Inclusion of Roma communities:Issues and research directions

Migration Research SeminarManchester Metropolitan University

Monday 9th July 2012

Philip BrownThe University of Salford

This presentation

Who are RomaThe situation of Roma across the EUResearch currently being undertaken Emerging issues

Who are Roma?

New term – chosen at the World Romani Congress held in 1971Describes a diverse range of communities Ancestors originating from northern India but also indigenous groups such as Irish Travellers and Yenish communities from France and SwitzerlandInclusive and homogenising

Who are Roma?

Four different types of Roma communities (EC, 2010) namely:• Those living in disadvantaged, highly concentrated (sub)urban districts,

possibly close to other ethnic minorities and disadvantaged members of the majority;

• Those living in disadvantaged parts of small cities/villages in rural regions and in segregated rural settlements isolated from majority cities/villages;

• mobile Roma communities with citizenship of the country or of another EU country;

• mobile and sedentary Roma communities who are third-country nationals, refugees, stateless persons or asylum seekers (p.3-4).

Numbers of Roma

Difficult to know with any robustness

Largest ethnic minority groups in Europe with more than 10million people

Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Slovakia, Romania, Serbia and Hungary - Roma people make up between 7% and 10% of the total population.

Social exclusion of RomaDeep social exclusion characterised by combining a lack of involvement in:• democratic and legal systems, • the labour market,• the welfare state • familial and (local) community networks

Commins (1993)

General agreement that this applies to Roma across Europe (Bartlett, Benini, and Gordon, 2011: ERIO, 2010)

Several key domains with a context of social policy: housing, segregation, health, children and education, work and welfare

Key issues to noteWidespread social exclusion and discrimination in many nations across Europe.A lack of mixing between many Roma and non Roma people.Entrenched mistrust and hostility towards Roma among sections of the majority populations across Europe. Indications of mistrust from Roma populations towards non Roma officials and members of the non-Roma population.Varied (and variable) response in respect of policies designed to tackle the social exclusion of Roma and / or the promotion of integration between Roma and non-Roma populations across EU statesAn increased awareness of, and commitment to, challenging the problems faced by Roma at the European level.

Research currently being undertakenRoma SOURCE (Sharing of Understanding Rights and Citizenship in Europe) • Two year project (2011-2013) co-funded by the European

Union’s Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme. • Largely practice based project lead by Migration Yorkshire• Our research component:

– Policy review – Empirical research (focus groups with Roma and non-Roma

in 6 EU states)– Health, housing, integration and mixing, education, work

and welfare

Research currently being undertakenRoma in the UK • One year project (ends 2013) funded by the Joseph

Rowntree Charitable Trust• Collate what is known about Roma (population size,

origins, approach by local authorities and areas) across the UK

• Comprehensive survey approach to all UK local authorities supported by key informant interviews to provide:

– A comprehensive data source – Understand local strategies– Identify barriers and gaps – Development of UK Roma Network

Next steps and key deliverables…

Initial Roma SOURCE interim report already available from http://www.romasource.eu/

Interim findings from survey due early August

Final report due in Autumn

Network currently being developed (by partners Migration Yorkshire)

Final Roma SOURCE report and papers due March 2013

ContactPhilip Brown

Salford Housing & Urban Studies UnitThe University of Salford

Joule House+44(0)161 2953647

p.brown@salford.ac.uk @shusuphil

http://drphilbrown.com/Thank You!

Disclaimer: This project to which this presentation relates has been funded with the financial support of the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship programme of the European Commission. The contents of the presentation are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Commission.

© Roma SOURCE 2012