Challenges

Help wanted! – closed

City of Amsterdam

 

Background

Amsterdam enjoys a worldwide reputation as a city open to everyone. Our College of Mayor and Alderpersons uphold an open and hospitable Amsterdam, where the unjust exclusion of individuals or groups is unacceptable. With its broad anti-discrimination* approach, the City Council unanimously seeks an inclusive and tolerant city where everyone can be him/herself, with respect for others and for the norms and values of our state and city. This does not just happen automatically. A diverse and welcoming city requires attention, investment and effort by the municipality, its partners, its citizens and its visitors.

Two important goals of the anti-discrimination approach are that:

  • Victims of discrimination are offered effective help and support;
  • More victims of discrimination report this issue to the police or other authorities.

In Amsterdam, as in the Netherlands, just a small proportion of incidents of discrimination are reported to the police. This is a missed opportunity; reporting incidents to the police or other authorities is important with a view to helping victims, to finding and punishing the offender, and to analysing the locations and types of incidents so that more effective policies and measures can be developed. That is why more reports of incidents need to be made.

A recent study by the University of Amsterdam (commissioned by the police) shows that communication with the victims of discrimination can be improved. Besides offering help directly, digital tools could help/persuade the victim to file an official report and put them in touch with the relevant supporting organisation.

 

The challenge

Develop an innovative tool to encourage victims of discrimination to seek help sooner in an easily accessible manner and to gain access to the appropriate professional organisations.

 

Criteria

  • The tool must connect as much as possible with, and be as supportive as possible of existing facilities/organisations;
  • The solution must offer anonymity to the victims;
  • It would be of added value if the challenge can be scaled up for use in other Dutch cities (and internationally);
  • Familiarity with the issue is preferable;
  • The solution should preferably involve the following partners: Victim Support (Slachtofferhulp), the Police (including Pink in Blue/Roze in Blauw), COC, Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD), the City of Amsterdam. The City will play a facilitating role initially.

 

* Definition:

Discrimination is the unequal treatment of an individual or a certain group of people on the basis of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or religion.

 

Issued by: RVE Onderwijs, Jeugd, Zorg en Diversiteit