Avoiding the Dependency Trap: The Roma in Central and Eastern Europe

Across Central and Eastern Europe, many of the region's Roma ethnic populations endure problems of poverty and social exclusion, in terms of access to employment opportunities, health deprivation such as high levels of infant mortality and poor basic nutrition, education and literacy, and household income. These problems increase dependency on the State, creating a vicious circle that further widens the socio-economic gap between Roma and majority populations with damaging social and political consequences. This report broadens the debate about their marginalization in Europe by moving the focus from human rights alone to the greater challenge of human development.