Women Space is a citizens association aiming to empower women from socially marginalized groups and contribute to our environment. We strive for a just society and full equality for all.
Our main activities include support to women and minority activism, promoting feminist and anti-fascist values and influencing the public when combating prejudices and stereotypes. Moreover, Women Space works intensively on initiating system solutions to problems marginalized groups, and especially Roma women encounter and this portion of our work includes: advocating for the adoption and implementation of action plans to improve Roma women position in Serbian towns and municipalities, enabling a fuller access to health protection, etc.
Aside from working directly with women through workshops, seminars and courses, Women Space organizes Feminist Summer School for women students of social sciences in Serbia and the region, campaign Month of Roma Women Activism, documenting cases of human rights violations of Roma women, writing of alternative reports on international documents ratified by Serbia about the condition of Roma women human rights in Serbia (United Nations’ CEDAW for example). Over the past years we also worked on organizing FemiNiš – festival of women activism and art, economical empowerment of women, literacy and professional trainings of young women and girls from Roma settlement, etc.
We started to organize in 1997, and officially registered in 1998 when group of young activists from different women groups working in the city of Niš recognized the need to empower and organize women from socially marginalized groups for the first time in our city. In the beginning, we gathered Roma students, women from Roma settlements, women refugees and IDPs during the wars in former Yugoslavia, individuals of different sexual orientation than heterosexual, as well as single mothers all with a goal to support self-organizing and spread activism. Groups we worked with initially have formalized and started working independently over the years to come, which was our main goal.
Soon after starting to work locally, we have begun to act nationally through the networks we have been active in. In addition, organization is active also within international activities and networks.
Women Space is one of the founding members of Roma Women Network of Serbia which is comprised of over 25 organizations and informal groups working at the entire territory of Serbia.
Apart from this, Women Space is one of the founding members of the Network for European Women Lobby which is a part of the European Women Lobby.
Women Space is also a member of Women in Black network which promotes peace policy and post war reconciliation.
We are also members of the Anti-fascist collective in the city of Niš, dedicated to preserving anti-fascist history and values, as well as combating right wing extremism.
We are one of the founders of FemiNiš – Festival of women activism and culture.
We are also members of Women Can Do It program which has strived to empower women from political parties, trade unions, the media and nongovernmental organizations.