Equality

Equality, non-discrimination and racism

Equality is a core value of the EU. You have the right to fair treatment regardless of who you are, what you believe, or how you chose to live.

We carry out research and share expertise to help fight discrimination, inequality and racism in all its forms.

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    25
    November
    2024
    This report presents key results of the EU gender-based violence survey based on data from all 27 Member States. The report focuses on the overall prevalence of physical violence or threats and/or sexual violence by any perpetrator, violence perpetrated by women’s intimate partners and by other people (non-partners) and women’s experiences of sexual harassment at work.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    25
    October
    2024
    Racism towards Muslims is increasing in countries across the EU. Muslims face racial discrimination and racist harassment because of their religion, skin colour or ethnic background. This report shows a sharp rise since the last survey in 2016.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    11
    July
    2024
    Antisemitism is still a reality for many Jewish people in the EU today. Faced with prejudice and hostility, most feel unable to live openly Jewish lives. This report presents the results of FRA’s third EU survey of Jewish people’s experiences and perceptions of antisemitism. The survey took place before the Hamas attacks in October 2023 and the war in Gaza; however, it includes evidence from a consultation with national and European Jewish umbrella organisations since. It covers 13 EU Member States that together account for around 96 % of the EU’s Jewish population.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    14
    May
    2024
    FRA’s third LGBTIQ survey shows that people still experience hate-motivated violence and discrimination. Trans and intersex people face even greater victimisation. Yet, signs of progress show that the EU’s and Member States’ efforts can positively affect people’s lives. More LGBTIQ people are open about their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.
    Publications and data
    25
    October
    2023
    FRA's first Being Black in the EU report exposed widespread and entrenched racism against people of African descent in Europe. Now updated with new data, this report revisits the situation revealing persistent racial discrimination, harassment and violence. Overall, experiences of racial discrimination increased in the EU countries since 2016, reaching as high as 77%. The lack of progress is alarming despite binding anti-discrimination law in the EU since 2000 and significant EU policy developments since then.
    20
    October
    2023
    FRA’s strategic priorities and objectives are based on the agency’s role and mission as defined in its amended founding regulation. They build on FRA’s 2018–2022 strategy as well as how it performed, its experience and its vision. Their design takes into account future fundamental rights challenges facing Europe, the agency’s mandate, the broader operational context and the resources available.
    13
    September
    2023
    Europe’s ageing population is ever-increasing, and our societies are becoming more digitalised. Many public services are now available online, with many more services in the process of being digitalised. But the digitalisation of public services poses a risk of exclusion for older persons. In this new report, FRA explores the impact of digitalisation on the fundamental rights of older persons. The report maps the current legislation, policies and practices fostering digital inclusion. It provides an overview of the laws at the national level that provide for equal access to public services, both online and offline. The findings show how Member States safeguard older person’s rights to access services undergoing digitalisation. It outlines how Member States can support digital skills and ensure older people can fully participate in public life.

    8
    June
    2023
    Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine has resulted in massive internal and external population displacement. The European Union (EU) rapidly activated its Temporary Protection Directive for the first time since it was adopted in 2001. This entitled nearly 4 million people to legal residence and access to work, housing and legal assistance, education and healthcare.
    8
    June
    2023
    FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2023 reviews major developments in the field in 2022, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
    8
    June
    2023
    The year 2022 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2023 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern. This publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main developments in the thematic areas covered, and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
    FRA’s 2021 survey on Roma in Croatia, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain collected information from 8,461 respondents living in private households who self-identify as Roma, are 16 or older and have lived in the survey countries for at least the 12 months before the survey.
    20
    March
    2023
    This guide helps independent national monitoring frameworks to fulfil their monitoring responsibility set out in Article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It focuses on the use of indicators. It does not deal with aspects such as compliance with the Paris Principles or the efficiency of complaints mechanisms. Its objective is to support national monitoring frameworks in designing or improving indicators for assessing progress of CRPD implementation at national level.
