Summary

At the invitation of the Government, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance visited the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 30 April to 11 May 2018.

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur assesses the authorities’ efforts in eliminating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. She notes that the United Kingdom has shown some leadership in key areas for the achievement of racial equality, especially with regards to the Race Disparity Audit and the legislative framework that prohibits racial discrimination and intolerance. Nevertheless, the Special Rapporteur highlights that important work remains to be done to address structural forms of racial discrimination and inequality. Although she acknowledges that differences exist between the various nations that constitute the United Kingdom, she stresses that all over the country persons belonging to racial and ethnic minorities have poorer outcomes in many areas of life. Some of the key areas addressed in the report include the racial impact of laws and policies on austerity measures, criminal justice, counter-terrorism and immigration, as well as the impact of Brexit on racial equality in the country.