A new UNDEF-funded study documents the troubling housing situation of Roma in seven central and East European countries. Among the most immediate and pressing concerns for Roma across Europe, housing issues include overcrowding, poor and unsafe conditions, impending eviction, denied access to utilities, and unaffordable costs. The study looks at the situation of Roma in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia within the UNDEF-funded initiative “Empowerment of Roma to Fight Rights Deprivation”, implemented by the European Roma Rights Centre . It considers housing in the broadest scope possible, including houses, apartments, caravans, encampments and informal housing.

The study distinguishes itself from previous research in its methodology: the study employed Roma as researchers, authors and reviewers, thus educating and empowering grassroots Romani activists to promote the application of international human rights standards on housing rights in national legislation. “This research reaffirms the negative impact that poor housing conditions of Romani communities have on all other areas of their life, undermining employment, education and health," said Robert Kushen, the Executive Director of the European Roma Rights Centre. "This situation urgently needs to be addressed by the authorities in accordance with their obligations under international law.”