Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Politics
blackface
children's ombudsman
College of Human Rights
discrimination
harassment
Racism
United Nations
Zwarte Piet
Friday, 21 October 2016 - 17:21
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Hotline issues call to report rise in racism, discrimination tied to Zwarte Piet

The Discrimination Hotline for the Amsterdam region is calling on people to report cases of discrimination, harassment and racism during the Sinterklaas season, NOS reports.

According to the Hotline, the “controversial figure of Zwarte Piet”, annually causes situations to get out of hand at school, work and other public places. The Hotline is consciously choosing to actively participate in the debate on what Zwarte Piet should look like.

The organization believes that Zwarte Piet should be adjusted so that he works for everyone. In a statement on their website the Hotline cites rulings by the and advice from the College for Human Rights, a United Nations committee and the Children’s Ombudsman to support their stance.

The College of Human rights advised the Netherlands to adapt Zwarte Piet to remove racial characteristics and associations with classic negative stereotypes about people with dark skin.

The United Nation told the Dutch government to portray Zwarte Piet differently so that he respects the human dignity and human rights of all the Netherlands’ residents.

The Children’s Ombudsman stated that Zwarte Piet goes against the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as he may contribute to bullying, discrimination and exclusion.

These statements make it clear that Zwarte Piet belongs to the past, according to the Hotline. The tradition needs to be updated into a new shape.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Politicians dumping TikTok after election campaigns over privacy concerns
  • Flags flying half-mast as Netherlands commemorates 1953 flood disaster
  • Catering sector to blacklist people who misbehave in clubs, bars
  • Education Min. adjusting rules to limit influx of international students
  • Inflation dropped to 7.6 percent in January
  • Confidence in the EU economy is rising again, the Netherlands is lagging behind

Top stories

  • Catering sector to blacklist people who misbehave in clubs, bars
  • Education Min. adjusting rules to limit influx of international students
  • Inflation dropped to 7.6 percent in January
  • Cabinet may use Lelystad Airport, empty churches to shelter asylum seekers & refugees
  • Netherlands named 8th least corrupt nation in annual review, but issues remain
  • Dutch human rights institute critical of “disproportionate” arrest of climate protesters

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content