In France in 2016, 10,000 people, known as Roma, were forcibly evicted by authorities from the illegal camps where they had taken up residence in one year.A report was given.Much of this takes place in the winter, and many of those who are evicted without alternative facilities are left homeless without proper accommodations. Even when living in illegal camps, the majority of Roma live in difficult conditions with little access to water, electricity. However, this situation is not only a problem in one country, France, but is a major issue that is spreading across Europe. Let us take a look at who the Roma are and what their situation is.

Who is Roma?

Roma currently live mostly in Europe, but also in parts of Asia, in North Africa, in Arab Middle Eastern countries, and in the Americas, where most are trying to settle. Numbers are not known exactly, as they are often not officially registered as citizens in many countries, but it is estimated that there are probably 10 to 12 million in Europe. In addition, within Europe, many live in Eastern Europe, including Romania. They are commonly referred to as "Roma" or "Romani. The term "Gypsy" has a long history of discriminatory connotations and is no longer used in principle.

Council of Europe Roma and Travellers Team Based on data as of 2012 for

Historical Background of Roma

To understand the current status of the Roma, we need to know their history. There are various theories as to the origin of the Roma, but it is generally accepted that they originated in the Punjab region of northern India. There are also differing opinions as to when they arrived in Europe, but it is believed to have been sometime between the 8th and 10th centuries. After migrating to Europe, the Roma were subjected to harsh treatment in many countries. First, many Roma were exploited as slaves in Romania and Hungary by the court, church, and landowners. Such slavery continued in Romania until the late 19th century. It was also the subject of exclusionary policies in countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany. Then, at the turn of the 20th century, they experienced genocide by the Nazis. The Roma people, like the Jews, were considered genetically inferior, and it is said that 800,000 (estimated) lives in Europe were taken from them. Thus, the Roma have historically experienced a difficult position. But this is by no means a story of the past. Since the establishment of the European Union (EU) and its subsequent Eastern enlargement, the treatment of Roma has improved, but even today, poverty and discrimination against Roma still persist.

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

employment (long term)

The first serious problem for Roma is employment. In addition to the fact that Roma have historically been shut out of the labor market, the collapse of the Soviet Union has tragically caused many to lose their jobs. In addition, children born into these unemployed families grow up with parents who have low levels of education and limited occupational skills, thus continuing the negative spiral.EU-MIDIS II (*1)According to the "Roma in the EU" report, among those aged 20 to 60, the wage labor rate is only 30%, compared to 70% for the EU as a whole. Also, looking at the employment situation of the younger generation, 72% of Roma women between the ages of 16 and 24 do not have a job and are not currently in education. Among men, 55% are unemployed, and many Roma are underemployed.

Data based on EU-MIDIS II

Education

While education and knowledge and expertise are advantageous in finding a better job, problems are widespread in education as well. While the percentage of Roma who have completed some form of public education is improving, with the percentage of 16-24 year olds exceeding 90% in most countries, in Greece, 42% have not yet completed it. In addition, only 53% of the population has received early education, from the age of 4 to the age of public education. This is a significant difference compared to all nine countries, where the national early education rate exceeds 70%. In addition to that, in countries such as Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic,Separation Education."is a problem. One reason for this is that Roma people are often clustered together in districts where poverty is widespread, so they naturally attend the same schools where the educational environment is vulnerable. In other cases, Roma children may be placed in schools for children with intellectual disabilities with the intention of discriminating against them, for example in the field of education. For example,Amnesty InternationalAccording to the report, as of 2014, more than 301 TP3T of the students in schools and classes for children with mild intellectual disabilities were Roma children, despite the fact that the Roma population in the Czech Republic was less than 3% of the total.

Roma children ©Amnesty International

residence

In addition to labor and education, housing is also a serious problem. The living conditions of Roma are much worse than those of non-Roma. This is partly due to the problem of forced evictions mentioned at the beginning of this report. Statistically, an average of 46% of Roma live in dwellings that lack either a toilet, shower, or bathtub. In particular, in Romania and Bulgaria, the percentages are 82% and 65%, respectively. On average, 30% of the population lives in dwellings without running water. In Romania, this percentage is 67%, which is also outstandingly high. Also,A report notes that most urban Roma tend to live densely in isolated areas. This tendency creates the risk of isolation from others in terms of social services, employment, and education. Deterioration of living conditions is an urgent issue that can lead not only to deterioration of physical health but also to deterioration of mental health, including drugs and domestic violence.

Data based on EU-MIDIS II

Discrimination that will not go away

Some Roma endure the prejudice of being "gypsies" or "criminals". They may face discrimination when trying to find a job, enter a restaurant, etc. They may also be treated unfairly by the police or persecuted by neo-Nazis.Statistically speaking,In many countries, the percentage of people with negative opinions about Roma is in the majority: 82% (Italy), 67% (Greece), 64% (Hungary), and 61% (France). And because of people's persistent discriminatory attitudes toward Roma, it can be difficult to gain general support for Roma protection policies, which can hinder improvements in the treatment of Roma. For example, in October 2016, when the Bulgarian Minister of Education stated that only 9% of Roma in Bulgaria have access to secondary education and one-third of them live in complete poverty, he said he would start a scholarship program for 700 Roma high school students, which led to protests across the country Events.

Thus, the poverty and discrimination against the historically born Roma still remains today, and the EU is currently subsidizing and providing assistance to Roma, including the provision of housing. However, the scale of the problem is so great that this negative cycle cannot be broken unless society as a whole works toward eliminating prejudice against Roma and working toward a solution.

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

(*1) EU-MIDIS II

The EU conducted a survey of nine countries in 2016: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. These nine countries account for about 80% of the Roma living in the EU. Statistics not specifically stated are based on this as a reference.

Writer: Teppei Oyama
Graphic: Hinako Hosokawa