A major long-term study has found that millions of people across Germany have faced discrimination in their daily lives and at work, with some groups significantly more exposed than others.
More than 13 percent of people in Germany, equivalent to around nine million adults, have experienced discrimination in their everyday lives and in the workplace. That is the finding of a special analysis of data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), presented by Germany's Independent Federal Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Ferda Ataman.
People with immigrant backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women were identified as being particularly affected. Ataman warned that the scale of discrimination poses a serious threat to social cohesion.
The SOEP is a long-term study in which approximately 30,000 people are surveyed annually. In 2023, the study also collected data on discrimination, including questions about subjective experiences over the preceding twelve months. The data was subsequently analysed on behalf of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, which noted that the reported period also covers the pandemic era and all the restrictions that came with it.
As Ataman explained, 13.1 percent of respondents said they had experienced discrimination at least once in one of the surveyed areas of life during the previous twelve months. Extrapolated to the adult population, that figure corresponds to approximately nine million people.
Those affected reported discrimination most frequently in access to goods and services (40.7 percent), followed by the workplace (39.2 percent), healthcare and care services (20.3 percent), and the housing market (11.4 percent). When asked about who was responsible, 19.5 percent of affected respondents reported discrimination by public offices, authorities, and the police, while 11.3 percent identified schools as a site of discrimination.
When asked which grounds of discrimination were involved, 41.9 percent cited ethnic origin or racist reasons, 23.8 percent cited gender or gender identity, and 18 percent cited religion. Age and disability also played a significant role. A total of 5,404 people, those who reported having experienced discrimination, were included in this part of the survey.
"Discrimination is not a fringe phenomenon, but a core problem," Ataman stated. "The scale of discrimination is a stress test for our country." She added that the high rates of discrimination in the labour market and in access to services and goods also carry significant economic consequences, saying: "We need solutions for this."
Ataman called for the reform of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG), announced in the coalition agreement, to be implemented without delay. She also stressed that those affected need greater support, noting that many people deal with discrimination on their own, partly because counselling services are too scarce and the legal situation is often not widely known.
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