Even in the second decade of the 21^st century, Spain still faces a structural problem: the presence of slum and  substandard housing settlements inwhich families live in situations of extreme vulnerability. The mere existence of these settlements represents a violation of basic rights, with a possible discriminatory element given the overrepresentation of certain social groups. The settlements’ continued existence also entrenches the situation of inequality and extreme poverty of their inhabitants. In particular, the presence of large numbers of minors makes it inevitable that these situations of extreme vulnerability will be passed on to the next generation.

For all these reasons, there was an urgent need for a precise analysis of the situation in these settlements, accurately quantifying their residents’ vulnerability in various spheres, and analysing their ethnic and racial composition with a view to documenting the existence of structural discrimination. The main objective of this study is precisely this: an analysis of the situation of people living in informal settlements, aimed at understanding specific aspects such as the population’s ethnic and racial composition, their socioeducational, employment and financial circumstances, possible violations of their basic rights and the discriminatory situations they face.

The study presents data broken down by sex and age with the aims of identifying whether these situations affect men and women in different ways, and of exploring their impact on children.