The factsheet outlines key recommendations made by ECRI on the topic of discrimination and intolerance in the area of health from its country monitoring reports from the fourth, fifth, and sixth monitoring cycles of ECRI.

Racism and intolerance have a negative impact on the enjoyment of the right to health care for persons belonging to groups of concern to ECRI. In its country monitoring work, ECRI has found that Roma, especially Roma women and girls, migrants, Black persons and people of African descent, as well as LGBTI persons, were particularly affected in the area of health. Social and economic factors, for example in relation to housing and living conditions, can also have serious repercussions on the health status of persons and groups of concern to ECRI.

In view of these findings, ECRI has strengthened its recommendations on addressing racism and intolerance in the area of health. For example, ECRI has underlined the importance of preventive measures, such as the organisation of training on equality and non-discrimination for health professionals. It has also placed a particular emphasis on the need to conduct investigations whenever information indicative of racism, intolerance and related forms of inequalities and discrimination, including segregation, comes to light, and for ensuring accountability.

The Factsheet is divided into eight sections with references to recommendations made in country monitoring reports, namely:

• developing group-specific research in relation to health status and access to health care;
• taking general preventive action;
• ensuring accountability;
• developing, implementing, and evaluating responses to pandemics and other health crises;
• specific action against antigypsyism and anti-Roma/Traveller discrimination;
• ensuring access of migrants, irrespective of their legal status, to health care;
• specific action against racism and discrimination against Black persons / people of African descent;
• specific action against intolerance and discrimination against LGBTI persons.

This new factsheet is a tool supplementing relevant texts of a general nature adopted by ECRI. ECRI’s recommendations are meant to assist member states in designing, implementing, and evaluating measures to address racism and discrimination in this area.