Anti discrimination

Male, white, working-age and with a high level job. It is the identikit of the average citizen represented in the pages of national newspapers in French language in Belgium. Women, foreigners, unemployed people, the lowest socio-professional categories and the disabled are almost absent. Who belongs to one of these groups [...]

A world where the majority of healthy heterosexual ignore, until to erase, the existence of homosexuality among disabled people is a painful, yet common, reality. While very little is known, until now, about the type of relationship between members of these minorities. Hence the importance and novelty of the results [...]

Even in Belgium, on the cutting edge in terms of civil rights, prejudices against homosexuals are hard to die. In short, while the laws keep up with the times, Belgian society does not. For istance, for citizens of this small country of the Old Continent, AIDS and LGBT community go [...]

1,133 is the number of marriages between men registered in Belgium in 2009. Weddings are decreasing, this is the lowest figure ever recorded since 2004. The data were released by the SPF Economie Institute that showed a parallel increase in divorces: 158 in 2009 compared to 9 in 2004.

Belgian television does not mirror the diversity of its society. This is the conclusion reached by a study carried out by the CSA (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel), according to which the elderly, women, the disabled and foreign people are too little present in TV both in leading roles (presenters, anchormen/anchorwomen, [...]

In Poland, the intolerance towards sexual diversity has reached alarming levels. In fact, more and worse than in the rest of Europe where gays are forced to undergo psychological violence and marginalization, what really dominates in Warsaw is hatred. Made of physical assault and, in one case out of 10, [...]

It is estimated that in the European Union there are about 10 thousand asylum applications by people from the LGBT community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender). Forced to flee from the motherland where they are persecuted because of their sexual orientation. These are predictions based only on data provided by Belgium, [...]

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Slovak authorities have to pay € 43 thousand to a woman of Roma origin who has undergone a process of sterilization without being clearly informed and aware of other contraceptive methods. The judges believe that the girl's ethnicity has played [...]

In Poland in 2010, 420 were the incidents of aggression towards members of the LGBT community. This is the outcome of the latest report of the Campaign Against Homophobia of Warsaw, the only national organization that deals with the rights of gays and lesbians.

Italy is 74th in the last world ranking that measure equality between men and women. The last between all EU states. The report of the World Economic Forum measures the access to health and education, the number of political offices in addition to the economic and employment participation. Undisputed queens [...]

In France, 51% of men who practice a sport does not look with favour on homosexual teammates. Interesting to note that homophobia increases among those who play in a team and when competitive level is high. In addition, according to the Paris Foot Gay association, the sport, which should include [...]

Male, white and rich. This is the portrait of French people showed by the characters who populate  fictions and TV programs across the Alps. The data speak for itself: on the television of the “Republique”, almost nine out of ten are white faces. While  disabled people are almost non-existent (0.5%) [...]

Green light in France for the off limits Internet domains. Since last July 1st it is possible to submit an application to open a web page entitled www.genocidio.fr  or such as www.xenofobia.fror, prohibited until now in the French Republic. An innovation that follow the ruling of the Constitutional Council that [...]

Banished from the workplace tanks to anti discrimination laws, the homophobia in France is getting more widespread on the web, mainly due to the anonymity provided by Internet. According to the latest report of the SOS Homophobie association, discriminatory and violent acts against homosexuals and transgender people [...]

In France, people with Arab origin are stopped by police up to 8 times more than a citizen of a different origin. This emerges from an Open Society association study that examines how ethnicity affects the frequency of checks.

If the disparity in wages between men and women has long been on the political agenda of the German government, now Berlin faces a second problem: the disparity in pensions. A study by the Ministry of Family and Equal Opportunities, in fact, reveals that the German women receive a pension [...]

It is a hard life for gay people who by profession teach. Even in wealthy Germany, in fact, 8% of teachers who have a same sex partner are repeatedly offended by their students and as many as 15% are marginalized by their colleagues. Moreover, 60% of German teenagers enjoy making [...]

The German Government has given the green light to the measure that introduces a singular version of the gender quotas. From 2013 companies, both private and state-owned, will have the obligation to take a certain percentage of female workers. Too bad that the how and what will be decided independently [...]

Life choices of men and women depend on the cultural models of reference. A theory that applies to a western and advanced state such as Germany . Women who work as volunteers, for example, are less numerous than men, and especially they accept positions of responsibility with less enthusiasm . [...]

In Germany, women have less probability than men to access to vocational rehabilitation government programs. Only 38% of women can profit of the state  initiative compared to 58% of man. Moreover in the richer western Landers, the gap is even wider: 21% vs 60%. Not to mention that in general [...]

Louise Hannon. This is the name of the first Irish transgender to win a causes for dismissal because of her new sexual identity. In fact according to the Dublin tribunal's reconstruction when the applicant told his employers about sex change (male to female) and about the subsequent changing name she [...]

The first same-sex civil partnership registrations will take place in Ireland this April. Ireland's Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 came into effect from 1 January 2011, however couples were required to give a three month notice period before registrations could begin. This means that [...]

In Italy the car insurance is paid according to your citizenship. It is a reality, in fact, that some companies apply surcharges for citizens coming from particular countries. If you are French, for example, you pay the same as an Italian: € 548.35. But the figure rises up to nearly [...]

In Italy, from January to November 2011, the number of investigations managed by the National Office against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) with regard to discrimination in employment has increased. Passing from 11,3% of the total in 2010 to the current 19.9%. Equal to 194 out of 971. This figures were reported [...]

