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
    3
    March
    2026
    Violence against women remains widespread in the European Union (EU). This joint report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) presents detailed findings from the EU gender-based violence survey. It offers in-depth analysis of the scale, nature and drivers of violence and exposes the structural gender inequality. Building on the 2024 publication, EU gender-based violence survey - Key results, and following up on FRA’s 2014 report, Violence against women: an EU-wide survey, this report tracks trends over the last decade across the EU. Eurostat, FRA, and EIGE jointly conducted the survey. It is based on over 100,000 interviews covering all 27 EU Member States.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    27
    January
    2026
    This report looks at antisemitism in the EU, focusing on what can be done to address gaps in recording and inconsistencies in data collection. It highlights existing tools and guidance for Member States to improve their recording systems. The analysis is based on official administrative data and information from publicly available sources across EU Member States, as well as Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Detailed country overviews are available for all countries covered. Antisemitism has been monitored by FRA since 2004. This report builds on the 2024 publication, ‘Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism’.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    27
    November
    2025
    This report looks at the breadth and depth of violence and neglect faced by people with disabilities living in institutions. It highlights the shortcomings by EU Member States in preventing violence and protecting those who are at a higher risk of experiencing it, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Based on research across all EU Member States and FRA observer candidate countries, the report calls for better protection, stronger prevention of violence, and clear accountability. It urges the EU and its Member States to implement their obligations around equality and fundamental rights.
  • Data explorer
    FRA’s 2024 survey on Roma and Travellers in Albania, Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain collected information from 10,126 respondents living in private households who self-identify as Roma or Traveller, are 16 or older and have lived in the survey countries for at least the 12 months before the survey.
    Publications and data
    27
    November
    2020
    Roma and Travellers living in western EU countries are less often in the limelight than those living in central, eastern and southern EU countries. While they represent a smaller proportion of the population in the west, they also face problems with social exclusion, marginalisation and discrimination. These country sheets present findings from the survey conducted by FRA in 2019 covering Roma and Travellers populations in Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The survey included interviews with almost 4,700 Roma and Travellers, collecting information on more than 8,200 individuals living in their households.
    29
    September
    2020
    Often living in substandard and overcrowded housing conditions, Roma and Travellers face an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. They are also disproportionately affected by measures taken to contain the virus. This FRA Bulletin takes a closer look at this reality in 15 EU Member States, focusing on education; employment; poverty; healthcare; housing; and anti-Gypsyism. It also outlines civil society efforts to tackle the diverse challenges triggered by the Coronavirus pandemic.
    23
    September
    2020
    This report presents findings from FRA’s 2019 survey on Roma and Travellers in Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The survey included interviews with almost 4,700 Roma and Travellers, collecting information on more than 8,200 individuals living in their households.
    Although many steps have been taken in recent years to change LGBTI people’s lives for the better in the EU, there is still a long way to go, notes FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty in this video message to Athens Pride 2020.
    In his latest vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty speaks about the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Roma community. Roma children are in danger of losing almost a whole year of schooling. It’s like losing a generation. It’s robbing children of the one place where they can have hope and dream the same dreams of every other child.
    10
    September
    2020
    Antisemitism can be expressed in the form of verbal and physical attacks, threats, harassment, discrimination and unequal treatment, property damage and graffiti or other forms of speech or text, including on the internet. 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.
    28
    August
    2020
    FRA’s second survey on LGBTI people in the EU, North Macedonia and Serbia surveyed almost 140,000 participants. This technical report presents a detailed overview of the survey methodology used by FRA when collecting the survey data.
    29
    July
    2020
    As we enter the second half of 2020, the constraints on our daily lives brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic have become a firm reality. New local lockdowns and the reintroduction of restrictive measures prompted by fresh outbreaks of the virus are a stark reminder that COVID-19 continues to shape our lives – and our enjoyment of fundamental rights – in profound ways. There is compelling evidence of how the pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges in our societies. This FRA Bulletin outlines some of the measures EU Member States adopted to safely reopen their societies and economies while continuing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It highlights the impact these measures may have on civil, political and socioeconomic rights.
    30
    June
    2020
    The Coronavirus pandemic continues to interrupt everyday life in the EU in unprecedented ways. But the way it affects our societies is shifting. As governments gradually lift some of the measures put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19, new fundamental rights concerns arise: how to ensure that the rights to life and health are upheld as daily life transitions to a ‘new normal’. This Bulletin looks at declarations of states of emergency, or equivalent, and how they came under scrutiny. It considers
    the impact on fundamental rights in important areas of daily life, and includes a thematic focus on the pandemic's impact on older people.
