Livelihood Strategies during the COVID-19 Epidemic in Materially Disadvantaged Roma Communities from Covasna County, Romania

Abstract

The study aims to analyze the livelihood strategies related to the labour market during the coronavirus pandemic in the context of the material and income situation in Roma communities in a multicultural rural area of Covasna County, Romania. The data source comprises adapted sociological research that was carried out using multiple methods in 2021, in three localities: Boroșneu, Ojdula, and Zăbala in Covasna County, Romania. Of the dimensions examined, housing deprivation, material deprivation, and unemployment were of particular importance. Based on these dimensions, we analyzed the local economic situation and social services; we then developed a typology of dimensions to analyze the livelihood strategies of Roma groups from different socio-economic backgrounds during the coronavirus pandemic. We tried to answer questions about the changes and ways of adaptation in the livelihood strategies of Roma communities to the restrictions that occurred during the coronavirus pandemic in Romania from 2020–2021. The results of the research show that during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the material and income situations worsened for people previously employed in the informal labour market, involved in precarious work, and those of very low work intensity in selected rural Roma communities in Covasna County. Neither the regulations and legal measures introduced, nor the social protection system, was sensitive to the needs of the Roma, who were the most vulnerable to the social consequences of the pandemic restrictions.

Exploring Hidden Costs of Seasonal Migration in Agriculture within Roma Communities of Origin: Evidence from Romania

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation worsened significantly for vulnerable populations compared to the general population. In Romania, the Roma population found themselves in such a situation, and life in Roma communities became more challenging than before [18,50]. Among the dimensions of life that were most severely affected were health, education, and social protection.…”

“…The shift from in-person to online education posed greater difficulties in Roma communities because many students lacked the necessary digital devices and skills, and parental support was less prevalent [52]. Last but not least, the fact that the Roma population has higher rates of informal labour and seasonal migration for work meant they were often overlooked by government programs aimed at providing social protection to those whose employment was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic [18].…”

“…The Roma ethnic minority in Europe is not homogeneous, but there are high levels of exclusion and precariousness in the Roma communities in any country [16,17]. For Roma in Romania, the seasonal work abroad, combined with local casual work and social benefits, plays an important role in providing income and improving housing conditions for disadvantaged people and their families [14,18].…”