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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

    Products
    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.
    14
    May
    2020
    This report presents select findings from FRA’s 2019 survey on LGBTI people in the EU and North Macedonia and Serbia. With almost 140,000 participants, it is the largest survey of its kind. It follows the agency’s first survey on LGBT people in the EU, conducted in 2012. The new survey results show little progress over the past seven years.
    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.
    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.
    Children should always be supported by a professional support person when they are involved in judicial proceedings, such as being at court. This could be, for example, a social worker or a legal counsellor.
    During judicial proceedings, such as being at court, children should always be told what is going on. The information should be presented in a child-friendly and understandable way.
    Children need to be heard and be involved in all issues that concern them. This includes the justice system.
    This video was shown in the beginning of the high-level conference “Tackling sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination: next steps in EU and Member State policy making”.
    Too many women and girls remain unprotected. The surge in domestic violence during the Coronavirus pandemic has made this obvious. It has exposed how common this human rights abuse still is. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November is a chance to re-galvanise efforts to effectively protect women's rights and end violence against women.
    On 14 November, FRA took part in the 2020 PROTECT Expert Forum. The event explored existing and emerging issues surrounding migration management in Europe, in light of the UN Global Compacts on Refugees and Migrants.
    FRA’s Director in his video statement to the online General Conference of the European Coalition of cities against racism (ECCAR) on 19-20 November spoke of the serious patterns of discrimination and discriminatory attitudes towards certain population groups. He also pointed to how the COVID-19 pandemic has made matters worse.
    Safeguarding children rights is more important than ever. Measures to tackle the spread of COVID-19 risk having a lasting effect on our children and our future. Children’s day on 20 November reminds us to step up efforts to protect the rights of all children and to provide them with opportunities to contribute to change.
    The wave of violent anti-Jewish pogroms on 9 November 1938 – the so-called ‘Kristallnacht’ – is a poignant reminder of why Europe needs to eliminate once and for all the persistent antisemitism that pervades society. Antisemitism makes many Jews question why remain in Europe. If Europe fails its Jewish community, the modern European project will have failed.
    People can now also order the 2018 edition of the handbook on European non-discrimination law in Bulgarian and Croatian.
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is shocked and saddened by the terrorism that shook Vienna last night. It extends its sympathy to the families of the victims and those injured in the shootings.
    FRA presented the results of its surveys on Roma and Travellers in the Council Working Party on Social Questions on 29 October.
    On 8 October, FRA gave a presentation drawing from its research on the fight against Homophobia and Transphobia at the launch of the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) Programme in Spain.
    The FRA Director exchanged views with justice ministers from across the EU on 9 October on combating antisemitism and hate speech.
    The Coronavirus pandemic hit Roma and Travellers particularly hard, shows a new bulletin from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Many Roma and Travellers lost their income, overcrowding and lack of sanitation increased their health risks, and distance learning was difficult without internet access. Discrimination and anti-Roma rhetoric have increased too, especially online. FRA calls on policymakers to urgently address these immediate challenges and put in place lasting structures to fight deep-rooted prejudice and discrimination.
    The handbook on European law relating to the rights of the child is now also available in Georgian.
    Living in some of the richest countries in the world, a quarter of Roma and Travellers in Western Europe cannot afford basic items such as heating or healthy food, and up to a fifth of their children go to bed hungry, reveal the results of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency’s (FRA) new survey. Rampant discrimination coupled with early school leaving also leads to lack of job opportunities and widespread poverty for many. As a result, the life expectancy of Roma and Travellers is 10 years below the expectancy of the general population. These findings should drive policy responses at EU and national level and support policymakers to work with Roma and Travellers to tackle exclusion and poverty.
    FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty gave a keynote speech in Salzburg on 28 August on fundamental rights during the COVID 19 pandemic.
    Most incidents of hatred against Jews go unreported. This, coupled with large data gaps, masks the true extent of antisemitism and hampers efforts to formulate effective responses, according to FRA’s latest annual overview.
