Press release

New national strategy to tackle Gypsy, Roma and Traveller inequalities

Communities Minister Lord Bourne launches a national strategy to tackle entrenched inequality and improve the lives of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

From:
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (2018 to 2021) and Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Published
6 June 2019

Communities Minister Lord Bourne has today (6 June 2019) launched a national strategy to tackle entrenched inequality and improve the lives of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is to lead the national strategy, working with several government departments and the Cabinet Office Race Disparity Unit to improve outcomes in areas including health, education and employment.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne said:

We recognise that members of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities continue to face some of the steepest challenges in society. Despite ongoing government work in this area, it’s clear that more needs to be done.

Health, education and housing inequalities are considerable, and we know that that there are disproportionate levels of violence experienced by some women and girls within  Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

To bridge these divides and tackle these vital issues, we are launching an ambitious programme of work, to be undertaken across government, which will aim to tackle the serious disparities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

The announcement comes as communities across the country celebrate the start of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month and will build on the government’s ongoing work to support Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

In order to address the serious disparities highlighted by the Race Disparity Audit, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has provided £200,000 of funding between 6 projects aiming to improve outcomes for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in the areas of educational attainment, health and social integration.

The department has also funded 22 projects which support Roma communities across England through the Controlling Migration Fund.

In addition, the department has provided funding to 2 projects to improve the reporting of hate crime by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

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Published 6 June 2019