    In this video message to the Equality2020 conference on 29 June, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty speaks about our shared struggle for a Europe that honours everybody in their diversity, in their equality and in their dignity.
    In this video message FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty speaks about LGBTI equality on the occasion of the Global Pride 2020:
    https://www.globalpride2020.org/
    11
    June
    2020
    Now available in Macedonian and Serbian
    13 November 2020
    The year 2019 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020 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. In so doing, it provides a compact but informative overview of the main fundamental rights challenges confronting the EU and its Member States.
    11
    June
    2020
    FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020 reviews major developments in the field in 2019, 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. This year’s focus chapter explores how to unlock the full potential of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
    28
    May
    2020
    The Coronavirus pandemic continues to interrupt everyday life in the EU in unprecedented ways. But the way it affects our societies is shifting. As governments gradually lift some of the measures put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19, new fundamental rights concerns arise: how to ensure that the rights to life and health are upheld as daily life transitions to a ‘new normal’. This Bulletin looks at declarations of states of emergency, or equivalent, and how they came under scrutiny. It considers the impact on fundamental rights in important areas of daily life, and includes a thematic focus on the processing of users’ data to help contain COVID-19, particularly by contact-tracing apps. It covers the period 21 March – 30 April 2020.
    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.
    A total of 139,799 persons aged 15 years or older who describe themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or intersex (LGBTI) completed the online EU-LGBTI II Survey in all EU Member States and the candidate countries of North Macedonia and Serbia.
    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.
    11
    May
    2020
    In recent years, thousands of girls and boys have reached Europe without their parents, and sought international protection. Many of them experienced violence, abuse and neglect in their home countries, and while in transit. They have the right to be protected in line with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Convention on Human Rights, and European Union law. This report explores the challenges and good practices gathered in the implementation of such relocation programmes. Based on information FRA collected in 10 EU Member States, it aims to help national authorities to support the relocation of unaccompanied children by taking measures that are fully rights compliant and practically feasible.
    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.
    8
    April
    2020
    The outbreak of COVID-19 affects people’s daily life in the 27 EU Member States. As the number of infected people in the EU territory began to mount rapidly in February and March, governments put in place a raft of measures – often introduced in a period of only a few days – in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. Many of these measures reflect how, in exceptional emergency situations, the urgent need to save lives justifies restrictions on other rights, such as the freedom of movement and of assembly. This report outlines some of the measures EU Member States have put in place to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. It covers the period 1 February – 20 March 2020.
    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 attended online Roma workshops organised by the UN Development Programme and the World Bank. They were part of the EU-funded project Multi-country Survey on the socio-economic vulnerabilities of Roma in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.
    Antisemitism persists in the EU, affecting Jews both online and offline. Concerns over safety and frequent experiences of harassment force many to conceal their Jewish identity. These alarming insights come from the latest survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). The EU and some of its Member States have put in place measures and action plans to tackle antisemitism. EU countries need to build on these efforts to ensure Jews can live their lives with dignity, free from hate and fear. This is especially important given the impact that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has had on Jewish communities in Europe.
    FRA attended a workshop on Roma integration in the Western Balkans on 18 June. The European Commission and its Joint Research Centre organised the event.
    FRA joined online a Working Group meeting on Confronting Hate speech. The European Commission’s Working Group on Equality and Values organised the meeting on 20 and 21 June.
    On 25 June, FRA presented its ongoing project on fundamental rights protection of people with disabilities in institutions during an online meeting of the European Disability Platform.
    The online data explorer for FRA’s LGBTIQ Survey is now available. It draws on findings from over 100,000 respondents from all 27 EU countries, Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia.
    FRA held an information session for national authorities on its LGBTIQ Survey report. The session brought together more than 60 representatives from ministries and other national authorities covering over 15 countries.
    On 28 May, FRA delivered a keynote speech at an international conference in Berlin on conditions for the success of national action plans against racism. The focus was on a human rights-based approach to data to effectively measure and combat racism.
    People’s fundamental rights are at risk across Europe. This is due to rising levels of poverty, persistent threats against democracy, widespread racism and challenges occurring in the context of migration, finds FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2024. These threats underline the need to ensure a strong and sustainable fundamental rights protection across the EU, particularly for people in vulnerable situations. The report suggests how policymakers and civil society can work in tandem to counter the threat of social exclusion and enable a more equal and fairer society for all.
