Discrimination is a collection of behaviors
that, directly or indirectly, lead to
exclusion, constraint or preferred
treatment of a person or group. These
behaviors are based on ancestral
identification, nationality, supposed
ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation,
gender, age, physical appearance or
disability. Discrimination hinders or limits
the recognition of the ‘other’ and the
exercise of human rights and
fundamental freedoms in the political,
economic, social and cultural spheres,
and in all other aspect of public life.
In a clear and straightforward fashion,
this Q & A describes discrimination’s
main aspects, and indicates some of the
ways to denounce and fight them.
Racism is an ideology that has no
scientific basis; it varies according to the
historical period and the country where it
manifests itself. In general, it denies the
principle that all human beings are born
free and equal in dignity and rights, as
the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights declares (Art. 1). Racism is
characterized by the distrust and
contempt exhibited toward those who are
physically and culturally different, wrongly
portraying them as “inferiors”. This can
lead to social exclusion, vilification,
physical and psychological violence, and,
in extreme cases, to genocide and mass
killings.
Racism and xenophobia are distinct:
racism is based on a moral judgement
that considers the “other” inferior
because of cultural or biological
differences, leading to conflicts between
groups. Xenophobia instead rises out of
an irrational fear of the other, who is
perceived as a threat to one’s safety, and
results in discriminatory actions. Both
racism and xenophobia are social, structural, systemic and common place
phenomena.
Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and anti-
Romani sentiment are the concrete
manifestations of racist prejudice against
Jews (Anti-Semitism), Muslims
(Islamophobia), and Roma and Sinti
and other nomadic groups (anti-
Romani sentiment).
Do Races Exist?
Racism is founded on the idea that
different human races exist, each with
distinct genetic characteristics. There is
no scientific basis for this notion.
Furthermore it’s incorrect and dangerous.
the notion of “ethnic origin” is also an
intellectual construct that has no basis in
reality. The tendency is to attribute to a
group of people shared characteristics
more than what exists.
NB: No one is born a racist, but you can
become one because of one’s education
and cultural influences.
To Know More:
www.amnesty.ch/it/campagne/razzismo/razzismo
Italy’s legal system specifically
safeguards against racism and
discrimination, as laid down in Art. 3 of
the Constitution: All citizens have equal
social dignity before the law, without
distinction due to sex, race, language,
religion, political ideas, social and
personal conditions. The Mancino Law
(205/93) and Art. 604 bis and 604 ter of
the Italian Penal Code punish racist
propaganda and incitement to hatred.
Internationally, EU Directive 43/2000 and
Directive 78/2000 safeguard against
discrimination based on race, religion,
age, and other characteristics. The
Universal Declaration on Human
Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination, prohibit any type
of discrimination. Article 21 of the EU
Charter of Fundamental Rights
reinforces these principles.
Systemic racism is a form of
discrimination carried out by
governmental institutions, health and
social services, schools and public
authorities; it’s enforced through rules,
provisions, and new regulations that
exclude or belittle certain social groups.
Systemic racism is difficult to identify.
Structural racism, instead, cannot be
attributed to a single institution. In this
case we are dealing with a society’s set
of historical and social power
relationships that prevent certain groups
in the population, such as migrants or
those of foreign origins, to accede to key
positions in the realm of politics, public
administration and economy.
The existence of legislature against
discrimination doesn’t necessarily guarantee
that everyone in a society will have equal
access to fundamental rights. In Italy there are
several organizations and associations whose
object is preventing and fighting racism. If
you are a victim of discrimination, the
following organizations can help you:
– Lunaria – Help Desk against Racism:
https://www.lunaria.org/sportello-
contro-il-razzismo/
– UNAR – National Office against
Racial Discrimination:
https://www.unar.it/portale/segnalare-
una-discriminazione
– ASGI – Associazione per gli Studi
Giuridici sull’Immigrazione:
https://www.asgi.it/servizio-
antidiscriminazione/
Access to Employment
Besides the Italian Constitution, numerous
international conventions guarantee the rights of foreign-born residents or those who are
second generation. An employer cannot
refuse to hire an individual because
he/she/they are foreign born, nor can he pay
them less or increase their workload, etc.
Their treatment must be equal in every way.
https://www.asgi.it/servizio-
antidiscriminazione/accesso-al-lavoro/
Access to public and private housing:
All Italian and EU citizens, and those
from outside the EU with a long-term EU
resident permit or with a biennial permit
are entitled to public housing. Those with
a biennial permit must demonstrate that
they are regularly employed, be they
contract workers or self-employed.
https://www.asgi.it/servizio-
antidiscriminazione/alloggi-pubblici-e-privati/
Sexism is the tendency to discriminate
against a person based on their gender. It
targets women and girls in particular. It’s
tied to gender roles and stereotypes and
is often based on the conviction that one
gender (usually male) is superior to the
other (usually female). This prejudice
leads to discrimination that penalizes
women, furthering the idea that men are
their superior.
It’s the collection of attitudes, beliefs and
discrimination against members of the
LGBTQTA+ community (acronym that stands
for "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
Queer, Intersex, Asexual"). Homophobia,
lesbophobia, and transphobia can also be
internalized,.That is when
a LGBTQTA+ individual feels ashamed of
who they are, sometimes engaging in acts of
self-abuse and self-exclusion from social and
work environments.