    27
    February
    2023
    FRA’s 2021 survey on Roma was conducted in Croatia, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Spain, as well as in North Macedonia and Serbia. It includes interviews with more than 8,400 Roma, collecting information on more than 20,000 individuals living in their households. This technical report provides a detailed overview of the survey methodology used by FRA when collecting the survey data.
    8
    December
    2022
    Artificial intelligence is everywhere and affects everyone – from deciding what content people see on their social media feeds to determining who will receive state benefits. AI technologies are typically based on algorithms that make predictions to support or even fully automate decision-making.
    11
    November
    2022
    Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history. It is a moment of existential significance for the wellbeing and sustainability of our societies. It is emerging from the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease, only to face a set of major overlapping challenges. These pose profound questions about the political, economic and societal future of the continent. To discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action, FRA brought together a group of sixty human rights leaders and experts with diverse backgrounds
    from across the continent. This report distils the meeting discussions, including analysis and ideas, and concludes with proposals for action. It does not represent the views either of individual participants or of FRA.
    3
    November
    2022
    Antisemitic incidents and hate crimes violate fundamental rights, especially the right to human dignity, the right to equality of treatment and the freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This report provides an overview of available data on antisemitism as recorded by official and unofficial sources in the EU Member States and in Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. The data provided by the countries are supplemented with information from international organisations.
    25
    October
    2022
    02 November 2022
    This report presents findings from FRA’s 2021 survey on Roma in Croatia, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Spain, as well as in North Macedonia and Serbia. The survey includes interviews with more than 8,400 Roma, collecting information on more than 20,000 individuals living in their households. By focusing on Roma, the survey provides unique data and information that are not available from European general population surveys, which do not disaggregate on grounds of ethnic origin. The findings present a bleak but familiar picture of exclusion, deprivation, discrimination and racism.
    Young? Passionate about human rights? Having the right data can make a world of difference for your campaigning.
    16
    September
    2022
    Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history, facing a convergence of major tests. Each of them taken on their own is significant. Together, they pose profound questions about the political, economic, and societal future of the continent. This is a moment for strong commitment to put human rights at the heart of our vision for Europe’s future. It is also time to demonstrate our determination to work together to this end. Against this backdrop, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) brought together around sixty human rights leaders and experts from across the continent to discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action. A full conference report will be available soon, including the specific ideas and proposals which arose from the meeting. Meanwhile, this is a summary of the conclusions.
    On 7 May 2022, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) organised the fourth Fundamental Rights Dialogue – a live debate that gives young people an opportunity to voice their fundamental rights concerns and to discuss ways to solve them.
    In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty, points to the need to recommit to human rights, as evidenced by the wide-ranging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Here he refers to vaccine inequalities and the impact on marginalised communities, disadvantaged children and frontline workers. As he explains in this vlog, human rights can help fix and strengthen society so we are ready for the next pandemic.
    8
    June
    2022
    FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2022 reviews major developments in the field in 2021, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
    8
    June
    2022
    This focus looks at the impact of the pandemic on social rights. It examines the measures in national recovery and resilience plans that address the social vulnerabilities among a variety of population groups in the EU, including women, children and young people in situations of vulnerability, people with disabilities, older people, Roma and people in precarious working conditions.
    8
    June
    2022
    All language versions now available
    14 September 2022
    The year 2021 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2022 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern. This publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main developments in the thematic areas covered, and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.
    Today, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights launches the second LGBTI survey, mapping the experience of what it is to be LGBTI in the EU.
    In 2019 the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) carried out the world’s biggest ever survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people’s life experiences. Almost 140,000 LGBTI people told us about their lives – in their own words.
    Based on the lessons learned from relocation
    experiences and on existing international and EU legal
    standards, FRA has developed a number of practical
    suggestions for the adjustment of relocation efforts to
    the protection needs of unaccompanied children. This
    guidance aims to be a practical tool for Member States
    that wish to engage in the relocation of unaccompanied
    children and in any future responsibility-sharing
    mechanisms, and to gain knowledge on how this can
    be done while respecting the child’s best interests.
