Main Projects / Activities

One of our main areas of work is reproductive justice and maternal rights. Our flagship project, “New Politics for Future Mothers,” focuses on violations of pregnant women’s rights in Bulgaria. Through nationwide research, we conducted surveys and consultations with more than 2,000 women and healthcare professionals, including nearly 1300 pregnant and birthing women in one of our first large studies. We documented systemic problems such as lack of informed consent, verbal abuse, unnecessary medical interventions, pressure toward caesarean sections, discrimination against Roma women, and violations of dignity during childbirth and hospital stays. Based on this research, we created free nationwide trainings for pregnant and birthing women across multiple cities in Bulgaria, helping them understand their rights and how to advocate for themselves in hospitals. We are currently the only organization in Bulgaria delivering free trainings of this kind at national scale, including specific tailored modules for Roma women and queer families.

The second phase of this work involves direct engagement with hospitals and medical professionals. Through the Bulgarian Fund for Women-supported project “New Politics for Future Mothers - Phase II,” we work not only with women but also with doctors, midwives, hospital administrators, and healthcare staff to better understand institutional challenges and create dialogue between patients and professionals. The goal is to develop a concrete policy and advocacy plan for improving maternity care conditions in both private and public hospitals across Bulgaria. This includes meetings with hospitals, interviews with staff, strategic recommendations, and institutional lobbying for systemic change.

Another important area of our work is climate justice through a feminist lens. In 2025–2026, we are implementing the project “Women for Green Justice: Advancing Gender Equality through Climate Action,” supported by Women Engage for a Common Future through the Funding Fairer Futures programme. This project addresses the connection between climate change and women’s health, especially air pollution, reproductive risks, environmental inequality, and the underrepresentation of women in climate decision-making. We developed and delivered a 6-module ecofeminist leadership training programme, supporting young women and activists with knowledge on climate justice, women’s health, environmental governance, and sustainable activism. The project includes mentoring for 20 women, stakeholder mapping, community engagement, and will conclude with a policy proposal for integrating women’s rights into Bulgaria’s national climate strategy.

We also work specifically with marginalized communities, including young Roma mothers. Through a small research grant supported by Youth and Environment Europe, we conduct focus groups and interviews with young Roma women in Vratsa, researching how climate change and environmental injustice affect their daily lives, access to healthcare, and social opportunities. This work helps us bring intersectionality into both feminist and climate advocacy.

As a queer-led organization, we are currently implementing the project “Our Bodies, Our Boundaries,” supported by EL*C, focused on preventing gender-based violence in maternal care for lesbian, bisexual, and queer pregnant people. The project addresses institutional violence, discrimination, and exclusion in healthcare systems, especially for queer families navigating pregnancy and birth. Through survivor-informed research, professional trainings, toolkits, and advocacy, we work to make maternal healthcare safer and more inclusive for LGBTQ+ parents in Bulgaria.

WomanUp also uses communication campaigns as a major advocacy tool. For each project, we build campaigns based on real stories, testimonials, interviews, and data. We create tailored visual content, social media strategies, SEO-supported articles, educational materials, and public awareness campaigns to make women’s rights issues more visible and accessible. We have produced our first policy paper and continue publishing articles on reproductive rights, birth justice, and feminist public education.