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Submission Number: 212
Submission ID: 1361
Submission UUID: 2ae48be1-67d0-4a81-ad8b-5f313bee4d73
Submission URI: /2025/abstracts
Created: Sat, 06/28/2025 - 13:54
Completed: Sat, 06/28/2025 - 14:07
Changed: Thu, 07/24/2025 - 09:46
Remote IP address: 86.124.204.86
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Current page: Complete
Webform: Abstract
Presenters
Ms.
Bujor
Elena mihaela
University of bucharest
Bujor Elena Mihaela is a social worker at the Slobozia Department of Social Assistance, Ialomița County, Romania, with almost 20 years of experience supporting vulnerable groups. Her work involves delivering social benefits and services to children, individuals living in poverty, people with disabilities, and elderly persons at risk. She is currently a second-year PhD student at the Doctoral School of Social Work, University of Bucharest. Her doctoral research focuses on early motherhood, examining social work interventions and interdisciplinary collaboration aimed at empowering young mothers and addressing systemic barriers in marginalized communities.
No
Abstract
Young, Invisible, and Overlooked: Early Motherhood as a Hidden Form of Gendered Social Injustice
THEME 2: Social Work and the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SUB 2.2 Research and practice strategies pertaining to health, mental health and wellbeing including poverty eradication, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth.
Oral Presentation
Early motherhood remains a pressing social justice issue, particularly in socioeconomically marginalized regions. In Romania, adolescent girls from vulnerable communities face a disproportionate risk of early pregnancy due to systemic poverty, lack of comprehensive sex education, and limited access to reproductive health services. This research explores early motherhood as both a cause and a consequence of structural injustice, perpetuating intergenerational cycles of exclusion, gender inequality, and poverty.
Using a qualitative approach, this ongoing research draws on 42 semi-structured interviews with adolescent mothers and adult women who gave birth before the age of 18 in Romania. Additionally, 47 requests for institutional data were submitted to the General Directorates of Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC), covering all counties, to examine existing responses and support services. Findings highlight that early motherhood limits educational attainment, exposes girls to psychological and social vulnerabilities, and reinforces gendered expectations about caregiving. In many cases, these pregnancies result from imbalanced power relations, often involving older male partners.
The role of social workers is central in mitigating the impact of early motherhood by facilitating access to healthcare, education, and emotional support. However, institutional fragmentation, underfunding, and cultural stigmatization often hinder effective intervention. This paper argues that early motherhood must be reframed as a violation of gender and social justice and calls for integrated, community-based strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 (health), SDG 4 (education), SDG 5 (gender equality), and SDG 10 (reduced inequalities).
The study advocates for feminist-informed, interdisciplinary social work practices that address root causes while empowering young mothers to reclaim agency and dignity. This research contributes to international debates on gender justice, youth rights, and inclusive development through the lens of social work practice in Eastern Europe.
Using a qualitative approach, this ongoing research draws on 42 semi-structured interviews with adolescent mothers and adult women who gave birth before the age of 18 in Romania. Additionally, 47 requests for institutional data were submitted to the General Directorates of Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC), covering all counties, to examine existing responses and support services. Findings highlight that early motherhood limits educational attainment, exposes girls to psychological and social vulnerabilities, and reinforces gendered expectations about caregiving. In many cases, these pregnancies result from imbalanced power relations, often involving older male partners.
The role of social workers is central in mitigating the impact of early motherhood by facilitating access to healthcare, education, and emotional support. However, institutional fragmentation, underfunding, and cultural stigmatization often hinder effective intervention. This paper argues that early motherhood must be reframed as a violation of gender and social justice and calls for integrated, community-based strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 (health), SDG 4 (education), SDG 5 (gender equality), and SDG 10 (reduced inequalities).
The study advocates for feminist-informed, interdisciplinary social work practices that address root causes while empowering young mothers to reclaim agency and dignity. This research contributes to international debates on gender justice, youth rights, and inclusive development through the lens of social work practice in Eastern Europe.
Reviewer ONE Feedback
Ms
SELLOANE
PHOOFOLO
Yes
Empirical Research
Accepted
Reviewer TWO Feedback
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{Empty}
{Empty}
Yes
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Accepted