The Observatory on Discrimination has issued its latest report for 2024, compiling quantitative and qualitative information on discrimination in the city. Last year there were 1,102 recorded cases of discrimination in the city, a rise of 27.4% compared to 2023.
The information in the Report by the Observatory on Discrimination in Barcelona 2024 shows that racism continues to be the main reason for discrimination, with 314 incidents, while discrimination on the grounds of gender accounts for the second highest number of cases, with 280 incidents.
Individuals were the main discriminators, responsible for 361 situations, mostly relating to LGBTI-phobia, gender, racism and xenophobia. Private organisations and companies were reported in 352 instances, mainly for discrimination for language reasons, racism and ableism. The list of discriminators continues with the public administration (331), police corps (65) and finally, private security (26).
Discriminatory discourse and hate speech were present in 25% of cases recorded in 2024. In these 271 incidents, LGBTI people and migrants were affected the most. In 44% of cases, discrimination entailed two or more types in the same situation.
Data show that cases are not often denounced and that under-reporting persists. For the second year running, women reported more cases of discrimination, and those who reported discrimination through racism and xenophobia were of Latin American origin in almost half of cases.
The report includes a monographic section on hate speech, present in 25% of discrimination cases recorded in 2024. This is also the first time the report also includes cases of discrimination on social media, with 23 detected.
The report, which can be viewed in full or in an executive summary format, is the result of joint work between the Office for Non-Discrimination (OND), the Human Rights Resource Centre operated by Barcelona City Council, and the Board of Organisations with Support Services for the Victims of Discrimination, currently made up of 26 organisations.
The OND provides free and confidential support for people who have suffered some sort of discrimination or hate offence, in person at the office at C/ Ferran, 32, by phone on 934 132 000, or online.
