An independent UN body has highlighted persistent systemic racism in Belgium, particularly impacting Africans and people of African descent. The UN International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement has called on Belgium to address issues such as racial profiling and police brutality, which continue to adversely affect these communities. The experts stressed that mechanisms for police accountability, although important, lack the requisite independence and transparency to effectively curb systemic abuses (UN OHCHR).
Tracie Keesee, one of the UN experts, noted that the discrimination faced today is part of a legacy of enslavement and colonialism. Recognizing history’s enduring impact, the UN body calls for Belgium to take concrete steps towards reparatory justice. Notably, the overrepresentation of Africans and those of African descent in Belgium’s prison population has been flagged as an area of concern (ENAR-EU).
A delay in facilitating a broad public dialogue on racial discrimination has left Belgium with vestiges of its colonial past, highlighted by memorials to figures like King Leopold II, despite formal apologies from Belgian royalty in recent years. A historic judgment by the Brussels Court of Appeal in December 2024 classified the abduction of mixed-race children during the colonial era as a crime against humanity (Amnesty).
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights reported that a significant portion of the African diaspora faces increased racial discrimination. Issues such as racial profiling in employment and racial abuse in educational settings have escalated (see FRA Report).
Belgian anti-discrimination efforts are mainly governed by the Laws of 10 May 2007 and 30 July 1981, although these legal frameworks face challenges in addressing systemic inequalities. The impact of recent amendments aimed at bolstering anti-discrimination protections is yet to be determined (Unia).
The detailed findings and recommendations by the UN body serve as a critical reference point for policy makers and legal professionals focused on enhancing racial justice in Belgium. For further information, the full coverage is available at JURIST.