Nicosia, Cyprus. Eurostat data published on Monday showed that 3.1 per cent of Cypriots with disabilities reported feeling discriminated against in administrative offices and public services. The figure ranked Cyprus lowest in the EU alongside Italy.
Cyprus and EU comparison
In the EU as a whole, shares of disabled people who felt discriminated against in administrative offices and public services were higher than among those without disabilities.
In Cyprus, the share of disabled people who reported no discrimination in administrative offices and public services was only slightly lower than the share who said they did experience discrimination.
On the EU average, 9.4 per cent of people with disabilities aged over 16 said they felt discriminated against when in contact with administrative services, compared with 4 per cent of respondents without disabilities.
Highest and lowest reported discrimination rates
The highest overall shares of disabled people experiencing discrimination were recorded in Estonia at 14.6 per cent, Spain at 14.5 per cent, and Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden at 12.8 per cent.
The lowest shares were recorded in Cyprus and Italy at 3.1 per cent, followed by Croatia at 4.3 per cent and Hungary at 4.5 per cent.
Education, public spaces, and housing
A similar tendency was reported in the educational sector and public spaces, where people with disabilities tended to face more discrimination than non-disabled people.
In educational institutions, 4.1 per cent of people with disabilities reported discrimination, compared with 2.3 per cent of people without disabilities. In public spaces, the figures were 5 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.
When it came to finding housing, 8.2 per cent of Europeans with disabilities said they had experienced discrimination, compared with 5.2 per cent of people without a disability.
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