The Italian Council of State has decided that the decree of the President of the Council of Ministers May 21, 2008, is illegal. That document had declared a state of emergency in relation to the nomad camps located in Campania, Lazio and Lombardy. But the Judges of Palazzo Spada considered [...]

In Italy, 61.5% of episodes of racism, seen or suffered by immigrant teenagers in 2010, occurred at school. This is one of the data that emerges from a UNICEF research in collaboration with Lorien Consulting. The survey, conducted on a sample of 400 Italian young people and 118 adolescents of [...]

Italy has finally signed the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems. This is a first step towards the ratification of the document prepared by the Council of Europe and entered into force on March [...]

The Romanian government announced last week the main paths of the new strategy for the inclusion of Roma in the next 10 years. One of the main tactics of the strategy is offering support to Roma entrepreneurs for starting a business and helping them in obtaining the documents for the [...]

87.3% of disabled people aged 18-55 have not a job in Romania, according to a report carried out by the Romanian Academic Society and the Motivation Foundation.

The resolution adopted on September 9th by the European Parliament with the support of the Greens, United Left, the Socialists and the Liberals states that Roma expulsions should be immediately halted. France above all comes under fire from the MEPs because its repatriation program raises “serious concern” and because it [...]

State Secretary in the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs declared that, according to the information they have been provided with by France, only 708 Romanian citizens were imprisoned last year in this country, which represents 0.3% from the total of foreigners accused of having committed crimes in France. Bogdan Aurescu [...]

The Romanian Government has appointed Valentin Mocanu State Secretary to resolve the thorny issue of the Roma in relations with France. A decision, made after that last July 26 the Government of Sarkozy threatened the new EU members, during the meeting of foreign eu ministers, to block its adhesion to [...]

Against discrimination towards aged homosexuals, Spain is about to introduce a gay-friendly old people’s home. Indeed, next January in the municipality of Rivas- Maciamadrid, 20 km from Madrid, is going to be inaugurated the Residencial XXIV de Diciembre. It is a real ad hoc retirement home meant for over 65 [...]

Doctor, woman and mother. An explosive combination for the career of a surgeon. She knows something Pilar Prada, a Spanish doctor who, with the approval of the Iberian Supreme Court, will get compensation of € 12 thousand from the private clinic where she worked for suffered, gender discrimination on the [...]

In Spain, 80% of young Roma leave compulsory secondary school before graduation. This was announced by the Fundación Secretariado Gitano, which, in order to stem the phenomenon, has launched the program "Promociona" that involves volunteer tutors in supporting of a several at-risk students throughout the country.

The Spanish Government approved the 2011 plan to assist women victims of gender-based violence presented by the Minister of Health and Social Policy. The Iberian Executive allocated € 5milion to be share among regions. Andalusia will receive the largest amount (13.3% of total), followed by Catalonia (12.6%) and Madrid (11.6%). [...]

The European committee against racism and intolerance (ECRI) released a report on progress made in fighting such discrimination in some European countries including Spain. Just in the Iberian peninsula, in front of positive steps forward, ECRI noted an increase in racial crimes among young. Despite Madrid authorities have not bothered [...]

Surprise! The transgressive and fashionable world of entertainment is not gay friendly. This was revealed by a recent English survey on many truths that many players even prefer to hide to their agents. Far from being a sincere relationship between those seeking employment and who will do anything to get [...]

What in many European countries is still a dream, in England is already a reality: gender equality in the workplace. In fact, to tell the truth, the lady across the Channel have already indicated, ready to overtake. So much so that in the age group 22-29 years old they earn [...]

Britain's banks discriminate against members of ethnic minorities in the way they distribute loans and set interest rates. This is the accusation flung by the deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, who, delivering the Scarman memorial lecture, argued banks are holding black people back from breaking "the last frontier" of racial [...]

The Perfidious Albion makes fun of homosexuals. The measure that after 30 years of prohibition, allows English gays and lesbians to donate blood is a real stalking horse. The norm, in fact, states that the veto remains for all those who have had sexual relations with persons of the same [...]

In  primary and secondary schools across United Kingdom in 2011 25% of pupils are from an ethnic minority. The Office for National Statistics also notes, as in just 5 years, there was an increase of 6%​​.

Iceland is the first country in the world as regards the quality of life, especially for women. Thus, it is interesting to understand the reasons lying behind such a social development. On this purpose, we would like to outline the economy of a country whose unemployment rate constantly drops (6.7%) [...]

June 17, 2011, this date will be remembered as an historic day for gay communities around the world. The Human Rights Council of the United Nations, in fact, approved a resolution that affirms the equality of rights regardless of sexual orientation. The proposal, passed with 23 votes in favor, 19 [...]

Last Thursday, January 20, the Committee of Ministers of the 47 Member States of the Council of Europe unanimously adopted a declaration on religious freedom as enshrined by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Referring to the recent attacks against Coptic Christians in Egypt, the Council said [...]

The racism, the xenophobia and the violence are rampant in many EU areas. That is the complaint contained in the latest annual report published by Human Rights Watch.  The discriminations against immigrants and ethnic minorities (in particular Roma and Sinti) are the major charged againts European countries.

To conclude our reportage on the rights and protection of homosexual people in Europe, we have interviewed Renato Sabbadini, first openly gay city councillor in Bergamo (Italy, 1995-2004) and since 2008 secretary general of ILGA- International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. How does the Old Continent rank, compared to [...]