I am not ashamed to say it out loud that I am of Roma ethnicity

Meet Romanita Rădița, a young Roma girl, from a small village named Gribova from Drochia district. She is a remarkable student with excellent results at local and district levels who seeks to facilitate the integration of Roma people in her locality and beyond, through her own example.

At the age of 16, Romanita already has a wide experience in developing and implementing different activities to raise awareness about the problems faced by Roma people among her schoolmates and young people in the community and how Roma integration into the community can be facilitated and supported.

"The 10th grade started for me in a new high school. Right from the first lesson, when I was introduced to my new colleagues, I said it out loud that I was of Roma ethnicity. From the beginning, they looked at me with curiosity and reluctance that was mainly due to misinformation and stereotypes about Roma people." remembers Romanița "however, when I started to tell them about our traditions and Roma community values, very soon, my colleagues changed their opinion, and now I am not only accepted as an equal, but I am also seen as a leader in my class and school."

In Moldova, people of Roma ethnicity continue to be marginalized and discriminated, which makes difficult their integration into the society and considerably reduces their access to education, labor market, earning incomes, medical assistance and services, social protection, civic and political life, and justice.

My mother is my inspiration

As a child, Romanița often participated with her mother in various activities informing both Roma people about their rights and how they can access them, but also the community about Roma traditions and culture. Due to continuous efforts, today more than 150 Roma persons from Gribova village, Drochia district, no longer feel the discrimination they once did.

"The more you learn about your own rights, the more ambitious you become about improving the quality of your life, but also bringing the change you want to make in the community." mentions Angela Rădiță, Romanita's mother, who is a civic activist and community mediator in the town hall from Gribova, who supports and helps Roma from her village. Angela, is also, the first local councilor of Roma ethnicity.

"I am inspired by my mother, who is always persistent to achieve her goals. He taught me not to give up in the face of obstacles and to always look for more fitted solutions to reach my goal. Another example for me is Mrs. Cristina Raducan Temizcay, who actively supports Roma girls and women. She motivated and encouraged me to apply for membership in the UN Adolescents and Youth Advisory Panel." Romanita tells us.

Being a volunteer

Just like her mother, Romanița is also a volunteer and an active promoter of Roma integration into the society, being a member of Roma associations such as ”ROMANA” and ACOPERI participating in various advocacy activities. During the last year she was also the president of the student council and a member of the regional youth council.

"I don't think I can choose an activity that was more important to me." Romanita says, when being asked to tell us about an activity she is proud of. "with every activity I do, I try to bring Roma closer to the community and definitively eliminate discrimination against Roma people."

Romanita is also an active member of the Youth and Adolescents Advisory Panel of the United Nations Organization in Moldova (UN AYAP). This panel was created in 2020 and aims to promote and inform young people about the possibilities of building a better future at home, where all people, especially the most vulnerable ones, benefit and share the country’s prosperity and fully exercise their rights. At the same time, the members of the UN AYAP contribute to the integration of youth priorities into the strategic documents and daily activities of the United Nations.

"I wanted to become a member of this committee. I am convinced that as a member of it I will be able to do even more to promote the priorities of young people, especially young Roma, to combat the stereotypes rooted in our society, but also to encourage both girls and boys from Roma community to become promoters/champions of change." declares Romanita.

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UN Moldova aims to reduce and eliminate inequalities in the Republic of Moldova, ensuring that no one is left behind, Roma people being one of the vulnerable groups with which UN Country Team works with and for.