The way in which different forms of discrimination reinforce one another and limit the rights and opportunities of Roma and Sinti women was the focus of a side event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the OSCE during the 2026 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference .
Roma and Sinti women face racism, misogyny, systemic exclusion and gender-based violence simultaneously. These forms of inequality often compound one another, creating barriers that cannot be addressed through approaches focused on a single issue.
"We cannot look at the human rights condition of Roma women without thinking intersectionally. Their experiences overlap and intersect thus causing distinct and mutually reinforcing patterns of disparity." said ODIHR Director Maria Telalian in opening remarks.
"An intersectional approach to the discrimination faced by Roma and Sinti women helps us better understand how discrimination based on gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status can reinforce one another," said Cathal McMorrow, Deputy Director at the Human Rights Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland. "Ireland remains committed to working with other participating States, international organisations and civil society to ensure that Roma and Sinti women can fully enjoy their rights and participate equally in public life."
Roma and Sinti women advocates from Romania, Türkiye and Spain discussed strategies for challenging discrimination and advancing equal rights. They also examined how emerging concerns, such as growing societal polarization, armed conflicts and digital threats affect Roma and Sinti women, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
"Roma women did not learn about intersectionality from books first. We lived it, because racism, sexism and classism shape our lives at the same time, and we turned this experience into a tool to name violations of our rights and to claim justice. States and international institutions should support this work and include Roma women as knowledge holders and decision-makers, not only as beneficiaries," said Aldessa G. Lincan, co-founder and director of Romnja Feminist Library.
The event drew on ODIHR's Fourth Status Report , which calls for targeted measures to address intersectional discrimination, and its Handbook on Advocating for the Human Rights of Roma and Sinti Women , which provides practical guidance on advocacy, building coalitions and securing resources for lasting change.
