Mapping of research on Roma children in the European Union

This report is the culmination of nine month’s work mapping research related to Roma children across seventeen European countries. While the authors were actively supported throughout the project by many Roma organisations and individuals, they were also constantly challenged as to the benefits of research to Roma generally and to Roma children in particular. Research is a tool to acquire knowledge and understanding and our aim throughout the mapping exercise has been to improve all stakeholders’ access to research and data that affect Roma children in order to strengthen their capacity to make informed decisions; improve policy making and programme design; and challenge discriminatory systems, structures or practice that impede full realisation of children’s rights as laid down in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The report therefore recommends strongly that donors, funders and research institutions promote a better balance of child-related, child-focussed and child rights-based research and expand child involvement in all three strands through integrated research that examines the child’s situation holistically and promotes multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder responses. This report recognises also that research is not always used to best effect for children and to be effective, investment is needed not just in research but in advocacy. It recommends that agencies move away from the current model of supporting one-off research initiatives towards one which builds research capacity in local and national Roma and child-rights agencies and institutionalises children’s rights in national and European Roma NGOs.