Response to interpellation 2022/23:106 on the introduction of equality data to address structural racism
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the introduction of equality data to counter structural racism. MP believes that Sweden lacks knowledge about racism and that equality data is needed to achieve progress similar to gender equality work 1. MP argues that data based on voluntariness and anonymity removes risks 2 3 and expresses concern about racist policies and racial profiling 2 3. L considers structural racism to be a real problem 4 but argues that the introduction of equality data is complex and requires trade-offs between public interest and privacy risks 5 4 6. L argues that there are reasons to be restrictive with data collection linked to ethnicity 5 6.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Statsrådet Paulina Brandberg (L)
Madam Speaker! I would first like to say hello to the school class who are in the gallery. It is nice to see that there is interest from the younger generation.
Madam Speaker! Annika Hirvonen has asked me whether I will introduce the collection of equality data in Sweden. Let me begin by commenting on the information that appears in, among other things, the Swedish Crime Prevention Council's in-depth report on Afrophobic hate crimes that Annika Hirvonen refers to.
That people are subjected to verbal attacks and violence because of their skin color is unacceptable. That a high proportion of those who are subjected to this are children and young people makes the issue even more pressing. Everyone in Sweden should also be able to feel secure that public activities, such as health and medical care, have the knowledge needed to be able to provide high-quality and equal care. No one in Sweden should have to be subjected to racism or discrimination.
Data that can provide knowledge about people's living conditions in connection with racism and discrimination are important, and many times necessary, to design and monitor the government's policy in the area. The concept of equality data is broad and covers all data that is relevant, both qualitative and quantitative data. It is used by many actors in different contexts, for example by the European Commission in its handbook on equality data 2016.
Brås report gives us, together with the authority's previous reports on antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes, important knowledge about both the vulnerability that different groups of people live with in Sweden and what consequences it has. Recently, the Equality Ombudsman has also decided to produce recurring reports on the occurrence of discrimination in society to make visible in what ways people are subjected to discrimination. These reports constitute central underlying material in the work to prevent and counteract racism, discrimination, and hate crimes. The development work being carried out regarding, for example, hate crime markings and reports of discrimination therefore becomes of great importance so that the statistics in the area can gain greater relevance in the work.
Annika Hirvonen mentions the Equality Ombudsman's report from 2012 and emphasizes what she sees as the authority's conclusion in the report. In this context, I want to point out that the report highlights that the issue is complex and that there are challenges when it comes to obtaining sensitive information about people's living conditions. Not least, the attitude toward the collection of such data differs greatly between different groups in society, partly due to different historical experiences.
There are thus reasons why Sweden should also continue to have a restrictive view on statistics and data collection linked to ethnicity and that the issue therefore requires a deeper analysis.
Knowledge is important and often a necessity for action. In the continued work within the framework of the national plan against racism, similar forms of hostility and hate crimes, new knowledge will be developed. It is also the government's intention to ensure that the knowledge that already exists regarding, among other things, people's vulnerability to racism and discrimination is made available and used by relevant actors. That is how we create change.
Annika Hirvonen (MP)
Madam Speaker! Recently, a number of organizations alerted us to the absolute extreme consequences of racism in Sweden. In healthcare, it has been seen how children of different skin colors have been given different pain relief and how women in maternity care have received poorer and more uncertain maternity care with a higher risk of stillbirth in connection with the birth. There is also a case where a man died as a result of a reference to "cultural fainting" when the man was actually in acute need of care.
Perceptions of differences between people based on, for example, skin color that have no basis in science are dangerous. As long as these perceptions and their consequences are not made visible on a structural level, there is a risk that the whole thing is brushed off as isolated incidents and that adequate measures are not introduced. Therefore, many are now demanding structural data collection linked to racism.
In 2021, Miljöpartiet tasked the Brå government with producing the third in a series of reports highlighting racism in Sweden. The first reports dealt with antisemitism and Islamophobia. Brå's new study on Afrophobic hate crimes highlights what very many have witnessed for a long time, namely how hate crimes occur openly on streets and squares, in public transport, and at schools and workplaces. It can range from verbal assaults, where n-words and other derogatory expressions are used. But in almost one-fifth of the reports, violence also occurs, and that is an alarming result.
