Fundación Secretariado Gitano welcomes Her Majesty Queen Letizia of Spain to discuss the realities faced by Roma women [editar]

• During the visit, the Queen engaged in direct dialogue with a group of Roma women from diverse backgrounds, with varied experiences and circumstances.
• Access to employment, education, social advancement, discrimination, participation, gender equality and the prevention of violence against women were among the topics discussed during the dialogue.
• This visit demonstrates the Queen’s continued interest in the work of the Fundación Secretariado Gitano and the reality faced by Roma people in Spain.

On the morning of 30 April, the Queen, accompanied by the Minister for Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda, Pablo Bustinduy, visited the Fundación Secretariado Gitano headquarters in Madrid to express, once again, her interest in learning about the situation of Roma people and, more specifically, of women.

During the visit, the Queen held a discussion on “Challenges on the Path to Equality” with a group of Roma women from different backgrounds, with varied experiences and circumstances.

These women were able to share their concerns and insights regarding the realities they face in relation to employment, education and discrimination, amongst other issues. The progress and achievements made in recent years, alongside the difficulties that still persist and the future challenges regarding equality, inclusion and social cohesion, were also among the key points they wished to convey to the Queen.

Among the members of the group of women who met with the Queen were professionals from Fundación Secretariado Gitano holding management and technical roles within its education programmes, such as Promociona; employment programmes, such as Acceder Programme; and equality programmes, such as Calí. The group also included a woman who had benefited from the employment programme and now works at one of the sector’s leading technology companies.

An ongoing interest

This visit reflects the Queen’s ongoing interest in the work of Fundación Secretariado Gitano and in the reality faced by many Roma in Spain. In 2008, whilst still Princess of Asturias, she granted her first audience to the FSG. Subsequently, as Queen, she granted a second audience in 2016.

That commitment was maintained even during particularly difficult times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the Queen held a videoconference meeting with the organisation’s management and four Roma professionals from FSG to gain first-hand insight into the situation of Roma women and the impact the coronavirus crisis had on their lives.

Employment and education: the top priorities

Fundación Secretariado Gitano is the largest and most widely established nationwide NGO working to promote and defend the Roma rights. It operates in 15 Spanish autonomous communities, working in 90 localities. Furthermore, it works internationally, carrying out intensive advocacy work, particularly with the European Commission. In 2025, it had an average workforce of 1 392 employees, of whom 37.50 % were Roma and 75 % of these were women.

In 2025, the FSG supported over 40 000 people through personalised pathways, mobilising more than 140 000 people through the annual activities of its programmes in training and employment, education, housing, equality and the fight against discrimination, amongst others.

To address one of its key areas of focus (access to training and employment) FSG runs the Acceder programme, recognised as the European initiative with the greatest impact on social and labour market inclusion for Roma. Through Acceder, it ensures that, each year, nearly 5 000 people find employment and that initiatives targeting Roma youth achieve an employment rate of 42 %, among its high-impact results.

The educational success of Roma students is another of the FSG’s key priorities, and to achieve this, it has launched the Promociona education programme, an initiative that demonstrates that, with tailored resources, school early leaving rates can be reversed. Increasing the number of secondary school graduates and ensuring they continue into post-compulsory education is possible, as demonstrated by the 90 % success rate of Promociona students.

Other key areas of Fundación Secretariado Gitano’s work focus on promoting equal opportunities, combating discrimination and defending victims; equality for Roma women; social inclusion; and social and political advocacy to defend rights.

The figures highlighting the challenges to equality

Among the forms of discrimination we routinely observe against Roma women, in many cases there is a specific situation that differs from that of Roma men and non-Roma women, placing them in a particularly vulnerable position.

Roma girls still face many barriers when it comes to accessing, on an equal footing, inclusive and quality education, and there is a huge educational gap. One of the main concerns is school failure, with an early leaving rate of 63 % among young Roma women. Among the main reasons are the lack of specific and tailored support within the education system, the lack of role models within families, family-related factors (household chores, or the burdens associated with family and gender roles) and a lack of motivation and low expectations that emerge at a very early age.

The illiteracy rate among Roma women stands at 14 %, compared to 1.81 % among women in the general population.

Roma women have an unemployment rate of 60 %: a key factor contributing to this lower presence in the labour market is discrimination in the workplace: 42 % of Roma women say they have felt discriminated against in job interviews. Furthermore, we find very low expectations regarding their own abilities: 24.2 % of women do not look for work because they believe they will not find it.

In the words of Sara Giménez, Director General of Fundación Secretariado Gitano, “Roma women are experiencing the social changes and progress of our society, but there are still too many gaps of structural inequality that limit opportunities and rights. It is essential to address the issue of education as a key element for the advancement and social promotion of Roma women”.