Roma poverty and social exclusion

European Mental Health Week: Shining a Light on Roma Mental Health

European Mental Health Week: Shining a Light on Roma Mental Health

At the initiative of our partners at Mental Health Europe, Europe observes Mental Health Week 2025 from 19 to 25 May, taking place this year under the theme “Care for mental health, invest in social rights”. This perspective is particularly pertinent for Europe’s Roma, who face significant systemic barriers that hinder their access to mental health care and support, including antigypsyism.

The Roma are disproportionately affected by poor mental health outcomes, including higher rates of suicide and suffering from stress, depression, or anxiety, given an ongoing state of poverty, deprivation, and marginalisation. Factors such as poverty, unemployment, inadequate housing, as well as ongoing discrimination, take a significant toll on Roma mental health, which also has a negative impact on children.

In Slovakia, research from 2020 indicates that many excluded Roma households experienced long-term stress due to debt (37.6%), serious illness (24.8%), cold houses (23.9%), hunger (13.5%), discrimination (12.9%), and forced evictions (10.1%), which severely impacted mental as well as physical health. 17.6% of Roma women and 10% of Roma men suffer from depression, compared to 7.7% of non-Roma women and 5% of non-Roma men.

Despite this, many cannot access necessary care due to factors such as:

Social Determinants: Poverty, inadequate housing, and unemployment exacerbate mental health issues while they create additional barriers to accessing support.
Limited Availability of Services: Healthcare facilities are often scarce in rural and remote Roma communities.
High Costs: The expense of consultations and treatments acts as a significant deterrent.
Antigypsyism and Stigma: Discrimination within healthcare settings leads to a lack of trust in the system.

These barriers are part and parcel of a general context of historical neglect in what concerns Roma health needs – to find out more, read ERGO Network’s research report on Roma access to healthcare and long-term care (2022).

The European Commission’s 2023 Communication on mental health acknowledges the heightened risks Roma face due to socio-economic exclusion and discrimination. While this recognition is a step forward, the Communication falls short in putting forward the necessary measures to effectively tackle the situation.

Such measures could include, among others:

Anti-Bias Training for Mental Health Professionals: To combat discrimination within healthcare settings.
Promotion of Roma Health Mediators: These community-based workers play a crucial role in bridging gaps between Roma individuals and healthcare services.
Ethnically Disaggregated Data Collection: To better understand and address the mental health needs of Roma populations.

ERGO Network calls for these elements to be incorporated into EU mental health strategies, to ensure that Roma voices are heard and their needs addressed, as detailed in our full analysis of the Communication.

On the occasion of the European Mental Health Week, ERGO Network wants to shine a light on the barriers and potential solutions highlighted above, to create an equitable mental health framework for Roma communities across Europe.

Key elements of such a framework would need to include universal health insurance coverage, to ensure that all Roma individuals have access to affordable care; developing services within Roma communities, to reduce barriers to access; implementing policies to eliminate bias, antigypsyism, and segregation in healthcare settings, to restore trust; and involving the Roma in the design, implementation, and monitoring of mental health policies.

By addressing these areas, Europe can move towards a mental health system that truly serves all its citizens, including the Roma.

As we reflect on the theme of European Mental Health Week 2025, it is imperative to recognise that mental health is deeply intertwined with social rights. For the Roma community, achieving mental well-being requires systemic change that addresses the root causes of inequality and exclusion. Only through inclusive policies and practices can we ensure that mental health care is accessible and effective for all.

In the words of Mustafa Jakupov of the ERGO Network Board, “Mental health is a social justice issue. Roma communities deserve better – mental health must be a right, not a privilege”.

=> Watch his full video message here.

ERGO Network remains committed to advocating for the rights of Roma and will continue to work towards a Europe where good mental health is a shared priority for all, not a privilege for the few.

For more information about ERGO Network’s work on Roma access to quality, inclusive, and affordable healthcare and long-term care, including mental health care and support, contact Senior Policy Adviser Amana Ferro at a.ferro@ergonetwork.org.

Annual Policy Conference 2024 – Employment

IMPLEMENTING THE EU ROMA STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK. ROMA ACCESS TO DECENT AND SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT

This past 25 November, ERGO Network organised its annual Policy Conference in Brussels. The conference was dedicated to exploring how to improve Roma access to quality, sustainable, and inclusive employment and taking stock of the implementation of the EU and National Roma Frameworks, with a particular focus on combatting antigypsyism.