    FRA presented and discussed its EU LGBTIQ Survey report and results during a series of events from 14 to 17 May.
    Many EU countries have made it easier for people with disabilities to vote in elections, finds the latest report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). But some groups still face considerable barriers when it comes to voting and standing for elections. The report looks at best practices and suggests how to ensure people with disabilities have their say at election time.
    FRA presented its work on tackling anti-Muslim hatred during a joint Equinet – European Commission meeting in Brussels from 22 to 23 May in Brussels.
    FRA took part in the annual spring expert meeting of the European Network on Victims’ Rights. It presented its project on protecting the fundamental rights of people with disabilities living in institutions.
    We – The Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, and the diplomatic missions of Albania, Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, as well as the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna, UN-GLOBE, and the Diplomatische Akademie Wien-Vienna School of International Studies – all welcome 17 May as the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), as a celebration of diversity and inclusion around the world.
    More LGBTIQ people in Europe are now open about who they are. At the same time, they face more violence, harassment, and bullying than before. This is especially true for younger LGBTIQ people, who are particularly vulnerable. These are some of the findings of the latest survey of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), based on responses from more than 100,000 LGBTIQ people across Europe.
    FRA presented findings from its ‘Being Black in the EU’ report at an expert discussion on ‘Economic justice for people of African descent: opportunities and challenges in the labour market’.
    FRA took part in the European Cancer Organisation’s civil society workshop on social cancer inequalities. FRA presented its work drawing from its LGBTIQ survey.
    On 14 March, the European Economic and Social Committee's Permanent group on the Inclusion of Roma held a public hearing on ensuring political participation of Roma at the local, national and European level. It sought to identify obstacles, solutions and good practices.
    FRA presented its approach to measuring self-identification and discrimination experiences, during the second meeting of Eurostat’s Equality and Non-Discrimination Statistics Task Force.
    On 28 November, the EU Network of Member States will meet in Brussels. They will discuss the European Commission’s Recommendation on integrated child protection systems and accompanying Staff Working Document that are currently under preparation.
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    FRA will take part in the International Conference on Human Rights of Older Persons 2023. FRA will present the findings of its report on the fundamental rights of older people and ensuring access to digital public services.
    On 23 November, FRA will hold a webinar on findings from its report on fundamental rights of older people. The discussion will centre on the digital skills of older people in Europe.
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    The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold its annual meeting of National Points of Contact on Combating Hate Crimes.
    The European Network of Equality Bodies (Equinet) will hold a workshop on how Equality Bodies can support deinstitutionalisation from a multi ground perspective.
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    FRA will join an expert workshop that will focus on sharing national experiences with online and offline public campaigns against hate crime and hate speech.
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    FRA will take part in an international seminar organised by the Spanish National Office for Combating Hate Crimes. It falls under the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU.
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    From 22 to 23 October, FRA will take part in the next Advisory Board meeting in Brussels of the EU Children’s Participation Platform.
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    Racism remains a persistent problem in the EU. EU actions are driving laws and policies to tackle racial discrimination. To guide these efforts, a high-level conference on anti-racism in the EU will take place in Barcelona on 2 and 3 November 2023. It will explore what underpins structural racism in Europe, what the EU and its Member States are doing to address it, as well as how people of African descent are represented in public office and the media.
    FRA will join a panel on inequality, human rights and development during the EU-Latin America and the Caribbean Policy Dialogue in Washington on 19 October.
    FRA will speak on best practices for ensuring electoral rights for people with disabilities during the European Commission’s high-level event on elections in Brussels on 23 October.
    On 10 October, FRA will welcome the Seniors Office of the City of Vienna.
    FRA will deliver an online session on equality data collection as part of the Council of Europe’s InSchool project training programme.
    A Collaborative Platform on Social and Economic Rights will meet to discuss realising social rights in the age of digitalisation.
    FRA will welcome a group of students from Vienna’s Diplomatic Academy on 13 July. The students are part of the Jean Monnet Summer School on EU policy making.
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    The incoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU invited FRA to the informal meeting of members of the Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI).
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    FRA will take part in UEFA’s inaugural Respect Forum on 27 and 28 June in Frankfurt.
    The EU Framework for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CRPD will hold its second annual meeting in Brussels on 19 June.
    FRA will join round-table discussions on Roma inclusion and empowerment in Romania
    FRA, together with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), will facilitate a workshop on improving hate crime recording.