Intersectionality – ERGO Network

Briefing on Discrimination and Social Exclusion of Roma with Disabilities

BRIEFING ON DISCRIMINATION AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION OF ROMA WITH DISABILITIES

This briefing is prepared jointly by the European Disability Forum and ERGO Network

Studies from 2016 show that at least 15% of Roma people have a disability, amounting to over 1.6 million people between the European Union, the Western Balkans and Turkey. The available data highlights a high prevalence of disabilities among Roma communities, also due to the health inequality gap and poorer health condition of the Roma population. However, the information on Roma with disabilities is very limited.

To gain a better understanding of the discrimination and social exclusion that Roma with disabilities face in Europe, together with the European Disability Forum, we have conducted a research study based on the data collected by the EU Agency on Fundamental Rights (FRA) and our own research. The outcomes and analysis are published in a joint EDF-ERGO Network briefing on discrimination and social exclusion of Roma with disabilities.

The briefing highlights a comparatively high risk of intersectional and multiple discrimination for Roma with disabilities, with the disability marginalisation adding to the systemic racial discrimination and antigypsyism that keeps them at the margins of society. Discrimination affects their access to basic services such as inclusive education, healthcare and long-term care, their integration into the job market and, in turn, their overall socio-economic condition.

Findings

Available data clearly show that Roma with disabilities encounter more obstacles than the average to complete quality education, 81% of them dropping out of education early. Early school abandonment and inequalities in educational outcomes are partly encouraged by the bullying and harassment that young Roma people with disabilities endure in school settings and that, according to the FRA, affect 27% of them, as well as by a general trend to falsely diagnose Roma children with developmental and learning disabilities, leading them to be placed in segregated schools with reduced curricula.

As a result of the low average educational attainment, young Roma with disabilities encounter numerous issues entering the labour market. Within the age bracket 16-24, 63% of Roma with disabilities is neither in education, employment or training – with the percentage raising to 84% for the people of the same age with high support needs. The situation is further worsened by discrimination during job search and on the workplace: many respondents claimed to have felt discriminated against when looking for a job, largely because of being Roma.

The limited access to education, lower access to employment, and unequal access to social protection make so that Roma with disabilities stand an exponentially higher chance of living below the poverty line: 82% of persons with disabilities with moderate support needs, and 90% with high support needs, are at risk of poverty. The marginalisation of Roma with disabilities also reflects on their access to the housing market: inability to pay rent and anti-Roma discrimination when looking for housing are part of the reason why 55% of Roma with disabilities experience housing deprivation and 75% live in overcrowded housing.

The Roma experience an overall poorer state of health than the majority of the population, with a higher prevalence of chronic illnesses and a lower life expectancy. Deterring them from accessing healthcare and long-term care are not only the high cost of treatments and the lack of information, but also discriminatory attitudes informed by antigypsyism.

The ethnic discrimination intensifies for those with some form of disability: 18% of Roma with disabilities with moderate support needs and 17% of Roma with disabilities with high support needs felt discriminated against in accessing healthcare, compared to 12% of Roma without disabilities. It is also important to note that the inaccessibility of healthcare system and healthcare services create another discriminatory barrier for Roma with disabilities.

Read the full Briefing here

Conclusions

While some of the issues highlighted in our briefing could be addressed by separate Roma and disability policies, the current legal framework adopted by the EU does not offer a comprehensive protection for people facing intersectional and multiple discrimination, e.g. on grounds of ethnic discrimination and disability. Because of this, Roma with disabilities are left with limited protection of their rights and limited legal remedies to respond to their marginalisation.

We therefore, together with European Disability Forum, recommend the EU and Member States to adopt targeted actions, in particular:

Increase the visibility of Roma with disabilities and address policy gaps at the European and national levels
Adopt a comprehensive EU equality law to prohibit intersectional and multiple forms of discrimination
Collect equality disaggregated data on people living in institutions in the EU;
Invest in housing first initiatives and targeted outreach measures to improve access to healthcare and long-term care services for Roma with disabilities;
Involve Roma with disabilities and their representative organisations in designing, implementing and monitoring policies that affect them.

For more information about ERGO Network’s work on Roma health and related fields, please contact Senior Policy Officer Isabela Mihalache and our Senior Policy Adviser Amana Ferro.

International Women’s Day 2021

International Women’s Day 2021

Opre phenjalen! – Rise sisters!

Since the adoption of the International Women’s Day, women of all colors, creed and belonging across the globe carved their way to greater freedoms and recognition of their strengths, independence and self-determination.

However, societal inequalities and broader racial injustice continue to ascribe and influence social norms and the roles and value of groups of women in our society. Roma and Traveller women continue to be some of the most disadvantaged and disenfranchised on multiple levels, including inside their own communities. In addition, they face intersectional forms of discrimination and antigypsyism and extreme social exclusion and poverty.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation of Roma and Traveller women got even worse. Extreme poverty, inadequate housing and lack of health coverage mean that they are both more likely to be exposed to the virus, and to delay or avoid health care either due to lack of health insurance or limitations on transport, putting their lives at greater risk. During the pandemic Roma and Traveller women continued to perform essential frontline jobs, such as in care professions, as shop or cleaning staff etc. With the closing of schools and workplaces, the unpaid work of Roma and Traveller women has further increased, and they are also more likely to care of the ill. Even without a pandemic, caring and household responsibilities tend to fall disproportionately on women’s shoulders.

Today, ERGO Network celebrates all women across the world, but especially the Roma and Traveller women who work day in, day out to make ends meet and to support their families and communities, with little recognition and while faced with numerous obstacles. Without the contribution of Roma and Traveller women, the fight against inequality is not complete!

We join their efforts to promote equality, dignity and women’s human rights for all women. We call on governments and the international community to:

To combat individual and institutional antigypsyism at all levels, including intersectional and multiple forms of discrimination through the development and implementation of policies and legislation that adequately address the situation of Roma and Traveller women.
To create opportunities for Roma and Traveller women to access decent work with adequate pay, as well as to tackle the gender and ethnic pay and pension gaps, to ensure that Roma and Traveller women in paid employment are not doubly penalised by receiving reduced income for equal work.
To put in place the necessary measures for Roma and Traveller women to be able to access quality and affordable health care (including sexual and reproductive health and rights), as well ashousing and accommodation and
To improve access to childcare and long-term care for Roma and Traveller families, by supporting community-based, free care facilities, employing also Roma and Traveller staff.
To invest in specific, adequate financial support for Roma and Traveller single parent households, most of which are led by women, to assist with childcare, rent payments and other household expenses.
To end all forms of gender-based violence and abuse which disproportionately affect Roma and Traveller girls and women, including by repairing historic injustices such as forced sterilization.
To dismantle gender stereotypes and ideas about traditional gender roles in mainstream society, so as to encourage more men, including Roma men, to pick up their fair share of unpaid work at home.
To support increased visibility and direct representation of Roma and Traveller women and girls in social, cultural, civil and political life
To ensure that Roma culture, language and history are recognized, respected, and resourced
To promote and supportRoma and Traveller women’s participation and empowerment in policy and decision-making at all levels, including by international organisations.

We are falsely encouraged that today women are more empowered and better represented politically, but in reality women’ s rights are still constantly questioned and gender stereotypes prevail – especially for women who suffer from intersecting forms of discrimination such as of race, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity etc.

Let’s fight together for equal rights of Roma and Traveller women!

Opre phenjalen! – Rise sisters!