Official Visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands (September & October 2019)

Following Special Rapporteur Achiume’s official country visit to The Netherlands, the report evaluates the state of racial equality, acknowledging significant achievements while highlighting persistent challenges. It commends the robust constitutional and legislative framework prohibiting racial discrimination and local initiatives promoting tolerance but underscores the prevalence of structural discrimination, particularly against people of African and Asian descent, Roma, Sinti, and Muslim communities. The report raises concerns about racial stereotyping, Islamophobia, and political discourse that marginalizes national identity for these groups, alongside issues such as educational inequities, exclusion from public spaces, the vulnerability of Muslim women under the 2018 “burka ban,” and gaps in data collection on racial disparities. It also addresses themes including political representation; hate crimes and hate speech; ethnic profiling by law enforcement; counterterrorism policies; freedom of expression and assembly; protection of human rights defenders; the treatment of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons; carceral facilities; and the cultural controversy surrounding Black Piet. The report concludes with recommendations to adopt an intersectional approach to racial equality, strengthen the national action plan against discrimination, ensure inclusive representation for marginalized groups, and implement policies that extend to both European and non-European territories of the Netherlands.