Roma in the COVID-19 Crisis: An early warning from six EU member states

Roma communities in Europe face a heightened risk for death and complications from COVID-19, as their situation marked by racism and poverty has been worsening during the last decade. Every third Roma child lives in a household where someone went to bed hungry at least once in the previous month. Between 2011 and 2016, the number of Roma children in segregated and substandard education increased from 10 to 15 percent. The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating this worsening situation for Roma communities. 

This briefing presents an early warning based on information collected through the Open Society Roma Initiatives Office’s network of advocates on the ground in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. Find more information on the Open Society Foundations website.