The Opening session featured welcome words by Annabel Carballo Mesa of the ERGO Network Board, remarks by Erika Koller from the European Economic and Social Commitee (Workers’ Group and the Permanent Group on the Inclusion of Roma), as well as a video message from Hon. Mélissa Camara MEP (France, Greens/EFA).

The Roma are more likely to experience discrimination in recruitment and in the workplace, to be paid less, to be offered precarious contracts, to be overlooked for promotions or training. Pushed at the margins of the labour market and underrepresented in trade unions, many Roma earn their livelihood from atypical, seasonal, or informal work. Job creation efforts are not enough, and the potential of social entrepreneurship is insufficiently supported. Increasing effective equal access to quality and sustainable employment is an objective of the EU Roma Strategic Framework, while it is also extensively covered by the European Pillar of Social Rights, and decent work is Goal 8 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The event launched ERGO Network’s research report on “Roma access to decent and sustainable employment”, based on six national case studies carried out in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. ERGO Network members in Ireland provided additional benchmarking evidence. The main findings and recommendations aim to kick-start a dialogue with key decision-makers and stakeholders to identify positive solutions to support better labour market inclusion for Roma and to inform the delivery of the EU Roma Strategic Framework and the Social Pillar, as well as of other relevant policy initiatives.

The Key Messages of the report are:

The majority of Roma are not in paid work, at least not in the formal economy, and they are not adequately supported to enter the labour market.
The Roma who work are in poor-quality jobs with low pay, insecure contracts, unsafe working conditions, no access to training, and almost no trade union coverage.
Antigypsyism is pervasive in recruitment as well as in the workplace.
Pushed to the margins of the labour market, the Roma make ends meet through the informal economy, pursuing traditional crafts, or seeking work abroad.
Job creation efforts that would benefit Roma are scarce, and while the social economy holds great potential for Roma employment, it is currently underutilised.
Participation of Roma communities and their civil society organisations is paramount to co-create sustainable ways forward.

With the adoption of the EU Roma Strategic Framework up to 2030, governments were asked to develop National Roma Strategic Frameworks both in EU Member States and Western Balkan countries. In addition, civil society in EU Member States received funding from the European Commission to monitor the elaboration and adoption of these national strategic frameworks. To ensure an effective implementation, robust and continued monitoring of the entire policy process should be ensured.

The second part of the event assessed the state of play of the National Roma Frameworks in both the EU and Enlargement countries and their alignment with the EU Roma Strategic Framework on Equality, Inclusion, and Participation. It linked Council Recommendation in the context of a new European Parliament and European Commission. The session included a keen focus on the fight against antigypsyism, launching a new ERGO Network survey report on the topic. It also looked at digital inclusion and the role of cities in this respect.

Closing remarks were provided by Irena Moozová, Deputy Director General in the European Commission, DG Justice and Consumers, and the event was closed by Gabriela Hrabaňová, ERGO Network Director. The conference was very well attended with over 75 on-site and online participants, and it brought together ERGO Network national members from the grassroots level in many European countries, as well as other national practitioners, European civil society organisations, policy-makers from the EU and national levels, and other stakeholders.

If you attended this event or watched the recording, please let us know what you thought about it by filling out this brief Evaluation Form (project reference: 101140452; event title: ERGO Network Annual Policy Conference).

See more:

Visual summary by Ale listens and draws www.alelistens.com

For more information about this event, please don’t hesitate to contact us: info@ergonetwork.org

This conference is kindly supported by the European Union Programme for Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV)  and by the German Federal Foreign Office.

ERGO Network Annual Policy Conference 2023

IMPLEMENTING THE EU ROMA STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK. ROMA ACCESS TO QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING

This past 28 November 2023, ERGO Network organised its annual Policy Conference in Brussels, dedicated to exploring how to improve Roma access to adequate, affordable, quality, and inclusive housing, as well as to taking stock of the implementation of the EU and National Roma Frameworks, with a particular focus on housing and environmental justice.

The conference featured keynote interventions from Annelisa Cotone, coordinator for Roma inclusion in the cabinet of European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli, Hon. Peter Pollák MEP (Slovakia, EPP), as well as Paul Divakar Namala, from the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent.

