Discrimination in Netherlands mostly based on ethnicity in 2022: Report

AMSTERDAM

Discrimination cases in the Netherlands were mostly based on ethnicity last year, according to an annual report.

Prepared with the help of several institutions, the report said discrimination complaints made to the police and the children's ombudsman in the country had increased compared to 2021.

The number of discrimination complaints received by the police in the Netherlands increased to 6,738 in 2022, 2% more than in 2021.

Ethnic-based cases of discrimination were mostly experienced in professional settings and public services, according to the report.

It explained that discrimination complaints submitted to police continued to rise for the third year in a row, noting that 43% of the complaints to the police and 49% of complaints to the Discrimination Complaints Services (ADV) were based on ethnicity.

Citing data from the police on discrimination based on religion, the report said this was mostly against Muslims, who were the target of 93% of religious-based discrimination in 2022, compared to 67% in the previous year.

Likewise, figures from the ADV showed that while 73% of discrimination based on religion was directed against Muslims in 2022, this rate was 65% in 2021.

The report also mentioned anti-Semitism in a separate category.