More work is needed to ensure Roma integration policies are implemented in practice
Recent survey findings by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) show that one in three Roma surveyed are unemployed, 90% are at risk of poverty, and 60% have experienced discrimination when looking for work.
On International Roma Day, FRA urged policy makers throughout the EU to ensure that implementation of national strategies for Roma integration make tangible improvements to the opportunities they are afforded and the enjoyment of their fundamental rights. Roma across the EU must have equal access to education, employment, healthcare and housing – all areas in which FRA’s survey results show that equal access has not yet been achieved. In the face of violence against Roma, law enforcement agencies and criminal justice systems must be attentive to any indication of racist motivation when investigating and prosecuting such incidents.