Intersectional Discrimination
In its mandate for the years 2024-2027, the CDADI is instructed to prepare a Feasibility study and possible draft Recommendation on preventing and combating intersectional discrimination (in consultation with the Gender Equality Commission “GEC”).
This work will be carried out by a working group which was established by the CDADI at its 8th plenary meeting.
The term “intersectional discrimination” reflects the understanding that the interaction of two or more grounds of discrimination can produce a disadvantage which is qualitatively different to the operation of those grounds separately. It differs from “multiple discrimination”, which is an overarching term for all instances of discrimination on several grounds: intersectional discrimination includes the idea that the interaction of the grounds is synergistic in nature.[1]
In 2022, the European Commission on Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) focussed its annual seminar with Equality Bodies on the topic “Prohibition of discrimination: can a focus on intersectionality contribute to effective equality?” The content and outcomes of this event can be accessed here.
Examples of an intersectional approach to discrimination in the Council of Europe:
- The CDADI and its substructures in several deliverables:
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)16 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on combating hate speech
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2023)9 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the active political participation of national minority youth
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2023)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on equality for roma and traveller women and girls
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on combating hate crime
- The Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on upholding equality and protecting against discrimination and hate during the Covid-19 pandemic and similar crises in the future
- The Study on the active political participation of national minority youth in Council of Europe member States
- The study COVID-19: An analysis of the anti-discrimination, diversity and inclusion dimensions in Council of Europe member States
- The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) in its country monitoring work and in several general Policy recommendations:
- General Policy Recommendation No.5 (revised) on preventing and combating anti-Muslim racism and discrimination
- General Policy Recommendation No. 9 (revised) on preventing and combating Antisemitism
- General Policy Recommendation No. 17 on preventing and combating intolerance and discrimination against LGBTI persons
- The Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy for 2024-2029
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)17 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)7 on young people’s access to rights; and
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2023)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on Roma youth participation
