Roma Children

Roma children are offspring of a wide diversity of individuals who identify as Roma, or as Sinti, Kale, Tsigane, Gitanos, Lovari, travelers, gypsies, and many more, depending on their historic roots, who might speak Romani language and its dialects, or any language of the local people. Today, Roma people on all continents face similar exclusionary practices compared to the national majorities. This demographic group is the largest European minority, as well as the youngest, with almost half being under the age of 18 years. Roma children’s identity development is framed both by their family experiences and their history, as well as by the stereotypes about the community transmitted through media and often shared by school authorities, neighbors, and politicians.

This entry highlights the obstacles faced by ...