Discrimination is prohibited according to the law. The existing legislation encompasses the areas of business, public authorities and professional life, the labour- and housing markets and the unemployment- and social insurance systems.

Discrimination can be direct , that is the unequal treatment of comparable cases. Direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably than another in a comparable situation. For example, two people who are applying for a job they are both fully qualified for, are still treated differently due to their respective ethnic origin or sexual orientation. Discrimination can also be indirect - signifying the equal treatment of unlike cases. That is, for example, a situation in which irrelevant demands for a job are set, implying that a person cannot be employed due to disability or religious belief.    

The Anti-discrimination Bureau Stockholm - organisation structure and activities

The Anti-discrimination Bureau Stockholm operates in the whole of Stockholm County and is financed by the Swedish Youth Board. The bureau is run by SIOS - The Cooperation Group for Ethnic associations in Sweden - but works with all grounds for discrimination - ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. We conduct education sessions and information activities directed at different organisations, however, our main task consists of the provision of legal advice to individuals who experience discrimination in their everyday life.

We provide advice, support and information, free of charge, to persons who are discriminated against due their ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Anonymity is fully respected in contact with us. We act as a link to the different ombudsmen working against discrimination (The Ombudsman against ethnic discrimination (DO), The Swedish Disability Ombudsman (HO), The Equal Opportunities Ombudsman (JämO), The Ombudsman against Discrimination on grounds of Sexual Orientation (HomO)).