Poverty and employment:
the situation of Roma in
11 EU Member States
Roma survey–Data in focus
FRA
forrás: https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2014-roma-survey-dif-employment-1_en.pdf
"Roma make up Europe’s largest ethnic minority and have for centuries formed an integral part of European
society. But despite efforts at national, European and international level to improve the protection of their
fundamental rights and advance their social inclusion, many Roma still face severe poverty, profound social
exclusion, discrimination and barriers to exercising their fundamental rights.
Equal and full access to employment is key to furthering social inclusion and combating poverty. Employment
is not only a source of income that determines material well-being, it also builds human capital and shapes
survival strategies, relationships between groups and across societies. Just as poverty is not only about money,
employment is not only about jobs. This is why the Europe 2020 strategy so prominently reflects both poverty
and employment.
In this report, FRA presents the results of the 2011 FRA Roma survey on poverty and employment. About 90 %
of Roma in the survey have an income below the national poverty threshold; about 40 % of the children live in
households struggling with malnutrition or hunger. More than half of the Roma in the survey live in segregated
areas, in housing that falls far below minimum housing standards. Persistent prejudice and discrimination
undermine Roma employment prospects. Only about a third of those surveyed has paid work, which is often
precarious and informal.
Despite widespread discrimination, most Roma are actively seeking work. But concerted efforts are necessary to
break through this cycle of disadvantage, improving employment opportunities as well as reducing poverty and
hardship. In times of economic crisis, the most vulnerable groups are affected first, putting at risk the modest
progress achieved in implementing the EU Framework and national Roma integration strategies. Currently, 58 % of
young Roma people in the 11 countries surveyed are neither in employment nor in training or education, compared
to 13 % on average in the EU. While there appears to be some reduction in the employment gap between young
Roma and non-Roma, this is not due to increased employment opportunities for Roma, but rather to deterioration
in the employment prospects of young non-Roma. Genuine Roma inclusion is about bringing the opportunities
enjoyed by Roma to the level of those of non-Roma – not the other way around.
The problems faced by Roma are complex and therefore require an integrated approach – low educational
attainment, labour market barriers, segregation and deprived living conditions must all be addressed through
coordinated, mutually reinforcing interventions. The EU has an important role to play in implementing such
change, by improving legislation against discrimination, coordinating policy, setting common integration goals
and allocating funding. But national, regional and, especially local governments bear the core responsibility for
engaging Roma communities and making change happen.
Achieving a tangible improvement in Roma people’s lives and providing their children with equal opportunities
requires political will – courage and determination to act. However, political will alone is not enough. It must
be matched by the knowledge of what works and what does not and by reliable monitoring tools capable of
capturing the results achieved and their determinants. Otherwise, the funding devoted to improving employment
opportunities and decreasing discrimination in the labour market may be wasted.
FRA’s contribution to the process of Roma inclusion is providing evidence on all its facets. By gathering data,
assisting the design of progress indicators and testing novel approaches involving Roma communities at local
level, FRA makes Roma inclusion efforts more targeted and inclusive. The current publication is one element of
this comprehensive endeavour.
Morten Kjaerum
Director
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