Beyond the Echo Chamber: Camelia Proca’s Call for Empathy, Action, and Youth Power
Camelia Proca, founder and director of A.L.E.G. Association, recently shared her thoughts about the situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in Romania. The interview is part of the latest ASTRA bulletin, where it can also be found information about A.L.E.G.’s initiative “Stay connected, love responsibly”, developed in partnership with Avon Romania.
ASTRA – Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia is a regional informal network created in December 1999 by women’s rights organizations and activists from Central and Eastern Europe. Currently ASTRA consists of 44 organizations from 19 countries.
Q: Your work with A.L.E.G. has spanned two decades, focusing on gender equality and combating gender-based violence. How have you seen the landscape of SRHR evolve in Romania and Eastern Europe during this time, especially for young people?
CP: In terms of policy support and attitudes from public authorities towards the topic of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), I am afraid we are seeing a major regression in the last ten years. Back when Romania was preparing for EU accession, there were still many campaigns coming from international UN bodies. There were for example campaigns on safe sex, contraception and protection from STIs supported by the Ministry of Health and/or Public Health Directorates at the county level. I haven’t seen any such campaign since before the pandemic. The topic of sexuality has almost vanished from the public agenda, as though this dimension of human health had disappeared.
The more the internet took over our lives, the heavier the silence of the authorities on this topic. Unfortunately, the need for good quality information is maybe greater than ever, with rising misinformation and accessible pornography, but the high school students today seem to have fewer trusted sources of information than
the previous generations. One of our volunteers was just saying the other day: we have no sexuality education in our schools, but lots of pregnancies and abuse.
Even in official statistics, Romania scores high in several serious indicators like teenage pregnancy and human trafficking affecting minors. We also linger on the last place among EU member states when it comes to the index of gender equality, looking at the way men and women access money, time, power, health and education. These are signs that policies are going in the wrong direction, but we have few courageous politicians ready to take on controversial issues: most are busy populists striving to appear conservative and uphold the same old puritan norms.
The bravest actors breaking the conspiracy of silence and hypocrisy are the independent journalists and the civil society organizations, including students groups. They continue to raise the issue, investigate and publis stories, petition, organize public protests, and offer platforms for information.
Q: Youth engagement is often seen as crucial in pushing forward SRHR agendas. What are some promising examples you’ve seen of young people leading or influencing change in this field?
CP: The National Student Council, an informal student body with structures at every county level, has been constantly demanding compulsory sexuality education in schools over the course of several years. In 2022, when the Parliament voted for allowing only sanitary education in schools and only in certain conditions, the Council has been active in pointing out the need and demanding alternatives such as to integrate the topic in existing subjects like biology to make sure universal access is ensured.
I am often amazed at the resilience of NGOs working in this hostile environment and still finding the resources and the energy to go on. Midwives Association and Filia are undertaking brave research and advocacy on access to abortion. E-Romnja is ensuring assistance for some of the most vulnerable groups. Sexul vs Barza offers the most comprehensive web platform for sexuality education. SECS and Tineri pentru tineri are maybe the oldest NGOs delivering info on contraception
and healthy relationships to young people, careful to reach vulnerable groups. Iele Sanziene and Pe Stop are young organizations striving for wider access to menstrual education and products, delivering both educational workshops and advocacy actions. Coalition for Gender Equality brings together 15 organizations, including A.L.E.G., and is active in promoting gender equality education as well as advocacy for improved access to safe abortions in the public medical system, as well as collecting signatures for My Voice My Choice.
Q: A.L.E.G. introduced an innovative peer-to-peer support model for survivors of gender-based violence. Could you tell us more about how this model works and how youth are involved or benefit from it?
CP: The #ȘiEuReușesc programme run by A.L.E.G. is complementary to classical services for survivors by adding peer-to-peer support and inspiration. The idea is to establish local groups where survivors who overcome violence share their experiences and provide emotional and practical support to other women facing abuse. These communities also include professionals like psychologists and legal advisors, ensuring comprehensive assistance.
Youth involvement is part of the programme as an effort to support healthy relationship patterns among young people who witnessed controlling behaviour in their homes. The “Smart Heart” initiative educates adolescents about emotional intelligence and recognizing early signs of coercion and abuse. They not only contribute to a supportive network but also gain valuable skills, awareness and the resources to support those in need.
Q: What are the key barriers young people in Romania face in accessing comprehensive sexuality education and SRHR services today?
CP: Sexuality education is not consistently part of the national school curriculum. Talking about relationships, contraception, or reproductive health remains taboo. Stigma prevents young people from seeking information or services. Strong conservative and religious influences often oppose sexuality education, framing it as inappropriate or immoral, which limits public and political support. Without reliable education, many young people rely on peers or the internet, leading to misconceptions and risky behaviors.
Q: How can organizations like A.L.E.G. and networks like ASTRA better support young activists and youth-led initiatives around SRHR and gender justice?
CP: The best support is to give in simple words easy-to-understand arguments why sexual and reproductive health and rights matter to everyday life of young people and the impact it can have for the better or worse. Very often, activists tend to speak in technical terms that are very hard to understand by young people, their parents and teachers, especially when they didn’t have any training on this topic. While conservative groups come with highly emotional and oversimplified messages, human rights organizations tend to remain isolated in an echo-chamber where only those already aware understand them. This only adds to the existing barriers and further contributes to ineffective solutions and lack of proper information. We need to be speaking not only to allies, but learn to communicate with those who disagree with us. This is easier said than done, so help is welcomed.
Q: From your experience, what role do intersectionality and inclusivity play in SRHR advocacy, especially when working with diverse youth communities?
CP: It is important to be open to all young people and refrain from judging their different needs. The emphasis should be on building bridges and empathy, not contributing to further polarity and separation in our societies. And we need to be aware that the existing backlash is a consequence of fear and lack of communication. It will not be solved unless we find ways around these fears, around these breakdowns in communication.
Q: You’ve collaborated with European networks such as WAVE and ASTRA. How important is regional and crossborder cooperation in advancing SRHR for youth in Eastern Europe?
CP: European networks and organizations should now collaborate more than ever, beyond traditional country or topic boundaries, helping each other overcome difficulties and staying connected. We can only preserve peace if we care about neighbours. The increasing nationalism in our countries require us to keep communication lines open and raise awareness about emerging trends and solutions. Both ASTRA and WAVE are extremely good at facilitating quick reaction when needed and experience exchanges to keep hope alive.
Q: What gives you hope when it comes to the future of gender equality and youth activism in SRHR? Are there any particular moments or people who inspire you?
CP: We have recently helped train the staff of a new counseling center for survivors in the Republic of Moldova: Femei pentru femei (Women for Women). Their youth and passion was inspiring to us. Soon after our training, they faced a major challenge: a fire in their building nearly destroyed their office. But thankfully nobody got hurt and the fire did not stop them from continuing their work.
It feels like this is what we are all doing these days: putting out fires and carrying on. It is very exhausting and we should expect to feel tired and overwhelmed at times. We should take breaks to recharge, but keep our hopes up. And help each other.
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Read the The ASTRA bulletin No 02 (218) 2025 HERE.
