APoWeR (Association for the Promotion of Women in Romania) is a nongovernmental organization founded in 1999 with the aim to educate the whole society by promoting affirmative and nondiscriminatory policies in order to increase the quality of women’s lives in Romania. Our main target group is disadvantaged women, including victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, unemployed women, women from rural areas and women in prison. Annually, our organization has approximately 500 clients that benefit from the support provided by three autonomous centers included in the organizational structure. The Centre for Psychological Counselling, Social Assistance, and Intervention in Crisis Situations provides psychological counselling, individual and group therapy, social work and telephone counselling in crisis situations. The centre has organized a package of training programmes regarding intervention in domestic violence cases for police officers, psychologists, social workers and phone counsellors. In 2004, it monitored domestic violence cases taken over by the police and the local and county administrative institutions in Timis county, with a role in preventing and fighting this phenomenon. From 2005, the centre has started to monitor public institutions on the implementation of the Law no 217/2003 regarding domestic violence. Currently, it conducts a national monitoring program with the support of 11 monitors in the whole country. The Centre for Legislative Research and Defence of Women’s Rights provides legal counselling services and representation in the court, research, lobby and advocacy for the promotion of human/women’s rights. In 2001, it drafted the first legislation on domestic violence that was introduced in the Romanian Parliament and partially accepted as a law in August 2003. The Centre for Education, Advocacy and Economic Support for Women provides educational programmes that aim to integrate women in the social life and labour market. In 2001, it coordinated the advocacy campaign to support legislation on domestic violence. In 2004, it became a consultant in advocacy for a European network working for people with sensorial disabilities. It created a package of trainings for women that want to start a business, a European Educational Product including 14 courses for women victims of domestic abuse and a Best Practice Guide on domestic violence including 50 European institutions. In 2005, the centre started a regional research and monitoring program of mass media and justice regarding prevention and combating domestic violence, sexual abuse, prostitution and human trafficking, discrimination and harassment at the workplace. APoWeR is member of national and international networks, and has coordinated over 20 projects at national and international level. 

The former National VAW Monitor for Romania was the Center for Partnership and Equality.

Adela Dinu of the Association for the Promotion of Women in Romania (APoWeR) will take the leading role in managing the STOPVAW country page for Romania. Adela is the Executive Director of the "Centre for Education, National Advocacy and Economic Empowerment" within APoWeR. As Executive Director, Adela has taken on many roles including developing lobby and advocacy campaigns within Romania to improve legislation on domestic violence, promoting the mission and activities of her organization at all levels through participation in conferences and appearances in media outlets, and coordinating financial and vocational education programs for female victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.


 APoWeR Organizational Profile