Regional Report on Social Exclusion and Social Economy Initiatives in Rural Areas – Bodrogköz – Hungary

The main aim of this report was to collect information regarding the situation of rural areas and the communities residing in each of the participating regions in the ESIRA project (ENHANCING SOCIAL INNOVATION IN RURAL AREAS HORIZON 101136253). These reports will act as the basis of D4.1, “Benchmark study on social exclusion in rural areas,” and D4.2, “Multi-level analysis of social economy initiatives in rural areas”.

This report aimed to go beyond the literature and statistical data available and, together with the organisations participating in the pilots, explore the regions' situations and the drivers behind the disadvantages.

The report introduces the territorial organization of Hungary and analyses the situation of people living in rural areas, focusing on territorial inequalities.

A deeper examination of the drivers of vulnerability and social exclusion in rural contexts was done in Cigánd Districts. The analysis considers the social processes in the region and the livelihood opportunities at the municipal level. Existing assets and hidden resources in the municipality were assessed according to statistical data and the opinions of the leading local social economy stakeholders.

The research methodology of this report included mixed tools: desk research and literature review for getting to know the local context, statistical data collection, and interviews. We have gathered and reviewed strategic and program-level documents regarding the district; scientific literature; evaluation reports; history of the area; EU programme documents; laws etc.

This literature review was complemented with statistical data from central and territorial statistical databases and from literature.

We have conducted six interviews in the district with colleagues from a charity which is active in the region (and who are the MAP managers), local social economy organisations, and local mayors; and we have complemented the qualitative data with the results of a case study we have conducted in 2023 in the area. This case study was part of a set of research and project evaluation carried out for the Catching-up Settlements programme, which is a national social inclusion programme for the most disadvantaged settlements and people living there. The project methodology of the Catching-up Settlement programme envisaged different data collections techniques, focusing on different aspects (the end beneficiaries, the implementers, the social care system surrounding this programme etc.). For the case study we have interviewed experts from social institutions, EU-funded projects and local administration, for a total of six key informants; the interviews have focused (among the programme-specific questions) on the social exclusion in the district, and the challenges people who are living there face.

There were two challenges hindering the interviews: one was the Hungarian local (and EU Parliament) elections, which were held in early June, and due to which most institutional actors were not as cooperative as they would otherwise be (because this was the period of the election campaigns, and political leaders were even more selective with who they talk to and about what, and more vary of strangers who will ask them about the difficulties in their municipalities; and they would not encourage their colleagues or otherwise adjacent people to give interviews as well). The other one was the fact that the formulation of the MAP in the project has happened alongside with the formulation of the report; but it was not possible to meet the stakeholders jointly. However, the inputs from the initial MAP meetings were incorporated into the report, as we have conducted expert interviews with the MAP managers, who have shared the main impressions and results with us.