Many Roma still live in informal settlements and segregated neighbourhoods, in inadequate dwellings and disastrous living conditions, with severe environmental consequences. Unable to meet ever-rising housing costs or to prove legal ownership of their home, they endure forced evictions, homelessness, and antigypsyism from local authorities, landlords, and neighbours. Ensuring access to housing and adequate services is an objective of the EU Roma Strategic Framework, while it is also extensively covered by the European Pillar of Social Rights (Social Pillar), the compass for Europe’s recovery, and supported by Goals 6, 7, 11, 13 and 15 of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

The event launched ERGO Network’s research report on “Roma access to quality and affordable housing”, based on six national case studies carried out in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. Additional benchmarking evidence was provided by ERGO Network members in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ireland, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Türkiye. The main findings and recommendations aim to kick-start a dialogue with key decision-makers and stakeholders and aim to identify positive solutions to support better housing inclusion for Roma and inform the delivery of the EU Roma Strategic Framework and the Social Pillar, as well as other relevant policy initiatives.

The Key Messages of the report are:

Roma living conditions are significantly worse than those of the majority, while most Roma experience de facto homelessness.
Most Roma live in segregated communities and/or informal settlements, many exposed to environmental hazards.
High costs of housing and overcomplex administrative procedures further reduce Roma access to housing.
The Roma continue to face antigypsyism and forced evictions.
Social housing holds great potential for Roma housing but is currently under-utilised.
Roma communities and their civil society organisations must be involved to co-create sustainable ways forward.

With the adoption of the EU Roma Strategic Framework up to 2030, governments were asked to develop national Roma strategic frameworks both in EU Member States and Western Balkan countries. In addition, civil society in EU Member States received funding from the European Commission to monitor these national strategic frameworks’ elaboration and adoption process. To ensure an effective implementation of the national frameworks, robust and continued monitoring of the entire policy process should be ensured.

The second part of the event assessed the state of play of the National Roma Frameworks in the EU and Enlargement countries and their alignment with the EU Roma Strategic Framework on Equality, Inclusion, and Participation. It linked Council Recommendation, with a keen focus on the areas of housing and environmental justice, also looking at follow-up steps to ensure that implementation does not overlook these important aspects.

The conference was very well attended with over 75 on-site and online participants, and it brought together ERGO Network national members from the grassroots level in many European countries, other national practitioners, European civil society organisations, policy-makers from the EU and national levels, and other stakeholders.

If you attended this event or watched the recording, don’t forget to let us know what you think about it by filling out this brief Evaluation Form (project reference: 101104354; event title: ERGO Network Annual Policy Conference).

See more:

Visuals provided by Ale Listens and Draws

For more information about this event, please don’t hesitate to contact us: info@ergonetwork.org

ERGO reaction to Council Recommendations on Digital Skills

ERGO Network reacts to the Council Recommendations on digital skills and digital education and training:

What’s in them for Europe’s Roma[1]?

On 18 April 2023, the European Union put forward two Council Recommendations, one on improving the provision of digital skills in education and training, and one on key enabling factors for successful digital education and training. Both Recommendations are part of the European Year of Skills and the ambitious Digital Education Action Plan, articulating a vision of high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe and aiming to support the adaptation of the education and training systems of Member States to the digital age.

ERGO Network has consistently advocated for more and better digital inclusion for Europe’s Roma, so that they don’t end up being the losers of the digital transition. As such we were delighted to see that the Roma are mentioned in both Council Recommendations. Roma children and learners are not provided, from a very early age, with the same learning opportunities as their majority peers, as the vicious circles of poverty and antigypsyism act as powerful barriers in accessing both digital skills, as well as education and training through digital means. Subsequently, they have lower attendance and completion rates, which in turn lead to higher poverty rates and poor labour market integration and social participation.

In the Council Recommendation on improving the provision of digital skills in education and training, the Roma are explicitly referenced in the Explanatory Memorandum, which highlights that having a Roma background (alongside gender, socio-economic and migrant background) strongly correlates with poorer digital skills outcomes. While this is a welcome mention, it is a pity that the document stops short of pointing out why that correlation exists and tackling intersectional discrimination. In fact, there is only one reference to discrimination in the whole document, still in the Explanatory Memorandum, and it is only a brief reference to the right to non-discrimination in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which this Council Recommendation is in line with.

We are further pleased to notice several references to racial or ethnic origin and minority background in the document. The Union of Equality and its role in supporting the most marginalised communities is highlighted, including – in a footnote – its 5 key initiatives adopted thus far, including the EU Roma Strategic Framework for Equality, Inclusion and Participation, and the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan. Additionally, the Recommendation supports a gender equality approach, inclusive supporting girls with a minority racial or ethnic background.

