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.
    Products
    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.
    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.
    17
    March
    2020
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) urges Member States to agree on a simple and practical workflow as soon as possible, to avoid lack of clarity and delays in the relocation process. This paper provides practical suggestions on relocation of unaccompanied children from Greece, building on lessons learned from previous mandatory and voluntary relocation schemes. The paper provides FRA input on the initiative of the European Commission and a group of Member States to relocate unaccompanied children.
    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.
    20
    November
    2019
    French and German versions now available
    21 April 2020
    Child rights come first. Measures to ensure child protection and participation apply to all children in the EU. This brochure guides you to relevant FRA reports and tools that can support you when promoting and protecting the rights of all children in the EU.
    11
    November
    2019
    Across the EU, people of African descent face widespread and entrenched prejudice and exclusion. Racial discrimination and harassment are commonplace. Experiences with racist violence vary, but reach as high as 14 %. Discriminatory profiling by the police is a common reality. Hurdles to inclusion are multi-faceted, particularly when it comes to looking for jobs and housing.
    8
    November
    2019
    This annual overview provides an update of the most recent figures on antisemitic incidents, covering the period 1 January 2008 – 31 December 2018, across the EU Member States, where data are available. It includes a section that presents evidence from international organisations. In addition, for the first time, it provides an overview of how Member States that have adopted or endorsed the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) (2016) use or intend to use it.
    12
    September
    2019
    FRA’s second EU Minorities and Discrimination survey (EU-MIDIS II) collected information from over 25,000 respondents with different ethnic minority and immigrant backgrounds across all 28 EU Member States. The main findings from the survey, published in 2017, pointed to a number of differences in the way women and men with immigrant backgrounds across the European Union (EU) experience how their rights are respected. This report summarises some of the most relevant survey findings in this regard, which show the need for targeted, gender-sensitive measures that promote the integration of – specifically – women who are immigrants or descendants of immigrants.
    4
    July
    2019
    Based on FRA’s second large-scale survey on experiences and perceptions of antisemitism, this report focuses on the perspectives of young Jewish Europeans (aged 16-34) living in twelve EU Member States. It first describes this particular group and takes a look at defining antisemitism and understanding the place of Israel in it.
    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.
    18
    June
    2019
    This technical report presents in detail all the stages
    of the survey and the relevant information needed to
    assess the quality and reliability of the data, as well
    as considerations for interpreting the survey results.
    The following chapters of the report cover the procedures
    used in the development and administration
    of the survey.
    13
    June
    2019
    New language versions: FI, MT, PT, CS, LV, LT, SK, SL, SV, ET
    03 November 2020
    Children deprived of parental care found in another EU Member State other than their own aims to strengthen the response of all relevant actors for child protection. The protection of those girls and boys is paramount and an obligation for EU Member States, derived from the international and European legal framework. The guide includes a focus on child victims of trafficking and children at risk, implementing an action set forth in the 2017 Communication stepping up EU action against trafficking in human beings, and takes into account identified patterns, including with respect to the gender specificity of the crime.
    11
    June
    2019
    Algorithms used in machine learning systems and artificial intelligence (AI) can only be as good as the data used for their development. High quality data are essential for high quality algorithms. Yet, the call for high quality data in discussions around AI often remains without any further specifications and guidance as to what this actually means.
    6
    June
    2019
    The year 2018 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2019 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 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.
    On 12 April, the FRA Director delivered a speech setting the scene for a high-level event on LGBTIQ Equality.
    The online data explorer for the FRA Roma Survey 2021 in 10 European countries is now available.
    FRA spoke during a debate on the Spanish Ministry of Equality’s proposal to add information on racial or ethnic origin in a nationwide survey.
    A new EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) guide supports the collection of data on the rights of people with disabilities across the EU. It shows how to develop and improve indicators to assess the national implementation of the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This is key to ensuring people with disabilities can fully enjoy their rights.
    On 15 March, FRA met representatives from three organisations dealing with Roma rights across Europe.
