Anno 2022 we find ourselves in Belgium […or anywhere else in Europe (red.)]. Centuries and decades after the abolition of the slave trade and after ending colonialism. A whole timespan where people of African descent have been an integral part of the social and economic fabric of the European Union (EU), including Belgium.
Nevertheless, racism & discrimination is the most prominent topic in the minds of people of African descent in Belgium. Racial discrimination excludes them from participating fully in education, employment and livelihood opportunities. The exclusion is mostly unconscious and unintentional, yet very systematic. The problem is very well known yet lacks recognition of its true extent and nature of the impact on the lives of Black people in Belgium. A rather painful topic that keeps People of African origin in Belgium not only sleepless but also susceptible to racial unrest and disconnection from society.
In this report, you will read more about how racism manifests, how people of African descent confront it daily and what their needs are in order to have a feeling that they are indeed living in one of the countries perceived as the most DEVELOPED, DEMOCRATIC and SAFEST in the world. A Narrative research study BY and WITH people of African descent in Belgium. Thank you all for working with SANKAA during this project.
