A Voice For the Voiceless

MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

Lynne Engelman and UK Association of Gypsy Women (UKAGW)

Originally from Cleveland, and with a long stop in Chicago, Lynne is currently pursuing a master’s degree in International Social Work at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

She has interned with the Canadian Red Cross in their International Humanitarian Law division and also works as a research assistant for the Faculty of Social Work. Her interest in international issues originated while studying in London, England and Heidelberg, Germany. Most recently, she had the good fortune to spend several weeks traveling in southern India.

Lynne will now spend her summer working with the United Kingdom Association of Gypsy Women (UKAGW). Her main objective is to support advocates in their quest to combat the European-wide practice of evicting Roma and Travellers from their land and homes.

In addition, because UKAGW is a fairly new organization -- though the women behind it are long-time advocates of Roma and Traveller rights -- she will be assisting them with tasks like helping to create a strategic plan and designing a website. The problem of evictions is very critical and she looks forward to doing all she can to support UKAGW and other Roma advocacy groups -- possibly including the Dzeno Association, another AP partner -- across Europe.

• Lynne Engelman's blog