The Council Recommendation on the key enabling factors for successful digital education and training also contains one reference to Europe’s Roma, who are named among other disadvantaged learners (such as those with low skills, experiencing poverty, or of migrant background) who have less access to computers at home and start using digital devices later in life. Aside this reference, the document – similarly to the other Council Recommendation – includes the same pro-forma references to the Union of Equality and its composing initiatives (including the EU Roma Framework and the Anti-Racism Action Plan) and to Article 21 on anti-discrimination of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. A clear commitment to tackling discrimination and racism, and in particular antigypsyism in order to curb the digital divide and guarantee equal and inclusive access, is missing from both texts.

ERGO Network warmly welcomes these references, because experience has shown time and time again that the Roma and other racialised communities must be explicitly included in mainstream policy documents and objectives, or generalised approaches will see them left behind. Dealing with Roma access to education exclusively under the EU Roma Strategic Framework leads to siloing of issues, rather than comprehensive solutions that tackle challenges (and their roots!), focusing on both prevention and resolution.

To ensure that every Roma child gets a good start in life, we must guarantee equal access to quality and inclusive digital education and training, including digital skills. We hope that European Commission efforts to curb the digital divide and to ensure access to quality and inclusive education, including digital education, for all will explicitly include a focus on Roma learners, as some of the most disadvantaged learners in Europe.

For more information about our work on Roma digital inclusion, please contact Amana Ferro (a.ferro@ergonetwork.org), Senior Policy Adviser with the ERGO Network staff team.

Download this position in .pdf here!Download

[1] The umbrella term “Roma” encompasses diverse groups, including Roma, Sinti, Kale, Romanichels, Boyash/Rudari, Ashkali, Egyptians, Yenish, Dom, Lom, Rom and Abdal, as well as Traveller populations (gens du voyage, Gypsies, Camminanti, etc.), in accordance with terminology used by the European Commission.

EC on strengthening social dialogue – What’s in it for Europe’s Roma?

European Commission releases initiative on strengthening social dialogue – What’s in it for Europe’s Roma?

On 25 January 2023, the European Commission put forward an initiative on strengthening social dialogue, aimed at empowering social partners to deliver on their role to ensure social fairness and democracy at work, and to boost Europe’s prosperity and resilience. The initiative includes a Council Recommendation, which sets out how EU countries can further strengthen social dialogue and collective bargaining at national level, as well as a Communication on reinforcing and promoting social dialogue at EU level.

ERGO Network has engaged with the preparation of this initiative during 2022, with a view to raise awareness on the specific concerns of Roma workers. We contributed to the call for evidence issued by the European Commission in October last year, based on our Snapshot on social dialogue and involvement of workers. We have reviewed the proposed initiative in light of this input.

Read our full response to the initiative here!

We warmly welcome this initiative of the European Commission to ensure that social dialogue continues to fulfil its key role for just, resilient, inclusive, and democratic societies, particularly at a time when several Members States are attempting to shrink trade union powers. However, the approach does not seem to be inspired by a view to contribute to inclusive labour markets, through supporting diversity and giving a voice to the most disenfranchised, including vulnerable groups.

We are very disappointed to note that there is no reference to Europe’s Roma in either the proposed Council Recommendation or the Commission communication. Moreover, there is no mention of ethnic minorities or ethnic background, or migrant or refugee workers, or other key groups of workers facing discrimination in employment. In fact, there is no mention of racism or discrimination in the two documents.

We further appreciate that the initiative clearly points out the decline in trade union coverage over the past three decades, however these findings are disaggregated by gender, but not by any other indicator relating for example to race and ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity etc. Equally disappointingly, the European Commission puts forward no proposals on how to improve trade union membership. This should have been a key objective of the initiative, as a means to strengthen legitimacy and credibility of social partners.

We salute that the initiative makes a strong plea for trade unions to take into account the emergence of new forms of employment including the self-employed, and to make efforts to include these workers in their structures. This can be very positive for Roma workers, often excluded from the traditional labour market due to widespread antigypsyism, and hence forced to engage in atypical forms of work to survive.

In the context of the evolving nature of labour markets, it is regrettable and inaccurate that both documents use “company” in an interchangeable way with “employer”, thus completely overlooking labour relations in the public and the third sector, where adequate social dialogue to protect workers’ rights is just as needed.

It is high time that the European Commission put forward a similar initiative, codifying, supporting and strengthening civil dialogue. Social fairness and democracy must be guaranteed for the whole of society, not just in the workplace.

Finally, we are pleased to see the European Commission’s commitment to promote social dialogue and collective bargaining in the context of the enlargement process, supporting candidate countries to strengthen their social dialogue processes.

For more information about our work on the Roma employment, please contact Amana Ferro (a.ferro@ergonetwork.org), Senior Policy Adviser in the ERGO Network staff.