New survey maps Greece’s Roma population

Greece’s Roma assemblage is chiefly a young colonisation group, with a important proportionality surviving successful lodging that does not conscionable basal wellness standards and surviving either by taking occasional time jobs oregon done state benefits. The vast bulk person small to nary ceremonial acquisition and deficiency specialized skills – factors that, combined with the stereotypes attached to them, marque it hard to entree the labour marketplace and amended their κοινωνικά and economical standing.

Nevertheless, the community’s κοινωνικά characteristics are evolving, albeit slowly, according to a study by the Social Cohesion Ministry’s General Secretariat for Social Solidarity and Combating Poverty completed successful June with European Union backing and presented by Kathimerini.

According to the report, it is estimated that 116,090 Roma unrecorded successful Greece, crossed 38,529 families, representing 1.11% of the country’s imperishable population. They are spread crossed 142 municipalities nationwide, with the largest numbers recovered successful Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Attica, Thessaly, Western Greece and Central Macedonia.

The largest conception of the population, 52,983 people, unrecorded successful settlements where imperishable houses stand alongside makeshift structures, prefabricated units, oregon trailers. About 30,000 reside successful standard houses oregon apartments, mostly successful degraded neighborhoods within municipality areas. According to the survey, 13,786 Roma unrecorded dispersed within cities and are afloat integrated into section communities. However, astir 20,000 radical proceed to unrecorded successful highly adverse conditions successful encampments consisting of tents, improvised huts, oregon shacks.

The Roma colonisation is besides very young, with 47.4% betwixt the ages of 20 and 39. Nearly 1 successful five, oregon 19.8%, are betwixt 20 and 29 years old. Only 26.1% are betwixt 40 and 69, while conscionable 3.1% are implicit 70, compared with 16.8% successful the wide population. Strikingly, lone 0.6% of Roma are implicit 80, whereas the fig for the wide colonisation is 7.3%.

Having children is profoundly rooted successful the Romani culture, careless of the perceived quality to support a ample family, with parents, grandparents and different relatives often providing an indispensable support system. Indeed, much than 50% of the colonisation belongs to ample families with three oregon much children; a specified 5% person 1 kid and 12% person two.

As the researchers note, “there are important differences betwixt Roma children and the wide population. Specifically, according to the survey data, Roma children up to 18 years aged marque up 36.1% of the population, while, based connected the 2021 census by the Hellenic Statistical Authority, children up to 19 years aged successful the wide colonisation relationship for 18.6%.”

Living conditions

More than fractional (54%) of the survey’s respondents accidental they unrecorded successful their ain dwelling, adjacent if it is makeshift accommodation without energy oregon basal sanitation facilities, while 32% study surviving successful lodging provided to them. The researchers enactment that conscionable 11% of respondents successful the survey, which was carried retired via questionnaires and interviews, unrecorded arsenic tenants, “possibly due to the fact that the deficiency of a steady income denies them entree to rented property, arsenic landlords are reluctant to judge them.” Some 3%, meanwhile, unrecorded successful shacks oregon squats.

Contrary to prevalent stereotypes, Greece’s Romani assemblage is not nomadic. In fact, 76% of respondents accidental they person lived successful the aforesaid spot for much than six years and person chosen to bash so due to the fact that it is besides where members of their adjacent oregon extended household live.

Regardless of the size of their families – which are usually rather large – 46% of respondents unrecorded successful a location with two rooms and 24% stock one, a situation that researchers accidental whitethorn person repercussions connected the quality to conscionable idiosyncratic household members’ needs, such arsenic those of children with schoolwork.

In the meantime, lone two successful 10 person entree to a harmless and changeless powerfulness supply and two successful 10 person nary entree to energy astatine all. And adjacent though 68% of respondents person a flushing toilet successful their dwelling, 22% of Romani households bash not person entree to basal sanitation facilities, such arsenic a toilet oregon a shower. A working sink is simply a luxury available to conscionable 34% of respondents.

Researchers enactment that entree to a installation similar a ablution and a toilet is not conscionable important successful terms of wellness and sanitation, but besides affects however members of the assemblage are regarded astatine work, schoolhouse and society astatine large.

With respect to connection and technology, 98% of respondents person a cellphone, but juts implicit fractional (51%) bash not person nett access, while 90% of families person a television and conscionable 24% a computer.

Paid work, which is seldom accordant and reliable, constitutes the main source of income for 51% of Greece’s Roma, while 45% subsist connected state subsidies and support. The jobs successful which Roma are typically employed are precarious, low-skilled and usually undocumented.

Marriage & education

Married beingness for some Roma girls tin statesman arsenic aboriginal arsenic 11, though the mean property for matrimony is 17, when galore besides person their archetypal child. Some Roma boys wed astatine the property of 13, though the much typical property is 19.

In terms of education, a important 14% of the colonisation cannot work oregon write. Just 4% person a high-school diploma and 1% person attended university. Researchers accidental that schoolhouse dropout rates person decreased importantly successful caller years, particularly aft benefits were linked to a family’s children attending school. Nevertheless, 17% of Roma children bash not be schoolhouse regularly.