The Basilio Paraíso Foundation presented on Tuesday the report “The second generation of immigrants in Aragon”, An unpublished study focused on people born in the community with at least one foreign parent. This group already represents 6% of the Aragonese population and reaches 25% in the case of children.
The report, prepared by sociologists Jacobo Muñoz Comet (UNED) and Albert Arcarons (CIS), highlights significant advances regarding the first generation in areas such as education and employment. However, it also reveals the persistence of important material inequalities, especially during childhood.
Despite Aragon’s favorable economic context – among the five communities with the highest GDP per capita and an average house -in -home income that places it in eighth national position -, the risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE rate) continues to disproportionately affect this group.
“We cannot ignore persistent inequalities, especially in the material level. The probability of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE rate) in the second generation in Aragon is 35 points higher than that of the natives, and in the case of childhood, second -generation children have 4.5 times more risk of monetary poverty than native children. In addition, the costs related to housing aggravate these inequalities in a significant population Aragonese, ”said Jorge Villarroya, president of the Foundation.
In the workplace, second generation youth have a better insertion than their parents. With a 12.8%unemployment rate, they are below both the national average for their group (22.3%) and that recorded in the first generation in Aragon (18.4%). In addition, they more frequently access stable and qualified jobs.
33.9%of these people work in professional, technical or managerial occupations, even surpassing the Aragonese natives (32%) and duplicating the first generation (8.3%). Its presence in non -qualified manual works has been reduced from 64.2% to 28.6%.
A young group
The average age of this group is 17.5 years, confirming its young character and its growing weight in the future demographic of the community. In addition, 39.1% of second -generation young people have completed university studies, compared to 15.7% of the first generation and approaching 49.2% of Aragonese natives.
“The second generation is making a great effort to integrate and is achieving it. But the data also warns us that equal opportunities is not guaranteed. We need public policies that accompany this process and do not go back to hate or exclusion speeches,” said Pilar de la Vega, a patron of honor of the Foundation.
For its part, Villarroya stressed that “this report confirms what many of us sensed: Aragon can no longer be thought of without the contribution of the sons and daughters of immigration. His future is ours. And its success, an indicator of the health of our society.”
