Median polling agency says Czechs consider coexistence with Roma problematic, but younger people's attitudes toward the minority are improving
The attitude of Czechs in the younger generation toward the Romani minority is improving compared to recent years. The Median agency’s new poll has demonstrated this.
The findings were presented in Prague on 18 October at a press conference by representatives of the Agency for Social Inclusion and the HateFree Culture project. The poll was conducted among roughly 2 000 people between the ages of 15 and 30, and its results were compared with a poll conducted in 2014.
According to this year’s poll, Czech youth do not believe in minority stereotypes as much as they once did and they are also less amused by humor that is racist. “The younger a person is, the greater the chance that the person will have an attitude of tolerance and respect for human rights,” Martina Veverková of the Median agency said.
When respondents were asked to assess how much information they have about the lives of minorities, most said they have enough information about homeless persons and about Romani people. In comparison with others, however, in the case of coexistence in society, the Romani minority was not given a very good ranking.
“People said the majority society has the most problematic coexistence with minorities such as the Roma, homeless people, and Muslims. On the other hand, they perceive their coexistence with Jewish people, pensioners, lesbians and gays positively,” Veverková said.
“Our aim is to offer instruments for effective communication of these subjects and the associated problems in the area of fear and hatred. We believe it is possible to create a cultivated environment for discussion and I think today’s presentation of this poll has shown this is actually succeeding,” said the director of the Agency for Social Inclusion, David Beňák.
Lukáš Houdek, the HateFree Culture project manager, pointed out during the presentation that discrimination against Romani people persists still in society. “This poll is not just about people declaring what their relationship is toward somebody, sometimes people project into that how they want to appear to others. We actually tested prejudices in practice here,” Houdek said.
