What may be happening
Discrimination can appear when looking for housing, studying, accessing a job or carrying out a transaction. Sometimes it is explicit; Others are expressed through requirements or decisions whose effect deserves review. OBERAXE documents employment and educational inequalities that help analyze these barriers beyond individual incidents.
Migration and racism are not synonyms. A person can experience racism without having migrated. Racialization describes how characteristics and social positions are attributed based on traits such as skin color or an assumed origin. No appearance allows us to know the nationality or the administrative situation.
How it can affect
Having to continually justify belonging, correct assumptions, or anticipate rejection can erode trust. Not all people respond the same: some seek support, others prioritize solving an immediate need and others prefer not to tell what happened.
A language barrier does not mean a lack of knowledge or the ability to decide. If an explanation is not understood, the next step is to improve communication. Ask what language or support would make the conversation easier, without assuming it based on accent or appearance.
Facts to dispel myths
There is no single "migrant culture." The country of birth does not determine the training, beliefs, life project or relationship with services. Treating someone as a representative of an entire country prevents us from knowing their specific needs.
A difficulty completing a form does not show disinterest. It is advisable to check if the information is clear, if the requested document is relevant and if there are alternatives for access. Do not confuse a question about a procedure with an assessment about who deserves to be attended to.
What can we change
In a service, it reports requirements and decisions in an understandable and consistent way. Avoid questions about the administrative situation if they are not necessary for management; When they are, explain their purpose and use of the information. Do not promise access conditions without verifying them.
If you believe that you have suffered racial or ethnic discrimination in Spain, CEDRE offers information and access to its support network. Consulting can help you evaluate options; It does not force you to adopt a specific path. The requirements of a procedure must be verified according to the service and the territory.
Illustrative situation · search for a room
A person asks for an available room. After hearing his accent, the person answering adds a requirement that did not appear in the advertisement nor had it been requested from another interested person. The scene is fictitious and is not a testimony.
A possible answer. You can save the ad and the response, ask for an explanation of the requirement and consult with a specialized service. Whoever accompanies can help organize the information without publishing names or personal data on networks.
What can we change
If it has happened to you
Write down the place, date, and response received, if doing so is possible and safe. Decide what you need first: information, support or exploring a claim.
If you accompany
Listen without demanding that the person prove their expertise in the conversation. Ask if you want help contacting an entity or preparing a request.
If you work in an organization
Compare the requirements applied to equivalent cases. Review forms and offer explanations that do not depend on prior administrative knowledge.
Find a next stepYou may also be interested
Sources to continue reading
- OBERAXE · Labor and educational discrimination towards the foreign population in Spain · 2024 (opens another tab)
- CEDRE · What to do if you have been discriminated against (opens another tab)
Document consultation: September 21, 2026. The selection of sources does not amount to a professional review of this page. How we process information.