The consequences for the individual who is subjected to it and who carries the fear of being subjected to it leave physical marks on the body in the form of ill health. This naturally has particular consequences for children.
Let us look at Sweden's work on equality. Sweden is now one of the world's most equal countries when it comes to equality between women and men. The most central background to this is that we have very good statistics that are gender-disaggregated. Gender-disaggregated statistics have been a tool for researchers, but they have also made it very easy to see structural inequality and thus enabled the right measures.
I am convinced that if we had better knowledge about structural racism, we could achieve corresponding progress there. Sweden has received criticism from both the EU and the UN for our lack of knowledge about racism. Therefore, equality data was needed.
Statsrådet Paulina Brandberg (L)
Madam Speaker! I completely share Annika Hirvonen's view that the structural racism that exists in our society is a real problem and that it is a problem that requires measures. There is no conflict whatsoever between me, or the government, and Annika Hirvonen. The question here concerns which measures should be taken to address this issue.
Annika Hirvonen has, in her interpellation, referred to a report from Brå from 2012. If this were a simple issue, it could probably have been handled here a long time ago. The conclusion in Brå's report is, however, that it is a complex issue. If it had not been that, Annika Hirvonen's Miljöparti could have handled the issue in the way she is now requesting during all years of government. The issue is, however, complex.
The government has far-reaching plans for how it will handle the structural racism that, among others, Afro-Swedes are subjected to. We have measures within the framework of the plan, and the action programs against different forms of racism that were previously decided remain in place. The government will continue the work within the framework of the national plan against racism, similar forms of hostility and hate crimes with the same high level of ambition that the previous government had.
Among these measures are both specific interventions against different forms of racism and interventions that involve broader measures against racism. This includes, among other things, measures to prevent and counter racism within schools, healthcare, and the working life.
As I previously mentioned, it is the government's intention to, among other things, work to ensure that knowledge about racism and similar forms of hostility is made available and used by various actors. As an example, it can be mentioned that teachers, principals and other actors who work with children and young people need to have relevant knowledge for their work in accordance with the school's mission to promote democracy, but also to be able to handle different expressions of racism and similar forms of hostility in the classroom.
The knowledge-enhancing initiatives that Forum för levande historia, in cooperation with Skolverket, offer to school employees also continue to be important in the work against racism. Forum för levande historia also carries out initiatives to increase knowledge about different forms of racism in history, today aimed at public employees in other professional groups. Furthermore, Socialstyrelsen also continues, in accordance with its mandate, to produce, develop and disseminate knowledge support to counter the occurrence of racism, promote everyone's equal rights and opportunities within health and medical care and contribute to equitable care.
These are just some of all the measures that, with the government's support, will be implemented to prevent and counteract racism. Measures will, as said, be taken, but the question of introducing equality data is a significantly more complex issue than what Annika Hirvonen presents in this debate. That requires careful balancing between different interests.
Annika Hirvonen (MP)
Madam Speaker! The question of equality data is not simple. But it is not an excuse for not working with it. What is advocated by the EU and the UN concerns equality data based on voluntariness, anonymity, and self-identification. With the help of these criteria—that the collection is voluntary, anonymous, and based on self-identification—many of the risks are removed that would truly be very serious if it were about such registration as was carried out in illegal ways in, among other things, the police's ROM register, which the Green Party absolutely does not advocate. Both within the corporate world and in many other countries, many attempts have been made where work has been actively done with equality data and methods have been developed that are both accurate and eliminate many of the risks that would exist if it were not voluntary, anonymous, and based on self-identification.
When the UN recently reviewed Sweden's work against racism, it once again pointed out the lack of reliable knowledge. Sweden must do more here. I truly welcome that this government and Paulina Brandberg intend to continue working with the plan against racism and similar forms of hostility that Miljöpartiet developed in the government.
At the same time, I am concerned, because there are traces of a racist policy from the Sverigedemokraterna in the Tidö Agreement, for example, calls for racial profiling in the police's activities. This is something that I urge Minister Paulina Brandberg to vigorously oppose and monitor. I am convinced that it would be devastating if the police were to systematically search persons with dark skin or persons with an appearance that makes them, for example, resemble a certain refugee group that the Sverigedemokraterna do not like. Being subjected to "random checks" very often is very stressful. If the police subject the same persons to searches, there is a risk that they will eventually feel that the police are not on their side, even though they are law-abiding and, just like everyone else, do their best to contribute to society, go to work, and pay taxes.
