A program designed to promote the Roma women and young people will be launched at Radio Patrin during the next nine months. This will be broadcast live and will last for almost an hour. The listeners will be able to phone or to send messages with questions for the panel experts from the studio.

In a news conference at IPN, Elena Sarbu, editor-in-chief at Radio Patrin, said the programs will be in the Romanian and Russian languages. The listeners will be able to interact with those from the studio by phone, Facebook or messages through the website. Experts and leaders in different areas will be invited to the program to discuss such issues as the encouragement of the women and young people to take part in the social, economic, political and cultural life, to become involved in the decision-making process, leadership, etc.

“According to studies, the Roma women are marginalized and are one of the most exposed groups. The media platform is a possibility of promoting the Roma women. Radio Patrin is now the only possibility of making the voice of the Roma heard and of promoting the Romani language,” stated Elena Sarbu.

According to her, the Roma want to take part in the economic and political life, but the public administration should also be more open. “The Roma are very different, but the local reports provided by mediators show that the Romani people are interested in taking part in the decision-making process at the local level. They understand that we develop and should keep pace with advanced technologies and the necessities of society,” noted the editor-in-chief.

Elena Sarbu called on the press not to remain deaf and mute when it is about the Roma community. The word “gypsy” is discriminatory, but the mass media continue to use it. Not much is written about the successful Romani people or about the problems faced by the Roma community. Only subjects about luxury houses and weddings or particular traditions of the Roma are usually covered and almost always in a negative context.