Non-discrimination

Grappling with Europe’s racist colonial past must go beyond history books

Teaching colonialism is a first step to tackle structural racism in Europe, but inequality will not be eradicated unless addressed in education as a whole, according to experts.

Next German government pledges to fight racism, ensure diversity

The coalition agreement of Germany's Social Democrats, Greens and the liberal FDP puts a special emphasis on measures to guarantee the participation of side-lined and vulnerable groups and to fight racism on all fronts.

French delegation calls for ’emergency’ repatriation of children in Syria as winter nears

France and the EU should help organise “emergency” repatriation of French and other European women and children stuck in Syria before winter sets in, a French delegation said upon return from a mission to northeast Syria, where they met with Kurdish authorities.

Experts call for enhanced efforts to mainstream equality

Member states must take more concrete and legally binding steps to ensure equality in public and private institutions, and policy-making, according to experts at the recent Conference on Promoting Equality Mainstreaming on Friday 19 November.

Hungarian media to publish LGBTI campaign despite risk of fines

Three television channels and several magazines will publish an awareness campaign to educate on LGBTI families, despite the Hungarian media regulator having earlier initiated proceedings against networks on the same grounds, EURACTIV's media partner Telex reported.

(Anti)-discrimination in Europe: Where next?

As the European Commission is looking to come up with new laws next year to boost the prominence and independence of the bloc's equality bodies and strengthen victims’ rights as part of EU treaties, it is time to take stock of the long-standing issues of racism and discrimination in Europe.

Europe’s Roma at risk amid COVID-19 fourth wave

Europe's Roma communities will be at increased risk unless European countries speed up vaccination and design targeted support as the fourth COVID-19 wave and new lockdowns take hold in Europe, experts say.

Content moderation policies continue to face core dilemmas

A new report by the Danish think tank Justitia calls for embedding content moderation in an international human rights framework to ensure common international standards. Yet, critics warn that this voluntary approach is too weak to tackle the ‘Infodemic’.

Discrimination in Europe in times of COVID – How to combat it?

Discrimination in Europe is a topic high on the agenda of European leaders and policymakers. But despite all the legislation and policy aimed at its prevention, questions remain as to whether these laws and rules are being applied effectively.

EU has more work to do for human rights and tolerance

The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is still lacking visibility and use, especially within the EU member states, according to Michael O'Flaherty, director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), who addressed EU lawmakers on Monday (15 November).

EU court ruling fails to remove obstacles for voters with disabilities

In theory, all Europeans have the right to vote in local and national elections. But in practice, people with disabilities often face significant hurdles to exercising their voting rights.

Foreign ambassadors slam attack on LGBTQ centre in Bulgaria

Eleven foreign ambassadors in Bulgaria condemned on Monday (1 November) a weekend attack on an LGBTQ community centre that activists said was led by a nationalist candidate in the 4 November presidential vote.

Migrants brace for harsh winter in Bosnia

In Bosnia, close to the border with EU member Croatia, fears of cold, isolation, and evictions persist for asylum seekers soon to face sub-zero temperatures outside camps, as the opening of a new housing facility has been delayed several times.

Young people harassed at EP event; organisers say it wasn’t first time

Far-right youth delegations harassed members of ethnic and racial minority groups at this years European Youth Event (EYE) held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 8-9 October.

In Bosnia, the migration crisis is far from over

EURACTIV travelled to the Una Sana canton in northwestern Bosnia in mid-October for four days to interview institutional and non-governmental actors to present a clearer picture of the migration situation on the EU’s external border. These interviews and first-hand testimonies...

Bosnia: Afghans stuck in limbo on Bosnia-Croatia border

As the world awaits a possible new wave of refugees from Afghanistan to Europe in the aftermath of the fall of Kabul, vulnerable Afghans already on the EU's border face growing uncertainty.

Three in ten black employees report discrimination at work – UK survey

Almost three in ten black employees feel discriminated against by their employer while four in ten have left a job due to a lack of workplace diversity and inclusion, according to a new UK survey published on Friday (15 October).

Amidst pandemic, rule of law deteriorates in over half the world

The World Justice Project (WJP) has released the 2021 edition of the annual Rule of Law Index, which evaluates 139 countries and jurisdiction areas. The latest index demonstrates multi-year negative trends in the rule of law, some of which have been aggravated by the pandemic.

EU anti-racism action plan aligns well with UN report on racial justice

The EU Anti-racism Action Plan dovetails with the United Nations’ report on racial justice, according to experts. Yet, what is still needed is an integrated approach on how to put them into practice without national governments evading accountability.

Discrimination in Europe remains present, but under-reported

Discrimination based on ethnic origin remains a problem across Europe, and even more so as many people are not aware of how widespread it is, a recent study conducted by Young European Federalists (JEF) in three EU countries has shown

EU says will fight rising online anti-Semitism

The European Commission presented its new strategy against anti-Semitism on Tuesday (5 October), pointing to an " increasing, worrying tendency of anti-Semitic sentiment" in the EU, particularly online.

Discrimination and Equality Bodies in Italy

According to a survey from Statista in 2019, despite the widespread discrimination, 33 percent of respondents in Italy believed that the efforts made in the country to fight discrimination were moderately effective.

Racial Discrimination and Equality Bodies in Sweden

EURACTIV asked citizens in Malmö what they think of racial discrimination and of their experiences with their national equality body, the Diskrimineringsombudsmannen.

Making equality bodies more independent cannot protect them from EU governments

A recent Hungarian example shows that the brewing EU legislation that will aim to bolster the bloc's discrimination fighting bodies will not be enough to keep straying governments in check, Máté Szabó, a civil rights lawyer at TASZ (Hungarian Civil Liberties Union), warned in a video interview with EURACTIV.