    Michael O'Flaherty talks in his vlog about the human rights aspects in the context of the Coronavirus epidemic and introduces FRA's new report.
    In this edition of his vlog, Michael O'Flaherty talks about the human rights aspects in the context of the Corona virus epidemic.
    In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty speaks about the publication of FRA's second LGBTI-survey on the 17th of March and how we can use the results to further battle discrimination.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ten years after the UN’s Disability Convention entered into force, 2018 saw it continue
    to drive advances in disability rights across the EU.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Not all children benefit equally from efforts to guarantee child rights.
    Some groups face particular difficulties.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Anti-Gypsyism across the EU remains a persistent barrier to improving the social and
    economic situation of Roma today.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ethnic minorities and migrants continue to face harassment and discrimination across the EU,
    despite longstanding EU laws against racism.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Efforts to advance equality moved ahead in some areas but remain stalled in others.
    In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about discrimination on the basis of age in the EU and calls for more respect for Human- and Fundamental Rights of older people.
    In the light of the events in New Zealand, Michael O'Flaherty talks about discrimination and hate crime against Muslims in the EU and makes 4 proposals on how to make Muslims feel more safe.
    Michael O'Flaherty focuses on the situation of the Jewish community living in the EU.
    Black people in the EU face unacceptable difficulties in getting a decent job because of their skin colour. Racist harassment also remains all too common.
    Black people in the EU face unacceptable difficulties in simply finding somewhere to live because of their skin colour.
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) launches its second EU Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU-MIDIS II).
    This infographic illustrates the main experiences immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU have when it comes to discrimination. It draws from the findings from FRA's EU-MIDIS II survey.
    This infographic illustrates the main experiences immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU have when it comes to victimisation. It draws from the findings from FRA's EU-MIDIS II survey.
    On 2 December, the European Parliament’s disability rights week began in Brussels. FRA took part in two hearings.
    FRA supported a meeting of the Czech government Council for Roma minority affairs and its discussions on ethnic data collection.
    On 2 December, FRA presented the results of the EU survey on gender-based violence at the meeting of the Council of the European Union’s Fundamental Rights working party (FREMP).
    FRA held an online information session for public authorities on the findings of the Eurostat-FRA-EIGE EU survey on gender-based violence. The presentation of the key results included an outline of FRA’s engagement with stakeholders at the EU and national level in the framework of the survey.
    FRA presented the indicators on political participation of people with disabilities at the Disability Week at the European Parliament on 4 December. It focused on the most recent data on political participation of people with intellectual disabilities.
    On 26 September, FRA took part in the Roundtable and Steering Committee meeting of the joint child-friendly justice project. This is an initiative that started through partnership meetings between the Council of Europe, the European Commission and FRA to move towards more child-friendly justice systems.
    A third of women in the EU have experienced violence at home, at work or in public. Young women report having experienced higher levels of sexual harassment at work and other forms of violence than older women. Yet violence against women often remains invisible as only every fourth woman reports incidents to the authorities (the police, or social, health or support services). These are some of the findings of the EU survey on gender-based violence conducted from 2020 to 2024 by Eurostat (the statistical office of the EU), the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
    FRA attended two meetings in Brussels in the framework of a country visit to Belgium of the EU Subgroup on Equality Data. The Belgian Equal Opportunities Division hosted and chaired the country visit to Belgium on 4. November.
    FRA took part in a series of meetings in Brussels on antiracism and equality from 16 to 18 October.
    FRA took part in the EU Energy Poverty Advisory Hub international conference on the theme of 'Turning the tide: paving the way for energy poverty alleviation' on 15-16 October 2024.
    One in two Muslims in the EU face racism and discrimination in their daily life – a sharp rise since 2016. Muslim women, men and children are targeted not just because of their religion, but also because of their skin colour and ethnic or immigrant background. Young Muslims born in the EU and women wearing religious clothing are especially affected. These are some of the findings of the latest report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
    Climate experts and child rights experts across Europe, NGOs, practitioners, academics, and children gathered for a meeting of European the Network of Child-friendly Justice. They discussed the diverse situations and challenges children encounter due to the impact of climate change while seeking access to justice and legal remedies.
