Voice of Romni

Voice of Romni (Ukrainian: «Голос Ромні», formally the Association of Roma Women "Voice of Romni") is a Ukrainian civil society organization founded in 2020 by Anzhelika Bielova, a Ukrainian public activist of Roma origin and a representative of the Ukrainian Women's Congress. The organization works on Roma feminism, with a mission to make the voices of Roma women heard and to strengthen women's capacity, emphasizing their active role in decision-making, the economy, and other important social processes in Ukraine. The organization supports Roma women and their families through humanitarian assistance, educational opportunities, psychological counseling, and legal protection. It seeks to strengthen Roma communities through social integration programs, leadership development, and the protection of their rights. Its work is concentrated on supporting Roma communities, particularly in countering and preventing gender-based violence (GBV). According to its Ukrainian Wikipedia entry, it became the first organization in Ukraine to work systematically on this topic within the Roma environment, promoting social integration, the empowerment of Roma women, and the development of their role in public life. Voice of Romni operates in six regions of Ukraine: Kyiv, Odesa, and Zakarpattia, as well as three front-line regions — Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk. Following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the organization expanded its activities and began providing humanitarian aid to Roma families, internally displaced persons, and those affected by the war. It has distributed food packages and hygiene supplies, restored damaged housing, and provided multipurpose cash assistance to those most in need. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Voice of Romni has provided support to more than 105,000 members of the Roma community and other vulnerable groups. The organization currently has four regional offices — in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Uzhhorod — with plans to open a representative office in Kyiv. It is a member of the Alliance for Gender-Responsive Recovery of Ukraine and a member of the network of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC). Key areas of work include educational projects for children and youth (Ukrainian language, mathematics, history, preparation for the NMT national multi-subject test, psychological and speech-therapy support); a children's space supported by German partners; a youth space aimed at involving Roma youth in public activity and decision-making; professional training and economic empowerment programs for Roma women, including business grants; and free legal consultations. In 2025, with the support of Voice of Romni, the first "National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity" was held in Kyiv, resulting in a joint resolution and the creation of a national coordination platform with regional groups.

Voice of Romni (Association of Roma Women "Voice of Romni") was founded in 2020 by Anzhelika Bielova, a Ukrainian public activist of Roma origin and a representative of the Ukrainian Women's Congress. The organization was established to advance Roma feminism in Ukraine, focusing on strengthening the capacity of Roma women and emphasizing their active role in decision-making, the economy, and other important social processes. From its founding, the organization has worked to support Roma women and their families through humanitarian assistance, educational opportunities, psychological counseling, and legal protection. It also aims to strengthen Roma communities through social integration programs, leadership development, and the protection of their rights. A central focus of its work is countering and preventing gender-based violence (GBV). According to its Ukrainian Wikipedia entry, Voice of Romni became the first organization in Ukraine to work systematically on this topic within the Roma environment, promoting social integration, the empowerment of Roma women, and the development of their role in public life. The organization operates in six regions of Ukraine: Kyiv, Odesa, and Zakarpattia, as well as three front-line regions — Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk. Following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Voice of Romni expanded its areas of activity and began providing humanitarian aid to Roma families, internally displaced persons, and those affected by the war. It started distributing food packages and hygiene supplies, restoring damaged housing, and providing multipurpose cash assistance to those most in need. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the organization has provided support to more than 105,000 members of the Roma community and other vulnerable groups. Voice of Romni currently has four regional offices — in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Uzhhorod — with plans to open a representative office in Kyiv. It is a member of the Alliance for Gender-Responsive Recovery of Ukraine and a member of the network of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC). Key areas of work include educational projects for children and youth, such as teaching Ukrainian language, mathematics, history, preparation for the NMT national multi-subject test, and psychological and speech-therapy support. In its children's spaces, the organization provides access to quality education even in the most difficult conditions. It also works on overcoming gender-based violence by developing a network of Roma women activists who defend community rights at various levels, and supports young Roma leaders in implementing social initiatives. The organization runs a children's space supported by German partners, offering educational projects for children from age 3 and teenagers. The youngest attend developmental classes, while older children can study and prepare for the NMT, take courses in specialized subjects, and receive consultations from a speech therapist and psychologist to overcome stressful situations, the consequences of traumatic war experiences, and improve speech skills. Classes include Ukrainian and English languages, mathematics, history, IT programming, and other specialized subjects; preparatory courses for the NMT; speech therapist and psychologist consultations (long-term therapy); and developmental activities aimed at social adaptation. Voice of Romni teaches children from Roma families and IDP families, children with disabilities, and those from low-income and large families. The organization also conducts summer camps for women and children from the Roma community, with programs including psychological consultations, art therapy, mandala therapy, relaxation techniques, creative workshops, physical activities such as aqua aerobics, exercise, and spa procedures, mountain walks, and evening film screenings. Voice of Romni also develops a youth space aimed at involving Roma youth in public activity and decision-making at local and national levels. The youth program includes training in human rights and civic activism, leadership skills development, volunteer activities, participation in youth councils, and learning grant project design and public speaking practice. Through these activities, young people gain opportunities for self-realization, practical skills, and influence on social processes in their communities. The organization implements programs for professional training and economic empowerment of Roma women, including professional courses, including programs for women affected by gender-based violence; Ukrainian language courses for business; social media marketing (SMM) courses; business trainings and career consultations; and business grants to start their own businesses. One of the organization's goals is the integration of Roma women into the all-Ukrainian feminist movement, creating platforms for their visibility, interaction, and participation in shaping the feminist agenda in Ukraine. Voice of Romni provides free legal consultations to Roma women to help them defend their rights. It offers legal support in cases of gender-based violence, legal support during divorces, and assistance in restoring documents for women and their children. In 2025, with the support of Voice of Romni, the first "National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity" was held in Kyiv. Among the participants were ambassadors and diplomats, government representatives, Roma activists, and representatives of public and charitable organizations. The forum was opened by Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Olena Kondratiuk. Based on the discussions on the first day and the fruitful work of working groups on the second day, a joint resolution was created containing recommendations for authorities, international partners, and civil society organizations on improving the effectiveness of the Roma Strategy implementation and ensuring its relevance to the challenges of the war period and the prospects for post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. A national coordination platform with regional groups was created, with nationwide coordination of working groups and annual national meetings planned.

• 2025

  First "National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity" held in Kyiv with support of Voice of Romni.

• 2022

  After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the organization expanded into humanitarian aid for Roma families, IDPs, and war-affected people.

• 2020

  Voice of Romni founded by Anzhelika Bielova.

A Roma women-led civil society organization advancing Roma feminism, gender equality, and community empowerment in Ukraine.

• Children's space

  Educational projects for children from age 3 and teenagers, including developmental classes, NMT preparation, specialized subject courses, speech therapist and psychologist consultations, and social adaptation activities.

• Youth space

  Programs to involve Roma youth in public activity and decision-making, including human rights training, leadership development, volunteering, youth councils, grant project design, and public speaking.

• Economic empowerment programs

  Professional courses, Ukrainian language for business, SMM courses, business trainings, career consultations, and business grants for Roma women.

• Legal consultations

  Free legal consultations and support in cases of gender-based violence, divorces, and restoration of documents.

• Summer camps

  Camps for women and children from the Roma community with psychological consultations, art therapy, creative workshops, physical activities, mountain walks, and film screenings.

1. 1Головна сторінкаvoiceofromni.com.ua
2. 2Voice of Romniwikidata.org
3. 3Голос Ромніuk.wikipedia.org