FRA: Report "Roma in 10 European Countries - Main results"

This report presents findings from the 2021 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) survey on Roma across Europe. Six years on since the last survey from FRA, Roma families still live in shocking conditions and their educational and job prospects are poor. This new FRA report identifies improvements and gaps in Roma inclusion to guide national efforts for Roma equality, inclusion and participation.

The ‘Roma in 10 European countries’ report reveals that the 80% of Roma interviewed remain at risk of poverty compared with an EU average of 17%, with no change from FRA’s last survey in 2016. 22% live in households with no tap water and 33% have no indoor toilet. But overall, Roma living in poor housing fell from 61% in 2016 to 52% now.

In addition, the findings also reveal a clear difference in life expectancy between Roma and the general population: Roma men and women respectively live 9 and 11 years less than people generally in the survey countries.

These results should help countries develop and assess more targeted measures in their national Roma strategies, particularly when it comes to addressing poverty, discrimination, education, employment, health and housing. Examples of measures include providing targeted education and training to help Roma youth and Roma women, better employment opportunities, as well as greater social protection to eradicate poverty.

The report is based on a survey that collected information in 10 European countries (Croatia, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain), derived from nearly 8,500 face-to-face interviews with Roma. It collected data on discrimination, victimisation and income and living conditions from over 20,000 household members. By focusing on Roma, the survey provides unique data and information that are not available from European general population surveys, which do not disaggregate on grounds of ethnic origin. The findings present a bleak but familiar picture of exclusion, deprivation, discrimination and racism.

Last update

7/12/2022