Sterile Dreams is the first to address the illegal sterilization of minority Roma women in the Czech Republic.The hour-long film explores the world of Roma women who can’t have children anymore after Czech doctors sterilized them without their knowledge or consent. After more than 20 years of living frustrated with her sterility, Elena became an activist, but Jirina’s sterilization in 2000 left her feeling useless; and their friend Helena’s marriage almost ended. How these women and their families cope with their sterile situation mirrors the fate of more than 80 victims whose cases were already investigated and supported by the Czech Ombudsman, and many others in Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania.
The Ombudsman’s report in December 2005 indicated such abuse is the result of the inadequate healthcare system of informed consent. Most of its victims, though, say the problem is rooted in racism, citing the 3 white victims out of 87 cases of forced sterilization in his report. The Helsinki Commission, the US human rights watchdog in Europe, and the UN already expressed their serious concerns over this situation.
As of today, doctors have not been punished for committing this abuse and no hospital has compensated any victim beyond one apology in a letter sent to the victim’s home address as per court ruling.This past July, the Czech government’s Committee for Biomedicine and Human Rights made a surprise announcement that it may consider compensating victims, who were sterilized without consent between 1966-91, with payments of about $10,000.
The film raises awareness about this issue, which received little media attention, and also funds to support Roma women and children in need through their non-profit organization Life Together. Hopefully viewers will be touched by the stories in this film, which can bring our humanity together beyond race or class.