Ableism is a form of discrimination and
prejudice towards those with disability based
on the ideological construct that considers
only those who are “able” as qualified
subjects, and sees all the rest as diminished. It
manifests itself through attitudes, behavior,
regulation and policies that consider people
with disabilities as inferior or incapable of
being self-sufficient. Ableism can lead to
exclusion, negative stereotypes, lack of
accessibility and limited opportunities in
various aspects of life, such as education,
work, leisure time and social inclusion.
Discrimination is present in many social
contests. Due to discrimination, it can be
difficult to find a place to live, at school it
can lead to name calling and improper
nicknames, on the job the endurance of
differential treatment, the loss of career
opportunities and the failure to be chosen
as a public candidate. Discrimination
manifests itself in the public space:
means of transportation, shops,
restaurants, schools, hospitals, police
stations, media, public services and on
the web.
– Hate Speech: It consists of
communications, and behaviors
that incite violence, hostility,
discrimination, or prejudice against
a person or groups based on
characteristics such as race,
ethnicity, disability or other
characteristics. These can take
place in a variety of ways including
in public speeches, writings,
posters, leaflets, caricatures,
documents, sites, blogs and posts
on social networks. Hate speech
includes insults and verbal
offenses, threats, slander and
propaganda.
– Physical Violence: Unmotivated
aggressions on the street, on
public transportation, in schools and by the police. It includes the
destruction of personal and
collective property.
– Psychological Violence:
Humiliation, isolation, emotional
outbursts, and the constant
underscoring of the alleged
otherness leads to stress and
anxiety.
It refers to the way in which diverse
forms of discrimination and
oppression overlap and intersect,
bearing on the experiences of individuals
and groups. This concept recognizes that
a person can be subjected to multiple
discriminations based on different facets
of his/her/their identity, such as “race”,
gender, social class, sexual orientation,
disability, age, religion and other
characteristics.
Call the Anti-Discrimination Free Number
800901010
https://www.pariopportunita.gov.it/it/numeri-
utili/800-90-10-10-numero-verde-
antidiscriminazione/
Write to the ASGI Anti- Discrimination
Service https://www.asgi.it/servizio-
antidiscriminazione/
Consult Lunaria’s list of Anti-Discrimination
Help Desks throughout Italy:
https://www.cronachediordinariorazzismo.org
/sportelli-contro-razzismo-e-discriminazioni/
Per approfondire:
NABILA is a Help Desk for migrant citizens with disabilities and vulnerabilities that provides socio-legal assistance, language mediation and orientation to services on the national territory.
Through the toll-free helpline 800 999 977, NABILA provides:
Remote listening and support
Guidance to local services through JUMA MAP
The possibility to request in-person appointments (at the Immigration Office of ARCI National)
This project is funded by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with the eight per thousand IRPEF contribution.
JumaMap – Services for Refugees is a map designed to help you quickly find useful services near you.
Here you can search for places to sleep, eat, study Italian, and get health, legal or psychological support, as well as many other services dedicated to migrant people and people experiencing homelessness.
The platform is available in 17 languages.
You can change the language from the menu at the top and choose among: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Dari, Farsi, French, English, Pashto, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, Urdu, Wolof.
You can also access JumaMap on your mobile phone: visit www.jumamap.it
If you need in-person help, you can come to the Welcome Center:
Monday
10:00 – 14:00 — Social orientation desk
Tuesday
10:00 – 14:00 — Psychological support desk (ages 18–26)
14:00 – 17:00 — Health support desk
14:00 – 18:00 — Social orientation desk
14:00 – 18:00 — Legal support desk
Wednesday
10:00 – 14:00 — Social orientation desk
Thursday
10:00 – 14:00 — Legal support desk (ages 18–26)
14:00 – 18:00 — Social orientation desk
Friday
10:00 – 14:00 — Social orientation desk
16:30 – 19:30 — Legal support desk
Digital support
Tuesday 9:30 – 14:00
Wednesday 10:00 – 15:00
Thursday 9:30 – 16:30
For information and phone support, call Arci’s toll-free number for asylum seekers and refugees:
800 905 570 (Italy)
+39 351 1376335 (WhatsApp, Lycamobile and from abroad)
It answers Monday to Friday, 9:30–17:00, with a multilingual voicemail always active and a network of cultural-linguistic mediators available in 35 languages.
You can also write to: numeroverderifugiati@arci.it
NABILA is a service offering listening, support and guidance to migrant and refugee people with disabilities or other vulnerabilities.
You can call the toll-free number 800 999 977.
If you prefer speaking in person, you can book an appointment at Arci Nazionale’s Immigration Office:
Via dei Monti di Pietralata 16 – Rome.
U-Report On The Move is a safe space where you can receive legal support and also talk, freely and safely, about your feelings, your problems and whatever is worrying you.
A trained professional listens to you and helps you find the right support for your needs.
The service is available Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 18:00.
To use it, simply send a message on Facebook Messenger, through the U-Report On The Move platform.
A team of psychologists replies to messages and offers personalised and attentive support.