Study: Anti-Black Racism Rising in EU
A study published Wednesday by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights revealed that in the six years since its prior study, the number of respondents who said they felt racial discrimination in the past 12 months rose by 10 percentage points to 34%....
Facts
- A study published Wednesday by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights revealed that in the six years since its prior study, the number of respondents who said they felt racial discrimination in the past 12 months rose by 10 percentage points to 34%.1
- In particular, anti-Black racism has been on the rise, with 46% of first and second-generation Black immigrants in 13 EU countries saying they’ve experienced various types of discrimination.2
- Conditions were reportedly exceptionally bad in Germany, Austria, Finland, and Denmark, where more than 60% of Black people said they’ve experienced racism.3
- Among those who said they felt discriminated against, young women, people with higher education, and those who wear religious clothing were the most likely victims of racism.4
- The study also found Black people in the EU were more likely to fall into poverty. 33% of Black respondents said that they struggle to make ends meet and 14% said they are unable to keep their homes warm, compared to 18% and 7%, respectively, for the general population.4
- In a statement, Michael O’Flaherty, the agency's director, expressed shock there’s been no 'improvement since our last survey in 2016.'5
Sources: 1Reuters, 2Al Jazeera, 3Bloomberg, 4DW and 5Vanguard News.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by The Guardian. More must be done to address these disturbing results, particularly in Germany and Austria, where racism runs rampant. The rise of far-right political parties in those countries is disturbing, and more must be done to educate people and foster acceptance to make these countries more safe and equitable.
- Narrative B, as provided by EU Observer. Although the results of this study are disappointing, the full impact of actions taken by EU countries to eliminate racism since 2020 might not have been felt yet. More than a dozen countries have adopted a national action plan for racism, while others are still developing their own. Hopefully, the results will show that the EU is beginning to turn things around.
