Roma in Poland:

Since the end of World War II, Poland is a homogeneous country in which all national and ethnic minorities constitute a little over 1% of 38.5 million inhabitants. According to the latest 2011 Population and Housing Census, 17,049 Polish citizens declared to belong to the Roma ethnic minority. Nonetheless, according to local institutions, Roma organisations and researchers, the number of Roma in Poland is estimated to be between 25-35 thousand.

The Roma in Poland belong predominantly to five groups. Polska Roma (Polish Roma), Romowie Karpaccy (Carpathian Roma, also known as Bergitka Roma), Kełderasze, Lowarzy and Sinti. These groups differ in culture, and in social and economic situations. According to Polish Law, Roma are legally recognised since 2005 as an ethnic minority. Since the 2000s, the Polish government has implemented an integration policy for Roma called the “Roma Programme”.

Poland’s National Roma Strategic Framework Programme for Social and Civic Integration of the Roma Community in Poland for 2021-2030, including appendices and background documents (Ministry of the Interior and Administration, 2020, in English).

Key problems:

They are at risk of discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin and because of being in a socially excluded situation.

The major weakness of the most recent Roma Programme 2021-2030 lies in the way it seeks to explain Roma’s marginalisation as a result of the ‘Roma culture’. Guilty are, therefore, Roma themselves or their culture and the aim of the Programme is to better “integrate” them into the Pole society. It believes that all issues Roma are facing, including discrimination, are the result of a lack of education among the Roma. However, it admits that Roma inclusion is not possible without the active engagement of the state institutions in combating antigypsyism and discrimination in all policy areas, i.e. making the Polish society inclusive for Roma. 

RCM Coordinator:

Jaw Dikh Foundation

RCM coalition members:

Central Council of Roma in Poland, Advisory and Information Centre for Roma

RCM 2 (2021-2025) reports:

Roma Civil Monitor (2022) Civil society monitoring report on the quality of the national strategic framework for Roma equality, inclusion, and participation in Poland. ENGLISHPOLISH

Poster presenting main findings of the report (2022):

RCM 1 (2017-2020) reports:

Roma Civil Monitor (2017) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategies in Poland: Focusing on structural and horizontal preconditions for successful implementation of the strategy. ENGLISHPOLISH

Roma Civil Monitor (2018) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategy in Poland:: Assessing the progress in four key policy areas of the strategy. ENGLISHPOLISH

Roma Civil Monitor (2020) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategy in Poland: Identifying blind spots in Roma inclusion policy.  ENGLISHPOLISH

Roma Civil Monitor 2017-2020 country fiche: Poland