Society in the Netherlands is diverse, with more than 25% of the population having at least one parent born abroad [I]. Some people enjoy this diversity, whereas others detest it. Regardless of how you feel about diversity, you shouldn't treat others differently because of their background. The first article of the Dutch constitution covers this:
Everyone situated in the Netherlands, are treated equally in all cases. Discrimination because of religion, beleifs, political affiliation, race, gender, handicap, sexual orientation or other grounds, is not allowed.
In addition, we have an equal treatment statute [2], and discrimination is a felony under various provisions of the penal code [3]. The official stance of the Netherlands is clear: discrimination should not happen within our country. Still, discrimination takes place on a daily basis. In 2023 alone, about 2 million people reported feeling discriminated against. The majority of them experienced this more than once in only one year's time. [4] This figure includes women, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTI+ community, and many more. However, the demographic that are visibly most discriminated against are first- and second generation immigrants [4,5]. The discrimination against this group is only getting worse, likely because of the social climate around immigrants and refugees, which has become more hostile [6].
“I come from a country where I had to be a certain way, but I can proof I am not like that”
11% of Dutch residents felt discriminated against
Discrimination is not just a myth created to police what we're allowed to say. It is a well-researched phenomenon that is experienced by many people with a real effect on their lives. Discrimination is the unfair treatment of a person based on personal characteristics [a] and can take numerous forms [b]; like negative comments, more difficulties in finding a job or house, aggressive behaviour, and many more.
There are two types of discrimination, interpersonal and institutional. Interpersonal discrimination is between people. A person or group that discriminates against another. It is what most people think of when they hear the word discrimination. It can be a negative comment, aggressive behaviour, destruction of property, and more.
Institutional discrimination is when organisations have policies, rules, and processes that discriminate against certain groups or people. An infamous example that shows the effects of institutional discrimination is the child benefits scandal (toeslagenaffaire). Many parents were wrongfully accused of fraud, causing big debts, loss of homes, psychological problems [l] and the eviction of children by child protection [m]. Most of the victims targeted were families with a migration background [k]. In 2022 the tax administration office admitted that ethnic profiling is used in their procedures [n], making immigrants more vulnerable to wrongful accusation. This is a clear example of institutional racism, but it occurs more frequently, and often less noticable and without clear evidence.