Vranje – Today, there are a lot of daily discussions in our society about the rights and position of women members of national minorities, including Roma women, with the aim of improving their position and raising public awareness of the importance of promoting and developing quality multicultural coexistence in multiethnic communities.

When Olivera Kurtic-Idic graduated from the secondary medical school in Vranje in 1984, she became the first Roma woman to acquire the title of a nurse. At that time, a small number of Roma men and women were graduated from secondary schools.

Immediately after finishing school, Olivera got a job, first in the gynecology ward, then in the hemodialysis ward, and then in the physical therapy ward. She had no problems with her employment because of her background, while discrimination was not a phenomenon she faced at work. Almost 35 years of work experience made Olivera become attached to her job, which she talks about in the nicest possible way today.

Olivera lives in the Upper Carshia, the largest Roma settlement in Vranje, so that she is constantly in communication with her compatriots.

The change of consciousness and legal regulations have made it possible for Roma children to attend schools in Serbia today, which include attending primary school on a compulsory basis, while most of them continue their education in secondary schools and often at faculties too.

Olivera points out that, today, Roma women are stronger, more independent and more equal in society.

The video set out below in the text was made in cooperation with the citizens' association "Nexus-Vranje", as part of the project "Improvement of Interethnic Cooperation between Vranje and Tutin by Empowering Women and Girls Belonging to Ethnic Minorities and Networking of Relevant Players from Local Communities."

The preparation of the video, which you can view on https://youtu.be/wqou4SONQX8 , was supported by the European Union through the EU PRO program.

Source: RTV Rhythm and Coordination Body