delivering promotional material on health to women living in remote settlements, or including diversity and women's rights.
Many women are now able to take informed decisions about their own health.
Story-telling, which is an important element of Roma tradition, helps women overcome the despair and helplessness of marginalisation. Young Roma women were trained in how to do research, in the oral history techniques, given an introduction to literature and put in touch with Roma research centres, so they could record the lives of the elderly. They made visible the oppression, discrimination and violence, as well as the wisdom, strength and achievements which the older women articulated through recalling their life experiences. Women have had the opportunity to express their concerns and have delivered new skills and knowledge to others. So far, Oxfam's work with Roma women has pinpointed how important it is to highlight and address their double marginalisation.