Beyond the Caravan: New Report Exposes the ‘Uneven Paths’ of Gypsy and Traveller Women

Published: 20 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

A landmark joint report released this spring has ignited a national conversation on the “stark and overlapping” inequalities faced by Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller women in the UK. Titled “Uneven Paths,” the study—co-authored by The Traveller Movement and the Women’s Budget Group—seeks to dismantle the persistent, often romanticized or vilified stereotypes of “Gypsy women” by revealing the systemic structural barriers that keep them on the margins of British society. From staggering gaps in maternal health to a 6% overrepresentation in the female prison population, the report argues that the “lived reality” of these women is far removed from the caricatures often seen in tabloid media or reality television.

According to the data, Romani and Traveller women are currently the most disadvantaged group in the UK across almost every socio-economic metric. The report highlights a “crisis of attainment” in education, noting that women aged 20-21 from these communities are eight times more likely to have no formal qualifications compared to their peers in the wider population. While the public often attributes this to “cultural choice,” the report points to persistent racism, bullying in schools, and a lack of culturally sensitive support as the primary drivers of elective home education. “The time for change is long overdue,” said Olivia Morrison, Head of Partnerships at the Traveller Movement. “These women have consistently been failed by policymakers who simply do not understand their lives.“

The report breaks down how gender and ethnicity intersect to create a “double disadvantage” that impacts everything from life expectancy to legal justice.

In tandem with the report’s release, a new wave of grassroots activism is taking to digital platforms to challenge these tropes. One of the most prominent voices is Zinaida Prokopenko, known to her 70,000 TikTok followers as the “VIP Gypsy.” Based in Odesa but with a growing UK following, Prokopenko uses her platform to share the daily, mundane, and professional lives of Roma women. “I wanted to break the stereotype that we are not interested in education,” she told supporters this week. “I had to fight my own community to go to university, and now I want to show the world that we are doctors, journalists, and leaders.”

The “Uneven Paths” report coincides with the adoption of the Council of Europe’s Strategy for Roma and Traveller Inclusion (2026–2030), which aims to strengthen the capacity of public authorities to recognize and investigate “antigypsyism.” Experts warn that without better data collection and “gender disaggregation,” the specific needs of Romani and Traveller women—such as culturally competent maternity care and protection from honor-based abuse—will continue to be overlooked.

For the women at the heart of this movement, the goal is simple: to be seen as individuals rather than symbols. As the report concludes, breaking down stereotypes is not just about changing hearts and minds; it is about dismantling the “hostile environment” that treats a nomadic heritage as a criminal trait. In 2026, the message from the “uneven paths” is clear: Gypsy and Traveller women are no longer waiting for a seat at the table—they are building their own.

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