The report published on Tuesday 22 October by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), entitled ‘Being Muslim in the EU’, reveals a worrying rise in racism and discrimination against Muslims in EU countries.
The FRA’s research, based on the experiences of nearly 10,000 Muslims living in 13 EU countries between 2021 and 2022, shows a significant increase in racial discrimination and harassment since the last survey in 2016.
For example, 38% of Muslims reported having experienced discrimination for any reason in the year preceding the survey (2021-2022), compared with 25% in 2016.
Also, 39% of Muslim respondents said that they had encountered discrimination when looking for work and 35% had experienced discrimination in the workplace.
In regard to housing, 35% of respondents reported racial discrimination, a situation that has repercussions on the mental and physical health of those affected.
The document also reports that Muslim women, particularly those wearing traditional or religious clothing, are more vulnerable to violence and exclusion.
To combat these growing phenomena, the FRA recommends that Member States strengthen anti-discrimination legislation, in particular by applying the Racial Equality Directive, adopting national action plans against racism and using the 2008 Framework Decision on racism and xenophobia.
The FRA is also calling for stronger and more dissuasive penalties for breaches of these laws, as well as improved data collection on hate crime and support for equality bodies. It also recommends improving access to support services for victims.
The report will be officially presented at a workshop organised by the FRA in Brussels on 24 and 25 October 2024, bringing together representatives of civil society, European institutions and international organisations.
Read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/e02 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)