    FRA gave a presentation on promoting the collection and use of equality data based on racial or ethnic origin during a Eurostat conference.
    FRA addressed the Council of the EU’s Fundamental Rights, Citizens Rights and Free Movement of Persons Working Group (FREMP) on 23 February.
    The Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union hosted a high-level conference on the implementation of National Action Plans against Racism.
    On 8 February, FRA’s Director exchanged views with the Council of Europe’s GREVIO expert group on monitoring the implementation of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
    FRA will take part in a webinar that will provide an overview of the state of knowledge on equality and inclusion in the European Parliament elections.
    A major survey measuring hate crime and discrimination against Jews across Europe opened on 25 January, led by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
    FRA published 26 new promising practices on racial or ethnic equality data collection.
    FRA took part in the first meeting of the advisory board of the EU’s Child Participation Platform on 12 December.
    On 8 December, FRA presented key findings of its report on Guardianship for unaccompanied children at a roundtable in the European Parliament.
    On 7-8 December, FRA attended the high-level group on non-discrimination, equality and diversity.
    FRA joined the meeting of the antisemitism working group initiated by the EU coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.
    On 1 December, FRA contributed to a technical meeting on surveys and equality data.
    On 30 November, FRA presented disability statistics from its Fundamental Rights Survey to the European Parliament Petition Committee’s annual seminar on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
    On 1 December, the Agency held a workshop on monitoring EU funds under the new Common Provisions Regulation.
    On 1 December, FRA presented the results of the Roma survey 2021 to the members of the Czech government council for Roma minority affairs.
    FRA will take part in a meeting of the European Commission’s Working Group on Equality and Values in Education and Training.
    On 13 April, FRA will address the Forum on the present and future of citizenship and human rights education in Europe.
    FRA will take part in the Council of Europe’s high-level conference ‘Beyond the horizon: a new era for the rights of the child’, on 7 April in Rome.
    On 29 March, FRA will take part in an online working meeting on age equality.
    On 22 March, FRA will give an overview of the EU's goals and measures in the fight against racism and discrimination. It will also present the Agency’s work.
    FRA will speak on a panel during the final conference of the Enhancing Stakeholder Awareness and Resources for Hate Crime Victim Support (EStAR) project.
    FRA will take part in the European Anti-Racism Summit on 21 March.
    On 10 March, FRA, in cooperation with the National Roma Contact Points will present preliminary results from its FRA’s Roma survey 2020.
    On 7 March, FRA’s Director will take part in a virtual round table discussion on mobilising law enforcement services against domestic violence.
    FRA’s Director will take part in a French EU Presidency conference on improving accessibility and access to rights, implementing the 2021-2030 EU Strategy.
    On 25 February, FRA will speak at the Zero Project International Conference 2022.
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    On 23-24 February, FRA will contribute at the Council of Europe seminar on “The role of Equality Bodies and National Human Rights Institutions in advancing Roma women’s access to justice”.
    FRA will take part in the third meeting of the European Commission’s Working Group on Equality and Values in Education and Training.
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    FRA will take part in a WHO expert meeting on psychological intimate partner violence.
    On 1 February, European experts from the European Commission, academia and civil society organisations meet to discuss ways of improving criminal proceedings for children who are in conflict with the law.
    The French Presidency of the EU invited FRA to the informal meeting of Justice Ministers in Lillle.
    On 20 January, FRA will take part in the second meeting of the Working Group on Equality and Values in Education and Training.
    FRA will join virtually the plenary meeting of the Spanish Council for the Elimination of Racial or Ethnic Discrimination on 17 December.
    FRA’s Director will address the General Affairs Council on 14 December. He will present the overview of antisemitic incidents recorded in the European Union 2010-2020.
    FRA will join virtually the plenary meeting of the Spanish Council for the Elimination of Racial or Ethnic Discrimination on 17 December. There will be a debate introducing a question on ethnic origin in statistics, surveys and studies.