From May 25th to June 12th, 2022, the NGO “Chirikli” conducted a survey regarding the needs of internally displaced persons from the Romani population in the Zakarpattia, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa regions.
A total of 709 individuals participated in the survey, aged 18 to 75, including 453 women and 256 men. The majority of respondents were married and lived in families of 1 to 22 people. The families of respondents had between 1 to 13 children.
In the survey, nearly every second respondent in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia felt safe, while 65% felt safe in Zakarpattia. In all three regions, the majority of respondents had already obtained the status of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Respondents mentioned that they currently receive social payments, most commonly in the form of monthly targeted assistance for displaced persons. Additionally, they expressed a specific need for additional assistance such as funds, food, document processing support, clothing, housing search, medication, and personal hygiene items.
Significantly, Romani displaced individuals reported experiencing prejudice or discriminatory treatment based on their ethnicity, either towards themselves or their children. This occurred in government institutions, social services, medical and educational facilities, public places, during employment processes, at work, and even in humanitarian aid centers.
In Zaporizhzhia, 48% of respondents encountered such treatment, every fifth respondent in Zakarpattia, and more than half in Odesa.
Respondents also emphasized their need for legal assistance. Almost a third of respondents in Zakarpattia, one in ten in Zaporizhzhia, and virtually all respondents in Odesa stated this need.
The research was conducted within the “Community Participation Strengthening” project, supported by the Diaconess Foundation and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Read the full research reports for each region:
