Equality bodies are independent public institutions that play a vital role in promoting equal treatment and combating discrimination. They are essential for ensuring that persons with disabilities can fully enjoy their rights and access services, employment, education, and public life on an equal basis with others. 

Persons with disabilities often face direct and indirect discrimination in everyday life from inaccessible services and workplaces to social exclusion and lack of information. Equality bodies provide support, advice, and legal remedies to combat these barriers. 

They serve multiple functions: 

• Assisting victims of discrimination: Offering advice, guidance, and support when filing complaints. 
• Monitoring and research: Conducting independent surveys and research on discrimination trends. 
• Promoting equality: Raising awareness, providing training, and recommending policy changes. 
• Preventing discrimination: Advising public authorities, businesses, and institutions on inclusive practices. 

Equality bodies have the obligation to ensure accessibility of their services, and if necessary, provide reasonable accommodation, to persons with disabilities under the new EU Directives on standards for equality bodies. These standards have to be applied by EU countries by the 19th June 2026. 

Persons with disabilities can contact equality bodies when they experience discrimination based on: 

• Disability 
• Age 
• Gender 
• Ethnicity or race 
• Sexual orientation 
• Religion or belief 
• Other protected grounds depending on national law 

Equality bodies can provide advice, help you file a complaint, mediate disputes, or take legal action on your behalf. 

You can find information about your national equality body on Equinet website.  

The European Ombudsman is an independent EU institution that investigates complaints about maladministration in EU institutions and bodies. While it does not replace national equality bodies, it provides an additional avenue for persons with disabilities to address discrimination or unfair treatment in EU-level institutions. 

The Ombudsman can: 

• Examine complaints from individuals and organisations regarding EU institutions. 
• Investigate failures to respect rights, lack of accessibility, or discrimination. 
• Recommend actions to correct maladministration. 

Contact the European Ombudsman if you face barriers or discrimination in accessing EU institutions, services, or programs.