This is a development that I am very concerned about when I compare what is stated in the Tidö Agreement with formulations from the Sverigedemokraterna. I would truly urge Paulina Brandberg to both distance herself from racial profiling as a method in the police's work, and not resign in the face of the fact that the issue of equality data is complex, but rather move it forward. Here, there are opportunities to find tools to make structural racism visible and subsequently counter it.
Statsrådet Paulina Brandberg (L)
Madam Speaker! As Annika Hirvonen is aware, we have a data protection regulation in the EU that is directly binding and applicable in all member states. It states that, as a general rule, it is prohibited to process personal data that reveals race, ethnic origin, or religious belief. Exceptions can be made under certain conditions, including for processing that is necessary for statistical purposes. But a balancing of the public interest in relation to privacy risks must always be made.
The prohibition in the Data Protection Regulation exists for a reason. There are reasons to exercise great caution regarding the collection of sensitive personal data of this kind. Methods that could potentially be used must be able to guarantee the participants' privacy. We know that there are groups that are positive towards the collection of this type of data, but there are also groups that feel great concern regarding a potential collection of this type of information. There are also considerations to be made when it comes to classification or grouping, which are also required when processing a larger amount of statistical data. There are therefore reasons to remain restrictive with statistics and data collection linked to ethnicity. This is the reason why this is an issue that requires a very deep analysis.
The question of visitation zones is something that this government will investigate. There is no writing in the Tidö Agreement that says this will occur based on race or ethnic origin. When investigating that type of proposal, it is important that it concerns a measure which, like all other measures in our society, especially within the justice system, must of course be undertaken in a legally secure manner, taking into account the principle of equal treatment according to our constitution.
The question is, as said, complex and requires a deep analysis. But this government will work with a high level of ambition to combat structural racism.
Annika Hirvonen (MP)
Madam Speaker! First, I would like to say something about the concerns that Paulina Brandberg raises. The method that the EU advocates for equality data is about anonymity, which removes the privacy risks that the Minister highlights, voluntariness, which means that those who, due to for example anxiety or completely other reasons, do not want to respond to anonymous surveys do not have to do so, and self-identification, which is very important when it comes to classification. It is central that people are allowed to identify themselves.
This requires deep analysis, absolutely, and my question is simply: Does Paulina Brandberg intend to conduct such a deep analysis so that the issue can be moved forward? I believe, however, that this is the most central measure if we are to tackle structural racism in the same effective and broad way as we have worked for equality between women and men.
Madam Speaker! When it comes to the issue of racial profiling by the police, the stop-and-search zones, as Paulina Brandberg very rightly also suggests, risk leading to people with a foreign background or darker skin color being subjected to searches more often. But it is actually a completely different formulation in the Tidö Agreement that my concern concerns, namely that which describes how the police shall conduct their work "effectively". If one listens to, for example, the Sweden Democrats' Tobias Andersson, he argues that the police must engage in racial profiling precisely because it is considered effective.
I believe that this would be devastating from the perspective that people will be exposed to structural racism.
Statsrådet Paulina Brandberg (L)
Madam Speaker! As I said initially, I really want to emphasize that information regarding people's vulnerability to racism, discrimination, and hate crimes in our society must be taken most seriously. The Government is therefore continuing with a large number of measures carried out by several different agencies.
Annika Hirvonen speaks about the fact that the collection of equality data is something based on voluntariness and consent. But weighing benefits against risks and determining how such data can be used is perhaps not always an assessment that the individual can make entirely on their own. That is what I want to emphasize. Being able to see the whole picture, including the risks that come with that type of data collection, is a very large responsibility to place on the individual. There are great difficulties in this, and it is, as said, a question that requires a very deep analysis.
We will continue the work that is to contribute to deepening the knowledge within this area. We will, with the methods that exist today, continue to carefully monitor how widespread both structural racism and other forms of discrimination in society are.
We also need to have a close dialogue with different parts of civil society in our continued work in order to be able to work as effectively as possible with this issue. That is how we can create better conditions for the work of preventing and counteracting different forms of racism in a way that actually makes a difference.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.