More attention should be paid to statelessness and gender-based violence, and the current focus of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls on this topic is very welcome. Romani women activists must be part of this conversation to ensure that their expertise and experiences inform the debate and solutions. 4. ROMANI WOMEN’S ACTIVISM AND ROLE IN SOLUTIONS The absence of Romani women’s voices from policy debates on statelessness and legal identity is one of the reasons we came together to start this conversation. This absence points to the challenges Romani women still face accessing political processes and power. Yet, Romani women have been organising and mobilising at local, national and regional levels for decades. We are calling for their expertise to be acknowledged, valued, and heard. To facilitate meaningful participation, there are some important considerations. The situation of Romani women is diverse at country and regional levels. It is important to understand collective experiences, but also to acknowledge differences and adapt solutions to specific contexts. Romani women who are active at grassroots and policy level are confronted with difficult and sensitive questions, which can take up a lot of energy. On the one hand, they are in daily contact with community members explaining and trying to find solutions to problems. On the other, they act as a bridge to policymakers, lawyers, and civil society organisations discussing important issues whilst at the same time claiming spaces, advocating for equal participation, and trying to combat antigypsyism. The personal and the professional overlap. During the COVID-19 pandemic, community activists have been on the frontline when public services were closed or reduced, ensuring medication got to those who needed it, helping with home-schooling, supporting those who lost their income, and mostly on a voluntary basis. Their networks and actions are indispensable in a crisis. There may be differences of opinion on how statelessness should be addressed and how Romani women’s position should be improved but activists and decision-makers must work together to find shared solutions and support Roma women’s movements for justice and equality. RECOMMENDATIONS ● ● ● Governments, especially at the local level, should employ Romani women and resource Romani women’s NGOs who can act as a link between communities and competent authorities. Governments, regional bodies, and donors should invest in work to mitigate the barriers that Romani women face (including lack of civil status and equal nationality rights) to political participation including the right to vote and stand for election. Governments, regional bodies, international organisations, and NGOs should take steps to improve the representation of Romani women at events, in advocacy spaces, as speakers, and equal participants in public and political fora.