Nearly half of Muslims living in Europe face racism and discrimination in their everyday lives, according to a new report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
The report, titled Being Muslim in the EU and based on 2022 data, revealed a significant rise in anti-Muslim sentiment, with 47% of Muslim respondents reporting experiences of racial discrimination, up from 39% in 2016.
The survey highlighted growing challenges for Muslims across the EU, particularly in sectors like employment and housing. “Muslims most frequently face discrimination when searching for jobs (39%) or in the workplace (35%),” the report noted. These issues have further implications for access to housing, education, and healthcare.
The findings also indicated that Muslim women who wear religious attire face disproportionately higher levels of discrimination, particularly in job searches. The report found that 45% of these women encountered discrimination in 2022, compared to 31% in 2016. Young women aged 16-24 were the most affected, with 58% reporting incidents of racial bias.
Discrimination in the housing market has also seen a sharp increase, with 35% of respondents unable to rent or purchase a home due to racial bias, up from 22% in 2016.
The report further underscored problems with law enforcement, as nearly half (49%) of those stopped by the police believed they were subjected to racial profiling.
FRA Director Sirpa Rautio expressed deep concern over the findings, stating, “We are witnessing a worrying surge in racism and discrimination against Muslims in Europe.” She attributed the rise to conflicts in the Middle East and “dehumanizing anti-Muslim rhetoric” across Europe.
Rautio stressed the need for inclusive policies, adding, “We must ensure that everyone in the EU feels safe, included, and respected, regardless of their skin color, background, or religion.”
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.