From barriers to business: Roma women building pathways to economic independence

From barriers to business: Roma women building pathways to economic independence

Across Europe, Roma communities face deep poverty and exclusion, with Roma women among the most affected. In Serbia, they face intersecting discrimination as women and as Roma, limiting their access to education, decent work and financial independence. Early school leaving, early and forced marriages, informal work and persistent labor market bias, combined with caregiving responsibilities, keep many women trapped in cycles of vulnerability with few opportunities to change their circumstances.

As Emina from Obrenovac puts it, “There are many women like me who didn’t have the chance to learn or work. When a woman earns her own income, she is stronger and more secure. She doesn’t have to depend on others. She can stand on her own.”

To respond, UN Women Serbia partnered with the Roma Women’s Centre Bibija to support 65 Roma women from families engaged in informal waste collection across 11 municipalities. Through targeted capacity building workshops, participants strengthened their confidence, learned to recognize and challenge discrimination, and explored pathways to employment and self-employment. Based on their interests, 31 women completed certified vocational trainings and received equipment to begin generating income.

Today, these women are ready to start their own work as hairdressers, manicurists, cooks, florists and service providers within their communities, supported by the skills and equipment they have gained.

As Nataša, 26, a mother of two, shares, “I love this work and I’m determined to turn it into something of my own. To build a business, grow what I’ve started, and open a salon that carries my name.” 

These changes go beyond income. They restore dignity, strengthen self-reliance and open realistic pathways out of poverty for women and their families. Strengthening women’s economic independence is not only about individual progress, but also a step toward breaking cycles of exclusion and creating more equal opportunities for entire communities.

This iniative is part of the wider PRO Programme and partnership of UN Women with UNOPS.