Dutch human rights institute reports rise in religion-based discrimination

The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights is receiving an increasing number of reports of discrimination based on religion. That’s according to the institute’s semi-annual monitor. Since the beginning of this year, 87 such reports have been filed, compared to 120 in all of 2024. Recurring themes included anti-Muslim discrimination, antisemitism, prayer rooms at schools, and wearing headscarves at work.

In total, the Institute recorded 1,495 reports in the past six months from people who felt they had been discriminated against. Most of the reports concerned discrimination based on gender, race, and disability or chronic illness. “The number of complaints on these grounds remains consistently high each year,” the institute said.

In addition, the Institute received 396 requests to issue a judgment in a case. The number of cases involving religion also rose: in all of 2024, there were 31 such requests, while 21 have already been filed this year. The Institute issued rulings in a total of 61 cases, and in 70 percent of them, it found that discrimination had occurred.

When asked, the Institute said it cannot pinpoint a single cause for the increase. However, a spokesperson noted that the reports and requests it receives “always reflect current events in society.” Greater public awareness of the Institute and a higher willingness to report incidents may also be contributing to the rise.