"The promotion of equality and non-discrimination are key Sustainable Development Goals, but there is a paucity of data to analyse the experiences of groups at risk of discrimination across the globe. In particular, there are significant deficiencies in data pertaining to discrimination based on sexual orientation, ethnicity, race and religion.

Newly available survey data enable an assessment of worldwide self-reported discrimination, which when coupled with objective measures of inequality, values surveys and qualitative information, paint a detailed picture of the factors associated with discrimination, as well as the nature and consequences of discrimination.

The results indicate that almost a quarter of people report experiencing discrimination in their lifetime, with rates especially high in Northern America and Oceania, and Latin America and the Caribbean (and lower in in Asia, Europe, and Africa and the Middle East). Regional variations in self-reported discrimination correlate positively with inequality, and rates are higher in more diverse regions with higher average living standards (which likely relates to individuals' expectations for equal treatment and awareness of discrimination).

Quantitative evidence shows that women, young people and those on low incomes are most likely to self-report discrimination across the globe (although data on some key at-risk groups are missing). Complementing the quantitative analysis, qualitative evidence covering OECD countries highlights the ways in which individuals' intersecting risk factors shape experiences of discrimination including their sexuality, ethnicity, disability, age and sex. People with several risk factors commonly describe experiencing multiple forms of discrimination in employment, public spaces, healthcare environments and government administrative settings, and the toll it takes on their mental health, finances, productivity and safety."

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