Collecting data on complaints: Experiences from the Czech Republic Equinet Cluster on Research & Data Collection Marína Urbániková 30. November, 2017

Focus on complaints How many complaints were received and handled in a given year What is the number of cases where discrimination was found, what type of discrimination it was The structure of the complaints according to area of discrimination and claimed discrimination ground(s) Who is the most typical complainant Other files: Communication with international entities Responding to public queries Co-operation with governmental authorities Co-operation with NGOs and the private sector Independent research

Why do we need the data on complaints? 1. External purposes: Better knowledge of the field; year-on-year comparison Awareness raising These data are often requested by NGOs, researchers, etc. 2. Internal purposes: efficiency 3. Internal purposes: effectiveness Identification of the most pressing issues Identification of groups at risk of underreporting Indicator of visibility and trustworthiness

What data do we collect? Characteristics of the complainants Sex Age Region Number of complaints received Number of complaints that were addressed/handled in the given year Number of complaints pending Number of complaints where discrimination likely did occur, and the type(s) of discrimination Direct Indirect Retaliation, harassment, instruction, incitement Multiple discrimination

What data do we collect? Number of complaints by area Number of complaints according to the claimed discrimination grounds Work and employment Goods and services Sex Housing Age Education Race or ethnicity Other public administration Disability Social affairs Nationality Healthcare Religion, faith, worldview Other Sexual orientation

How do we collect the data on complaints? The change of perspective: statistics of the complaints handled/resolved in the given year → statistics of the complaints received in the given year Lawyers: paper files Department of Administrative and Documentation Services responsible for the administration of electronic files: transcription into the information system Mistakes, omissions The information system – user unfriendly Data download – check – fix the omissions – compute the results, plot the graphs

Data on complaints 2009 - 2016 2009 + 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Number of complaints received 178 263 250 413 397 418 451 Number of complaints pending 1 4 39 95 Number of cases where discrimination was found 18 22 32 26 17 9 Proportion of cases where discrimination was found 10% 8% 13% 7% 4% 3% Number of cases where discrimination was neither proved nor disproved - 30 43 37

Types of discrimination found between 2009 - 2016 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Direct discrimination 6 14 23 18 21 11 5 Indirect discrimination 9 10 17 2 Retaliation, harassment, instruction, incitement 4 1

Number of complaints by area

Number of complaints according to the claimed discrimination grounds

Conclusion The data on complaints = important source of information A quick overview of our work Awareness raising It broadens our knowledge of the extent and structure of discrimination It helps us to better focus our work With an efficient electronic system, it is not time-consuming

Thank you for your attention The Office of the Public Defender of Rights Údolní 39 602 00 Brno Czech Republic www.ochrance.cz www.eso.ochrance.cz www.facebook.com: Veřejný ochránce práv – ombudsman www.twitter.com/ochranceprav Mgr. et Mgr. Marína Urbániková, PhD. tel. 542 542 355 urbanikova@ochrance.cz