Podphandle mašľičkenca – Tied with Ribbons. Slovo 21 is publishing literary testimonies from Romani women regarding forced sterilizations.

They lost the ability to have children. Without informed consent, without explanation, and without the chance to make a free choice. Forced sterilizations, supported by the state for decades, have altered the lives of thousands of Romani women and their families. Yet, Czech literature has remained almost silent on this trauma until now. Slovo 21 and our Romani writers' club, Paramisara, have decided to at least partially fill this gap. We are therefore publishing a collection of short stories titled Podphandle mašľičkenca – Tied with Ribbons, in which Romani writers capture the testimonies of those whose lives were changed forever by forced sterilization.

‍Fourteen women, fourteen real lives

The book Podphandle mašľičkenca presents authentic narratives from fourteen victims of an inhumane, state-supported practice: forced sterilization. The book's editor, Markéta Hajská, along with editor Lenka Jandáková, confirm that dedicating the book to this specific topic stemmed from the wishes of the Romani writers themselves, reflecting their conviction that attempts at victim compensation often failed to lead to justice or restitution.

They agree that the general public is still relatively unaware of the ways in which women were pressured or manipulated by medical and social workers into undergoing sterilization procedures. They also believe it has been confirmed that Romani authors are the most suitable intermediaries for the emotions and inner experiences of the women who suffered this injustice.

A strong point of the book is its authenticity. Each short story was created from interviews with women who underwent forced sterilization. The authors recorded and transcribed their testimonies before shaping them into literary narratives. One of the authors, Rena Horvátová, says it was very important for her to create a safe space for the respondent and not share anything without her consent. "Some experiences are difficult to tell and need time," she explains.

The voice of Romani women, which was missing

Hajská notes that the writers had only one fixed task: to stick to the true story of the woman they spoke with. The way they retold it was up to them. This is why the resulting collection is so diverse. "While each story is different, they are terrifyingly similar in some ways—just as the mass implementation of forced sterilization was," she points out.

The book Podphandle mašľičkenca – Tied with Ribbons will be released on December 10th, International Human Rights Day, and for the first time, it provides space for the individual stories of sterilized women through a compelling artistic medium. Crucially, this is achieved thanks to the Romani women authors themselves. "It is essential that for the first time, Romani women—whose relatives faced this genocidal practice—are speaking out with such focused power. Through them, they are reclaiming their voices, their right to make free decisions, and showing reality from their own perspective. No one else can do that for them. For the majority society, this book can open eyes and foster a greater degree of understanding for this fight for human dignity," emphasizes Jandáková.

Paramisara: a space where Romani authors grow

The book Podphandle mašľičkenca – Tied with Ribbons was created as part of the activities of the Paramisara club, which brings together Romani authors under Slovo 21, giving them space to improve their creative writing, share experiences, and support one another. In it, writers find professional support, inspiration, and new friendships.

"The club gives me a sense of sisterhood and strength. The knowledge that I am not alone and that our voices have value," adds Maria Siváková, one of the authors of the upcoming book. Paramisara often opens up topics that are frequently overlooked elsewhere—which is precisely why this book dedicated to the forced sterilization of Romani women was created here. A challenging, long-ignored topic, but all the more important for it.

The book will be launched on December 10th at 4:30 PM at the Municipal Library in Prague. You will be able to meet all the authors at the event, and a song dedicated to the victims of forced sterilization will be performed. The honorary role of the book's godmother has been accepted by activist Elena Gorolová, who has dedicated almost her entire life to helping women who were illegally sterilized. She is one of them herself, having undergone an involuntary sterilization at the age of twenty-one.

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This short story collection was created as part of the activities of the Paramisara Romani writers' club, implemented by Slovo 21 with the kind financial support of Bader Philanthropies Inc., the State Culture Fund of the Czech Republic, and, last but not least, the City of Prague.