The early marriages in the Roman community limit the children’s rights to education, development and formation. The girls are affected most of all because they are deprived of the right to make a choice. When married, the girls remain pregnant at an early age. But early birth giving is dangerous not only for them, but also for the children who are to be born. The problem was tackled in a news conference, IPN reports.

Valeria Ilies, coordinator of development programs for teens and youth at UNICEF, said the marriages in the Roma community take place at the age of 12-13, after a girl’s first menstrual cycle. The girls remain pregnant at the age when they are prepared neither physically nor psychologically to give birth and to take care of the family. Until marriage, the girl is deprived of the possibility of communicating with the fellows and studying. She stays at home and learns how to look after the husband and family.

“The Romany girls must be virgin until wedding. Otherwise, the entire family is cursed,” said the head of the Ethnic Minorities Section of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova Ion Duminica. When married, the girl is obliged to take care of the house and the child, be faithful and listen to her husband. The married girls also have to wake up at 4am to prepare breakfast for the parents-in-law.

According to Ion Duminica, the Romany people do not recognize the equality of rights. They believe only in patriarchate. “The man is the head of the family, while the woman has a predestined destiny since childhood. They play up to the age of seven, and then are taught by the mothers how to take care of the house. Afterward, they get married,” said the head of the Ethnic Minorities Section, adding that the Romany girls are considered old at the age of 18.

The census taken in Moldova in 2004 showed that there are over 12,000 Romanies in Moldova.