School segregation of Roma children remains at high levels in some countries of the European Union, but Portugal has significantly lower figures comparatively, according to data from the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), released this Thursday.

Analysing the percentage of Roma children between 6 and 15 years old who attend schools in which the majority of their colleagues are Roma, there is a significant difference when children live in neighbourhoods or locations where the population is complete or mostly “gypsy”, against those who live in mixed population neighbourhoods.

For example, in Hungary 73% of children living in neighbourhoods with a majority of Roma population say that their school reflects this reality, with most, if not all, colleagues sharing the same ethnicity. As for those who live in mixed population neighbourhoods, only 22% say they have classes mostly or completely of their ethnicity. Slovakia and Bulgaria are two other countries where segregation numbers are high.

However, in the nine countries analysed, Portugal has the lowest numbers of segregation indicators in overall terms: only 17% of Roma children living in neighbourhoods with a majority Roma population claim to have classes mostly of their ethnicity, a percentage that drops to 10% for those who live in mixed population locations.

Link: https://algarvedailynews.com/news/18100-segregation-of-roma-communities-in-portugal-not-in-schools-but-housing-a-major-issue?fbclid=IwAR0O-qUK9bx6fx7Jf1x8JJtmvNMWexq1CacBN4NUmgE7_n2MNdfSKTq_6gU

Due to the way of life and the conditions in which many Roma live in Slovenia, they die earlier than the majority of the population of Slovenia. This was shown by the research of the National Institute of Health (NIJZ), which was published last summer without too much public response. The data show that the infant mortality rate of Roma under 1 year of age is four times higher than that of newborns of this age group in Slovenia, while the mortality rate among children aged 1 to 4 years is even seven times higher.

"Research has shown that the average life expectancy of Roma men is 48 years, and for women 63 years, which is on average (55 years) almost 20 years less compared to the general population of Slovenia (77 years)," they wrote in the study.

The greatest difference is in newborns up to the age of four, who die four times or from one to four years of age even seven times faster than the average Slovenian child at this age.

Then, from the age of 30, the mortality rate among Roma increases significantly and reaches a peak between the ages of 40 and 49, when the mortality rate is 4 times higher than the Slovenian average.

Link: https://www.delo.si/novice/slovenija/romi-zivijo-dvajset-let-manj-kot-ostali-slovenci-318750.html?fbclid=IwAR3bFzG0BFo6uOl24ByaT1LmuaEUgmRwDezOWtOUMJ89V3SDYejgnAriaSU