This hinders young Roma from achieving their professional goals.

Residents of Roma segregated areas usually start from a particularly difficult situation in terms of education and employment – points out the HBLF-Romaster Foundation, which supports the further education and employment of young Roma. In families living in extreme poverty and disadvantaged areas, children often miss a lot of school because they have no way to get to school or, in the event of illness, no money for medicine, so recovery takes longer. And due to isolation, they usually learn the problem-solving and communication patterns expected in education and employment later and with more difficulty, which further deepens the gap. A large proportion of Roma do not live in segregated areas, yet the inequalities of opportunity accumulated over generations and the resulting lack of education also reduce the chances of new generations to continue their education and to live an intellectual life.

Although participation in kindergarten education has been mandatory in our country from the age of three since 2015, according to 2021 data from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, 41% of Roma children aged 3-5 do not attend such an institution, and 44% of Roma students study in a segregated educational environment.

Due to the frequent experiences of failure and discrimination faced by Roma children and young people, the dropout rate among them is exceptionally high. The latest data, in 2023, 64% of Roma young people aged 18–24 were considered early school leavers, meaning they had at most a primary education and did not participate in any education. In the case of non-Roma young people, this rate is only 9.4%. Based on the results of the 2022 census, the participation of Roma young people in higher education has increased in recent decades, but it still lags significantly behind that of non-Roma. While in 2001, 0.7% of the Roma population over 20 had a higher education, this proportion increased to 3.3% by 2022, compared to 23.5% of ethnic Hungarians.

Early school leaving is closely linked to unemployment, which significantly affects not only the communities concerned, but also the entire society and economy. The Central Statistical Office (KSH) data, less than half of those with a primary education – just 40.1% – can find a job in the labor market. In contrast, those with secondary education find it much easier to find work: the employment rate among them is 78.6%.

In this social and economic environment, initiatives aimed at equalizing opportunities, education and employment for Roma youth are particularly important. Promoting the social mobility of Roma is crucial not only for the individual, but also for the entire society and economy.