# Jetten: 1.6 million in the Netherlands feel treated unequally

> Opening the fifth UNESCO world summit on racism and discrimination in The Hague, the prime minister said much work remains in the Netherlands, with King Willem-Alexander attending and actress Viola Davis speaking on Thursday.

Society · published 2026-10-29 11:48 · updated 2026-10-29 13:15 · https://nlnow.nl/a/jetten-1-6-million-in-the-netherlands-feel-treated-unequally/

Prime Minister Rob Jetten said there is still work to be done against racism and discrimination in the Netherlands. He was speaking in his opening address at the fifth UNESCO world summit on the subject in The Hague, held on 29 and 30 October.

Jetten said 1.6 million people in the Netherlands feel treated unequally, at work, in hospital, house-hunting, at the sports club or at school. He called it "a sobering number" and said he feels a special responsibility to act.

The prime minister also said human rights are under pressure worldwide. He pointed to the strain on institutions set up to protect people, and to the rise of extremist groups.

Earlier editions of the summit were held in Barcelona, São Paulo, Mexico City and Paris.

On Thursday morning American actress Viola Davis spoke at the summit's Champions Against Racism session, which UNESCO livestreamed on its YouTube channel.

On stage, Davis stressed the importance of empathy and connection in the fight against discrimination.

## Background

- **UNESCO (Verenigde Naties voor Onderwijs, Wetenschap en Cultuur)**: UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is a specialised UN agency that promotes international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication. It runs programmes such as the World Heritage list, which names cultural and natural sites of outstanding value, and it works on human rights and anti-discrimination in its fields. The Netherlands is one of its member states, so Dutch government bodies and civil society often work with it.

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