Discrimination of Roma Women Regarding Their Access to Reproductive Health Services in Albania

Abstract

The situation of Roma women regarding the provision of the reproductive health services is a sensitive issue in the Albanian reality, in the framework of the implementation of the fundamental rights and in the framework of achieving social justice. Previous reports with their focus on “Roma population” have brought surveys related to different fields, including employment, education and estimation of the general situation of Roma community in such fields. From this point of view it is estimated that there is a lack of special reports treating only the situation of Roma women, in different aspects of their economic, social, cultural life and their health as well. Furthermore, a review of the previous literature in such a field shows a lack of study regarding the situation of Roma women in their access to reproductive health services. Taking into consideration the reasons mentioned above, this paper aims to serve as an orientation for the course of the State - Community Policies in such a field. The paper is focused in three main aspects: analysis of the Albanian normative framework in regard to reproductive health, situation of Roma women regarding their access in reproductive health services and drawing conclusions regarding the equal treatment of Roma women in the field of reproductive health.