International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2023

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Racial discrimination has no place in society, and we must step up efforts to ensure its complete eradication.

This year we not only observe the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, but also mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a ground-breaking document adopted by all UN Member States that guarantees all human rights to everyone, without any discrimination.

75 years later, the challenge remains to convert those norms into reality. The European Union (EU) Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020-2025 aims at putting equality at the centre of all EU policy areas, with particular attention to Economic, Social and Cultural rights, and notably the right to education, work, health and housing. It promotes the adoption and implementation of national anti-racism action plans to concretely address and eliminate racism and racial discrimination. 

Fighting racism also means eliminating barriers, reducing wealth disparities, criminal justice bias as well as defying stereotypes and prejudices.

Publicly inciting to violence or hatred because of race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin is forbidden in the EU. We are taking concrete action on countering online hate speech through the EU code of conduct, subscribed to by the major social media platforms. In the past year, anti-gypsyism, xenophobia including anti-migrant hatred and sexual orientation were the most reported grounds of hate speech in the European region. 

Beyond action at home, the EU is engaged in dialogue with partners and promotes targeted programmes to fight discrimination, supporting the efforts to prevent, detect and respond to racist and xenophobic crimes or foster an inclusive environment through civil society engagement. For example, in the Middle East, creating meaningful opportunities for Arab and Jewish students to positively engage with each other and develop a common language of trust within a divided society.

The EU is built on diversity and on bringing nations together, overcoming divisions.  It is founded on a strong legal framework against racial discrimination. However, this requires constant protection and promotion.

The EU will continue to spare no effort in countering racism and racial discrimination within its own borders, with all the resources at its disposal. We will also work with all partners, bilaterally and in multilateral fora, to promote and protect human rights for all as set out so clearly in the UDHR. The fight against racism is a legal, political and moral duty. All human beings are entitled to all human rights, everywhere, all the time, with no discrimination of any kind.