Temizcay Cristina

About

Cristina Temizcay is a human rights defender with over fifteen years of experience, primarily dedicated to promoting the rights of Roma women and girls in the Republic of Moldova and the region. As president of the Association of Roma Women and Girls Moldsolidaritate and president of the International Network of Roma Women Phenjalipe, she coordinates complex initiatives focused on economic empowerment, digital inclusion, access to education, and civic engagement of Roma communities. Throughout her career, Cristina has developed multisectoral projects in Moldova, Ukraine, and Belarus, working alongside local organizations, governmental institutions, and international partners to ensure the meaningful representation and participation of Roma women in decision-making processes. Cristina's professional experience spans several strategic areas. She served as a Principal Gender Equality Expert at the EBRD, coordinating the gender component within the Green Economy Financing Facility in Moldova. Concurrently, she worked with UN Women as a national consultant and a member of the Civil Society Consultative Group, significantly contributing to the increased political participation of Roma women, which culminated in the first-time election of two Roma women to local councilor positions. She also held leadership positions at the Feminist Alliance for Rights Foundation and served as a Minority Fellow at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. On a personal level, Cristina possesses solid linguistic skills in Romanian, Russian, Romani, and English, and is open to learning new languages. Her planning and project management capabilities, combined with strong communication and persuasion