    On the 27th of August, FRA joined the hearing of the European Economic and Social Committee on diversity management and the future of EU diversity policies for migrants and ethnic minorities.
    The youth of today can help shape a fundamental rights-compliant Europe of tomorrow.
    The youth of today can help shape a fundamental rights-compliant Europe of tomorrow. From climate change to social injustice, many young people are mobilising to bring about change. On International Youth Day on 12 August, FRA calls on the EU and its Member States to build on this momentum to engage and work with young people across Europe.
    FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty delivered a video message during the virtual Roma Holocaust commemoration ceremony on 2 August.
    Today’s rising hate crime and persistent discrimination towards Roma, Sinti and Travellers across Europe underlines the need to learn from the past to build a better future for Roma, as we commemorate Roma Holocaust Memorial Day.
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    FRA will present results from its EU LGBTI survey on workplace discrimination during an international conference on creating a safe and friendly environment for LGBTIQ+ employees and employment seekers.
    FRA’s Director Michael O’Flaherty will introduce the opening high-level panel at the first European Summit against Racism, as foreseen in the EU Anti-racism Action Plan 2020-2025.
    FRA will hold a meeting to prepare for the second part of its Procedural safeguards for children who are suspects or accused in criminal proceedings project.
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    The Roma Working Party will have its 4th virtual meeting from 25 to 26 February.
    FRA will join the close of the European Commission’s online conference on the feasibility of a child guarantee. The event will cover some of the findings from a feasibility study, the second phase of the Preparatory Action for a Child Guarantee.
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    FRA will speak at an expert meeting on combating antisemitism. The 2021 Swedish OSCE chairpersonship in consultation with the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) organises the event.
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    FRA will contribute to the first edition of the online ‘Human rights go local: what works’ event Winter Academy. It will bring expertise from its work on Roma indicators, equality data and cooperation with human rights cities. The event will look at how to base policy-making at the local level on scientific evidence through tailored human rights research. It aims at building bridges between all governance levels, disciplines and regions. It allows knowledge sharing among human rights researchers, local authorities, representatives of International, European and EU organisations, and policy-makers across regions.
    On 28 January, FRA will meet Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. It forms part of his visit to the EU Institutions. It will focus on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. It will also look at whether the funds will be used in line with human rights and address vulnerable groups. The Special Rapporteur will examine the impact of EU policies on the eradication of poverty in the region. He will present the report to the Human Rights Council session in June 2021.
    On 18 January, FRA will host the second meeting of working group on hate crime recording, data collection and encouraging reporting.
    FRA will draw on its hate crime work and victimisation data from its survey during a roundtable discussion on strengthening diversity in Portugal’s police. The roundtable takes place on 18 January.
    The Rumourless Cities will host a workshop on European and local perspectives and actions against LGBTI discrimination. FRA will present the results of the EU LGBTI survey II during the workshop. The online workshop takes place on 25 January.
    FRA will take part in the presentation of results from the European Network on Independent Living’s (ENIL) first Independent Living Survey on 10 December.
    Results from FRA’s survey of Traveller discrimination in Ireland will feature during a webinar on 7 December.
    On 18 November, FRA will take part in the online meeting of the European Commission Working Group on Common Values and Inclusive Education.
    FRA will take part in the annual EU-Israel high-level seminar on combating racism, xenophobia and antisemitism.
    On 10 November, FRA will present the results of its EU LGBTI survey during the online workshop ‘LGBTI Discrimination: European and Local Perspectives and Actions’.
    FRA will give a presentation on the results of its EU LGBTI survey, LGBTI rights in the EU and FRA’s research in this area to the Vienna Diplomatic Academy.
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    FRA will take part in this year’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which runs virtually from 2-17 November. It will join the session on the role of the private sector in developing guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence.
    The FRA Director will take part in an informal exchange on 9 November on integration and social cohesion with EU interior ministers and members of the European Commission.