Promising Practice

Examination of the African and Afro-descendant population in Spain: Identity and access to rights

This study offers a first examination of the black, African and Afro-descendant population living in Spain: its sociodemographic profiles, identities, needs and experiences of discrimination, together with the demand for anti-discrimination rights and policies.
Country
Spain
Type
Operational guidelines
Mainstream equality data
Collect information on self-identification
Improve comparability
Ensure regular and timely data collection
Category
Racial or ethnic origin
Sex

 


In this page:


Why was the practice needed?

This research represents a first step toward understanding experiences of access to rights and of discrimination in the main areas of life in which these experiences occur. It also makes it possible to examine the identities, self-determination and social discourses of African and Afro-descendant people based on their own narratives and experiences, and to examine their degree of knowledge of public equality and anti-discrimination policies and how they assess those policies. It allows identification of the institutions/organisations that this population group would turn to if they wished to make a complaint or to report a crime.

This is a pioneering study in the public sector in terms of the social group that it is aimed at. It also helps to improve demographic data-gathering methods with regard to the composition of Spain society’s population, making it possible to apply, and improve the effectiveness of, the measures designed to promote recognition of the historical racial and ethnic diversity of our country.

The main objectives of the research were:

  • providing an initial examination of the Afro-descendant population living in Spain;
  • identifying their most characteristic experiences of inclusion and discrimination, the main areas in which these experiences occur and their types;
  • investigating identities and social discourses of (and about) the Afro-descendant population;
  • confirming their awareness and assessment of public equality and anti-discrimination policies, and the bodies to which they would turn if they wished to make a complaint or claim;
  • identifying their demands and proposals for anti-discrimination policies.

How was it implemented?

The study was structured in two surveys:

  • The Survey of representatives of entities or associations of African and Afro-descendant people living in Spain, completed in full by 42 representatives of entities.
  • The Survey of African and Afro-descendant people living in Spain, whether members of African and Afro-descendant entities or associations or not. The questionnaire was completed in part or in full by a total of 1,946 people. However, the final valid survey sample amounts to 1,369 completed questionnaires.

The fieldwork for both surveys took place from 29 October 2020 to 13 November 2020.

The main challenge in the implementation of this challenge was the inability to reach the whole African and Afro-descendant population living in Spain due to the form of survey applied (online self-completed). The most vulnerable members of the population are excluded due to their administrative and income situations, which hinder web access and the capacity to complete the survey – which, moreover, was not translated into languages other than Spanish.

Outputs

  • The study report offers a first examination of the black, African and Afro-descendant population living in Spain: its sociodemographic profiles, identities, needs and experiences of discrimination, together with the demand for anti-discrimination rights and policies.
  • The executive summary is available in English.

Key success factors

  • Entities and representatives of the African and Afro-descendant population were invited to an initial virtual meeting with various African and Afro-descendant experts, in order to obtain their approval of the two questionnaires designed by the research team and to ensure that they felt involved in the proposed research.
  • The study included insight not only from individuals, but also from African and Afro-descendant civil society organisations.
  • The method of the survey allowed it to reach black, African and Afro-descendant people who reside in Spain in different autonomous communities and in rural municipalities.

Technical information

  • Data sources covered: Household or individual surveys; Attitudinal surveys; Qualitative research
  • Areas of life covered: Employment; Education; Health; Housing and living conditions; Access to goods and services; Hate crime
  • Target audience: General public
  • Duration: 3 months
  • Geographical scope: National
  • Leading institution: Ministry of Equality, Directorate-General for Equal Treatment and Ethnic and Racial Diversity
  • Other organisations involved/consulted: Civil society organisations
  • Financial & human resources: Budget: €16,500; Source of the budget: Ministry of Equality, Directorate-General for Equal Treatment and Ethnic and Racial Diversity; Staff: External; public contract; Development: The development was done through public procurement in close collaboration with the authors of the study, in order to guide the priorities and objectives of the study.

Contacts

Carlos Morán Ferrés
Deputy A. Director General for Equal Treatment and Ethnic Diversity
Ministry of Equality
Calle Alcalá 37, Madrid
Tel. 915243286
cmoran@igualdad.gob.es