According to a recent study, many Afghan nationals in Germany say they experience discrimination — especially on the housing market. Often, they report that the degree of discrimination they experience is in proportion to their economic situation.
In recent years, there have been multiple studies highlighting the problem of growing negative attitudes towards foreign nationals in Germany. The latest is entitled: "Arrived and connected across nations: Afghan immigrants in Germany" (Angekommen und transnational verbunden: Afghanische Zugewanderte in Deutschland).
This study finds that participants believed there to be a link between the economic power of Afghans in Germany and their participation levels in society, and therefore the rate of discrimination they might experience.
Based on a non-representative online survey conducted among nearly 1,900 Afghan immigrants to Germany between November 2023 and April 2024, those who rate their own financial situation as insecure feel discriminated against more frequently.
They report having fewer contacts with Germans, feeling less welcome in the country and suffering a lack of a sense of belonging to Germany.
Those who are more financially secure, on the other hand, are more likely to feel a sense of belonging, the study found.
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Promoting better understanding between communities
Published by the Expert Council on Integration and Migration (Sachverständigenrat für Integration und Migration) in Berlin, the study was initiated to respond to the "sharp rise in the number of people from Afghanistan living in Germany in the last decade as a result of refugee migration."
"Many are still at the beginning of their integration process, but given the situation in Afghanistan, it is likely that they will remain in Germany in the long term," it further highlights.
The study says it wants to contribute to creating a better understanding of arrival processes and transnational dynamics in the context of Afghan refugee migration patterns "and thus provide information about the living situation of an important group of immigrants in Germany."
It also underlines the fact that Afghans are among the top groups of immigrants to Germany who keep close ties back home.
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Nearly all respondents say they plan to remain in Germany
The study also looked at the priorities in the lives of Afghan immigrants to Germany, stressing that family reunification "ranks first among the most pressing challenges as indicated by the respondents."
"Other important issues include learning German, obtaining a secure residence permit and finding a place to live," it continues.
However, in the course of taking all these steps towards integration, many respondents said they suffered negative experiences in Germany, in particular discrimination.
"According to a large majority of the respondents, German politics does not sufficiently address the concerns of the Afghan community. Nevertheless, many feel welcome in Germany and, after just a few years, feel strongly connected to their new country," the study summarizes.
"In line with this finding, virtually all respondents see their medium to long term future in Germany and want to obtain German citizenship."
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Discrimination on the rise
Afghans are far from being the only foreign group in Germany that complains about discrimination being part of their reality.
At the beginning of the year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published a report saying that although Germany is still an attractive destination for skilled workers from abroad, many migrants to the country report racism and discrimination in everyday life.
In that study, OECD researchers found that more than half of the respondents said they had been subject to discrimination as a result of their origin, for example when they were trying to rent or buy a flat or house. Over a third of respondents also reported incidents of discrimination during visits to restaurants or shops.
People of color are particularly likely to suffer discrimination, xenophobia and racism, according to another report published by the National Discrimination and Racism Monitor (NaRiDa) last year.
According to its findings, more than half of Black people in Germany said they had experienced racism at least once, with Black women especially highlighting that they frequently were subject to threats and harassment.
One in five women from this population group said they had suffered such abuse several times a year, while among the respondents, 14 percent of Muslim women and 13 percent of Asian women reported similar problems.
The document also showed that 41 percent of Black men and 39 percent of Muslim men who responded said they had encountered racist discrimination while dealing with the police.
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With KNA, Reuters