In 2016 in France, there was a report that 10,000 people known as Roma were forcibly evicted by the authorities from illegal camps that served as their homes there was a report. Many of these evictions took place in winter, and many of those forced out without alternative facilities became homeless without proper shelter. Even when living in informal camps, most Roma live in harsh conditions with little access to water and electricity. However, this situation is not limited to France alone; it is a major problem across Europe. Let’s look at who the Roma are and what conditions they face.

Who are the Roma?

The Roma currently live mostly in Europe, but also in parts of Asia, North Africa, Arab Middle Eastern countries, and North and South America, and most are seeking to settle. Their numbers are not precisely known, as in many countries they are not formally registered as citizens, but it is estimated that there are 10 to 12 million in Europe. Within Europe, many live in Eastern Europe, such as Romania. As for terminology, it is common to use “Roma” or “Romani.” The term “Gypsy” has a history of discriminatory use over the centuries and is now generally avoided.

Created based on 2012 data from the Council of Europe Roma and Travellers Team

Historical background of the Roma

To understand the current situation of the Roma, we need to know their history. While there are various theories about the origins of the Roma, the prevailing view is the Punjab region of northern India. Opinions also differ on when they arrived in Europe, but it is said to have been around the 8th to 10th centuries. After moving to Europe, the Roma were subjected to harsh treatment in many countries. To begin with, many Roma were exploited as slaves by courts, churches, and landowners in Romania and Hungary. Such slavery continued in Romania until the late 19th century. In countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany, they were also the targets of exclusionary policies. In the 20th century, they suffered genocide under the Nazis. The Roma, like the Jews, were regarded as genetically inferior, and it is said that the lives of an estimated 800,000 people in Europe were taken. In this way, the Roma have historically faced difficult circumstances. However, this is by no means merely a story of the past. Although efforts to improve the treatment of the Roma have been made since the establishment of the European Union (EU) and its subsequent eastern enlargement, poverty and discrimination against the Roma still persist today.

Roma housing (Serbia) Mustafa Skenderi/flicker [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0]

Employment

A serious issue for the Roma is employment. In addition to being historically excluded from labor markets, the collapse of the Soviet Union led to the tragedy of many people losing their jobs. Moreover, children born into such unemployed households grow up with parents who have low education levels and limited job skills, perpetuating a negative spiral. According to EU-MIDIS II (Note 1), among those aged 20 to 60, while wage employment across the EU is 70%, the wage employment rate among Roma is only 30%. Looking at younger generations, among Roma women aged 16 to 24, 72% are not working and are not currently in education. For men, the figure is 55%, showing that many Roma are unemployed.

Data compiled based on EU-MIDIS II

Education

Education and acquiring knowledge or expertise are advantageous for finding better jobs, but there are widespread problems in education as well. The share of Roma who have ever completed some form of public education is improving, and among those aged 16 to 24 it exceeds 90% in most countries; however, in Greece, 42% have still not completed it. In addition, before entering public education at age four, only 53% receive early childhood education. This is a large gap compared to the general population’s early childhood education rate, which exceeds 70% in all nine countries. Furthermore, in countries such as Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, “segregated education” is a problem. One cause is that Roma often end up living together in neighborhoods where poverty is widespread, which naturally leads them to attend the same schools where the educational environment is fragile. In some cases, with discriminatory intent in educational settings, Roma children are placed in special schools for children with intellectual disabilities. For example, according to Amnesty International, as of 2014, although the Roma population in the Czech Republic was less than 3%, more than 30% of students in schools/classes for children with mild intellectual disabilities were Roma children.

Roma children ©Amnesty International

Housing

In addition to employment and education, housing is also a serious issue. Roma living conditions are much worse than those of non-Roma. This is partly due to the problem of forced evictions mentioned at the beginning. Statistically, on average 46% of Roma live in housing lacking at least one of a toilet, shower, or bathtub. In particular, the figures are 82% in Romania and 65% in Bulgaria. The proportion living in housing without piped water averages 30%. In Romania, it is 67%, which is exceptionally high. In addition, a report points out that most Roma living in cities tend to live in densely populated, segregated areas. This tendency creates the risk of isolation from others in terms of welfare services, employment, and education. The deterioration of living conditions is an urgent issue that affects not only physical health but also mental health, contributing to problems such as substance abuse and domestic violence.

Data compiled based on EU-MIDIS II

Persistent discrimination

Some Roma endure prejudices such as being labeled “Gypsies” or “criminals.” They may face discrimination when trying to find work or when entering restaurants. They may also be treated unfairly by the police or persecuted by neo-Nazis. Even statistically, the share of people with negative views of Roma reaches 82% (Italy), 67% (Greece), 64% (Hungary), and 61% (France), with several countries showing a majority. Because discriminatory attitudes toward the Roma remain deeply rooted, it is difficult to gain broad public support for policies to protect them, which can hinder improvements in their treatment. For example, in October 2016 in Bulgaria, given that only 9% of Roma were receiving secondary education and one-third were in absolute poverty, when the education minister announced a scholarship program for 700 Roma high school students, protests broke out across the country an incident occurred.

Thus, the poverty and discrimination against the Roma born of history still remain today. The EU is currently providing subsidies and implementing support for the Roma, such as housing provision. However, given the scale of the problem, unless society as a whole eliminates prejudice against the Roma and works toward solutions, it will be impossible to break this negative cycle.

Roma children　Dominic Chavez/ flicker [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0]

(Note 1) EU-MIDIS II

A survey conducted by the EU in 2016 covering nine countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. These nine countries account for about 80% of Roma living in the EU. Unless otherwise specified, statistics refer to this source.

Writer: Teppei Oyama
Graphics: Hinako Hosokawa