Many people in Austria experience racism as the norm because racism is deeply rooted in our structures and institutions: in the education system, on the job market, in authorities – it is omnipresent and noticeable to many every day. People pointed out this system of racism 1,977 times in 2021 and reported it to ZARA. After the sad record number of reports from 2020, only the very top tip of the iceberg is visible again.
In the Racism Report 2021, ZARA focuses on the structural and institutional level of racism. The analyzes in the report look at where racism influences the way we think, speak and act, and where racism makes it difficult for people to access resources or opportunities for participation because of characteristics such as skin colour, origin or religion. This is how ZARA wants to show that racism must be tackled at its roots so that it can be combated effectively.
“The ZARA counseling center !Against Racism catches what shouldn’t be,” says Fiorentina Azizi-Hacker, head of the ZARA counseling centers. In 2021, ZARA was able to be even more there for those people who are directly affected by racism: more affected people have contacted ZARA than in 2020: 43% of the reports come from affected people (without the internet). In addition to counseling sessions and case documentation, the ZARA counselors took 1,155 legal (25%) and non-legal (75%) measures to work together with clients to combat racism. Examples of such measures are: support with complaints, writing intervention letters or accompaniment to authorities and arbitration talks.
It is particularly difficult for clients who have experienced racially motivated police violence to take legal action because they fear that they will not be believed or that they will be held responsible for the incident (secondary victimization). They also repeatedly report administrative penalties that they receive as a result. “It is important for those affected to have a place where they are listened to and believed, where they are taken seriously,” emphasizes ZARA counselor Désirée Sandanasamy.
A first step in breaking up the racism system would be a long overdue national action plan against racism. Just recently, EU justice ministers – including the Austrian justice minister – announced that measures to combat racism would be implemented in national action plans by the end of the year. ZARA is now hoping for rapid implementation with the involvement of anti-racism experts*, because the effects of structural and institutional racism are serious and make rapid action necessary. A current example is the establishment of a two-tier asylum system – in which people fleeing Ukraine are decided on the basis of their citizenship as to what rights they have in Austria. For everyone who wants to take action immediately, Barbara Liegl, ZARA Managing Director, to the heart: “Report racism and show civil courage! Sign the Black Voices referendum and take a stand against structural racism.”
