European Youth Study Session “Tackling discrimination, racism, oppression and exclusion of young Roma women”

The European Youth Study Session was organized by the European Network  HUMAN RIGHTS IN ACTION (EN-HRA) and the Youth Directorate at the Council of Europe in European Youth Centre Budapest between 24^th and 28^th of November 2025

25 participants from 14 Council of Europe member states worked together to seek for youth work solutions to empower young people and youth organizations working on Roma inclusion to create inclusive European societies that embrace and celebrate diversity. The European Youth Study Session encouraged participants from different backgrounds (Roma and non-Roma) and diverse personal experiences to support young Romani women and Roma communities in claiming, exercising, and defending their human rights through civic participation and human rights activism.

The objectives of the study session were:

• Awareness Raising and Knowledge Development: To increase participants’ awareness and knowledge about the concepts of Romaphobia, antigypsyism, sexism and other forms of discrimination, including the work of the Council of Europe in these fields; as well as to promote an understanding on the importance of gender dimension in tackling Roma exclusion
• Youth work tools application: To empower participants with sets of youth work tools and instruments that could come handy in addressing Romaphobia and antigypsyism; sexism and gender-based discrimination through human rights education, advocacy and collaborative youth project writing, inspiring young people to think of, create, build and implement inclusive projects by sharing their experiences, know-hows and lessons learnt.
• Promoting European Youth Networking:To engage participants in cooperative processes and teamwork for the achievement of the common goals of the European human rights movement; enhancing European youth networking, cooperation and leadership between Romani young people and non-Romani youth to work together on human rights promotion and prevention from discrimination and exclusion of young Romani women in Europe.
• Empowering participants to become change-makers and multipliers: to nurture leadership skills and values, and to facilitate and empower Romani young women`s participation in democratic life; as well as to support participants to act as multipliers by sharing knowledge and skills with their peers and local communities to promote inclusive and participatory activities for young Romani women.