Displacement, racism and violence against women intersect

Contributing to policies on racism, intolerance, and related forms of discrimination in Europe and Internationality, the high-level meeting report of the 2025 Annual Seminar with Equality Bodies, “Advancing Equality in an Era of Democratic Backsliding” (Strasbourg, 23–24 Oct 2025) – was published in February, 2026.
 

Humanitarian Emergencies, Protection and Displacement research at ANU is exploring the intersections between migration, racism and violence against women and children. These intersections often shape how women are seen, heard and pathways to justice. Women and kids who have migrated from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds face particular risks of discrimination, hate speech and gendered violence in various areas of social life.

This new report from the Secretariat of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), includes proposals shared by equality bodies, European and international partners, experts and civil society representatives.

Professor Bina D’Costa in her capacity as UN Working Group Chair shared reflections as keynote speaker in the panel: State of Racism, Intolerance and related forms of Discrimination in Europe – Trends & Challenges.
 

The panel examined the current landscape of racism, intolerance and related forms of discrimination, noting how democratic backsliding and shrinking civic space are exacerbating inequalities and undermining protections for people belonging to racialised communities and other groups of concern to ECRI, CERD and equality bodies.

Bina D’Costa (ANU) was joined by Anne-Françoise Tissier (ECRI member in respect of France), Sara Hamood (Chief, Anti-Racial Discrimination Section, OHCHR) Claudia Lam (Deputy to the Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe) Evgenia Giakoumopoulou ((Head of SOGIESC Unit, Council of Europe) and Kristin Henrarnd (Professor International Law, Migration, Diversity and Justice Centre BSoG).

Their insights captured in this report, can serve as a tool and reference for us to further promote equality and non-discrimination at national, European and international levels.