Eurobarometer: Roma are Europe's most discriminated group, more than 20 % of Europeans felt discriminated against last year
According to a new Eurobarometer survey on the attitudes of Europeans toward discrimination, harassment, equality of the sexes and LGBTIQ rights, more than half of respondents are of the opinion that discrimination on the basis of being Romani, of having a different skin color, on the basis of ethnic origin, gender identity or sexual orientation is widespread in their countries. Slightly more than one-fifth of respondents stated that they had personally felt discriminated against or experienced harassment during the previous 12 months.
The survey, which was undertaken among 26,404 citizens of the European Union, focused on their attitudes toward and their experiences of discrimination, equality of the sexes, harassment, the integration of Roma, LGBTIQ rights and social inclusion. The survey is one component of the monitoring of EU public opinion regularly undertaken by the European Commission.
According to the survey, 65 % of respondents said discrimination against Romani people is widespread, 61 % said discrimination based on skin color is widespread, 60 % said discrimination based on ethnicity is widespread, 57 % said that discrimination based on gender identity (being transgender) is widespread, and 54 % said discrimination based on sexual orientation is widespread. The sole exception among the categories investigated was discrimination based on faith or religion, which is less likely to be perceived as widespread (just 42 % of respondents said it is) compared to 2019 (five percentage points lower).
Roughly one-fifth (21 %) of respondents said that they had personally experienced harassment or felt discriminated against during the last 12 months (four percentage points higher than in 2019). The kinds of discrimination or harassment which were mentioned most were based on age, sex, “political opinions”, “socioeconomic situation” and “general physical appearance”.
Public places and workplaces are the main places where discrimination or harassment happens. The survey also indicates that more efforts are necessary to integrate the Romani population in the EU.
Just about one-fourth of respondents said they believe the efforts in their country to integrate the Romani population are effective. However, the results differ significantly from country to country.
In the Czech Republic, for example, just 19 % of respondents consider the integration of Romani people to be working. When respondents were asked which criteria they think could disqualify an applicant from being employed, they most frequently mentioned age (52 %) and clothing or presentation style (50 %).
Other criteria disqualifying jobseekers were mentioned by at least one-third of respondents as follows: general physical appearance (44 %), disability (43%), being Romani (42 %), skin color (39 %), accent (35 %) and ethnic origin (34 %). The Eurobarometer survey is one of the biggest, most comprehensive public opinion surveys in Europe.
The aim of the survey is to provide evidence and information to aid lawmakers and policy makers in the EU and its Member States with protecting and promoting the fundamental rights of all EU citizens.