    FRA presented its work during two international antiracism conferences in Germany.
    FRA contributed to a two-day expert meeting on the implementation of EU equality law. FRA was there alongside the European Gender Equality Institute (EIGE) and the European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET), as an observer.
    FRA took part in an event preceding the regular Conference of Parties on climate change that will later take place in Baku on 11-22 November. It brought together businesses and representatives of international organisations.
    FRA presented its work on antiracism and anti-Muslim hatred to the Council of the EU’s Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens' Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP).
    On 20 September, FRA attended the closing Cooperation Committee meeting under the EEA and Norway Grants in Czechia’s Programme on Human Rights, Roma Inclusion, and Domestic and Gender-based Violence. The committee discussing the final stage of the programme’s implementation.
    FRA joined a panel on effective prosecution of antisemitic incidents and the role of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. It formed part of a meeting of the European Commission Working Group on antisemitism.
    FRA’s Director delivered a keynote speech in the opening panel of the 28th Annual Conference of the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children. The focus was on protecting and promoting the rights of children in alternative care.
    On 16-17 September, FRA attended the meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on violence against women prevalence estimation and data. The meeting was held at the headquarters of the World Health Organization in Geneva.
    FRA’s Director will address the OSCE's annual conference on addressing antisemitism. The OSCE Chairpersonship of Finland in consultation with OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) organised the event.
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    During the week of 27 January, FRA’s Director will have various speaking engagements and participate in several events during her visit to Poland.
    FRA’s Director will give introductory remarks at the international conference on ‘Denial, distortion and disinformation: the truth about the Holocaust 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz’.
    FRA’s Director, Sirpa Rautio, will attend the 80th commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau German Nazi concentration and extermination camp.
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    FRA will deliver a keynote speech at the opening of the International SYNERGY Network conference. FRA will present the results from the EU gender-based violence survey.
    On 3 December, the Secretariat of Governing Bodies to the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) will host a virtual event to discuss how to fully implement Sustainable Development Goal 16 for people with disabilities.
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    FRA will take part in a meeting of the EU Network for Children’s Rights. FRA will present insights and outputs from its integrated child protection systems project.
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    The workshop co-organised by the European Commission and FRA brought together civil society organisations to discuss the findings of the FRA report 'Being Muslim in the EU' and the challenges they face in combating this form of racism.
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    FRA will join the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub conference organised by the European Commission.
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    FRA will speak about institutional and structural racism during the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) annual seminar with Equality Bodies.
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    FRA will speak at the European Social Network’s annual meeting in Bucharest, taking place from 30 September to 1 October. The seminar will focus on fostering effective coordination between universal and specialist services to ensure an integrated approach to child protection.
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    The General Conference of the European Coalition of Cities against Racism (ECCAR) will take place in Heidelberg from 23 to 25 September.
    The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU invited FRA to speak about the results from the Agency's third survey on discrimination and hate crime against Jews in the EU.
    FRA will present its work on the fundamental rights impact of the cost-of-living crisis in the EU during a meeting of the Social Rights Platform. The focus will be on the social rights of young people.
    FRA will take part in a meeting of the European Networks of NHRIs’ working group on economic, social and civil rights. The meeting takes place on 2 July in Vilnius.
    FRA’s Director will be a keynote speaker at the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting in Vienna on 24 June that will focus on tolerance, non-discrimination, and gender equality. The Maltese OSCE Chairpersonship and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will organise the meeting.
    FRA will present its work on the fundamental rights impact of the cost of living crisis in the EU during a meeting of the Social rights platform. The focus will be on the social rights of young people.
    On 24 June, FRA will welcome a group of students from the Central European University.
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    FRA will contribute to the Eurocities Working Group on Roma inclusion in Vantaa on 13 and 14 June. FRA will present key findings from its project on Local engagement for Roma Integration.
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    FRA will attend the 12th meeting of the EU High-Level group on combating hate speech and hate crime. The event is jointly organised with the Belgium Presidency of the Council of the EU.