A/HRC/31/CRP.2
identities and histories.9 However, there is no official census data to confirm these figures.
Data has been disaggregated since 2001, but thus far only according to specific categories
of indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants. The National Institute to Combat
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism (Instituto Nacional contra la Discriminación, la
Xenofobia y el Racismo, INADI), located within the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights,
coordinates the “Discrimination Mapping Project” in collaboration with several
universities. In 2013 the project found Roma to be among the most discriminated against
groups in Argentina.
18.
In Argentina, it is estimated that only 5 per cent of the Roma population maintains a
semi-nomadic lifestyle. In large part, the culture of travelling was ended in the 1950s, when
President Juan Perón passed a law that forced most Argentinean Roma to stop travelling
and maintain a more sedentary lifestyle.
19.
The Special Rapporteur made numerous observations about the overall situation of
Roma in Brazil in her country visit report, including on new legislative and policy
initiatives.10 The Government of Brazil estimates that there are at least 500,000 Brazilian
Roma.11 A recent mapping project found Roma living in 337 municipalities in 21 States.
The Brazilian Government has committed itself to include Roma as a demographic
category in the next census, which will be held in 2020. This will be an important tool for
improving the mapping of the Roma population in Brazil. At present, very few Roma
communities maintain a travelling lifestyle.
20.
Participants observed that the Roma population in Brazil is heterogeneous, with
many different groups and subgroups. They urged the authorities to ensure that distinct
Roma communities can speak for themselves and are not misrepresented by other groups.
21.
In Canada, Roma were first included as a distinct ethnic group in the 2006 census,
under the category “Other European Origins: Roma (Gypsy)”. Only 5,255 people selfidentified as Roma in the census, but unofficial estimates indicate that the Roma population
in Canada is over 110,000. More than 90 per cent of the Roma population resides in the
Greater Toronto Area. It is believed that lack of self-identification in the 2006 census was
used by many Roma as a safety mechanism, due to their lack of trust in the system, and fear
of discrimination or other negative repercussions linked to public disclosure of their
identity.
22.
Participants estimated that there might be a population of around 50,000 Roma
across the whole of Chile. However, no official census data exists to confirm these figures.
Communities usually live in small camps of 20 to 100 people.
23.
In Colombia, 4830 individuals identified as Roma in the 2005 census, according to
the National Department of Statistics (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de
Estadísticas, DANE). The lack of self-reporting, however, means that the actual number
could be much higher. It is estimated that 94 per cent of the Colombian Roma population
lives in the departments of Atlántico, Bolívar, Bogotá, Nariño, Norte de Santander,
Santander and Valle del Cauca. The main cities in which the main kumpanias are located
are: Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Girón and Ipiales. Participants noted that many
9
10
11
6
The Response of the Government of Argentina to the Questionnaire issued by the Special Rapporteur
on Minorities, 2015 is available from
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/IEMinorities/ProtectionRoma/Argentina.pdf.
See A/HRC/31/56/Add.1, paras 14, 31, 40, 76–80, 115–117.
Relatório Executivo Brasil Cigano, May 2013, available from http://www.seppir.gov.br/portalantigo/arquivos-pdf/relatorio-executivo-brasil-cigano-1.