Access of Roma to sexual and reproductive health services: Qualitative findings from Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore access of Roma in South-Eastern Europe to sexual and reproductive health services. We conducted 7 focus group discussions with a total of 58 participants from Roma communities in Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia. Our study revealed a number of barriers for Roma when accessing sexual and reproductive health services. Among the most important were the overall lack of financial resources, requests by health care providers for informal payments, lack of health insurance and geographical barriers. Health systems in the region seem to have failed to provide financial protection and equitable services to one of the most vulnerable groups of society. There is also a need for overcoming racial discrimination, improving awareness and information and addressing gender inequalities.

Keywords:

• Roma
• sexual and reproductive health
• informal payments
• South-Eastern Europe
• gender inequalities

Acknowledgements

We are particularly grateful to the staff of the IPPF member affiliates who conducted the FGDs. Special thanks go to the Roma who participated in the discussion. The study on which this article is based was funded by UNFPA. The work of Bernd Rechel is paid by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. The authors are grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this article.