A collective assessment and proposals to combat structural inequality and institutional racism in Barcelona
The Cafè Barcelona 2025 project, launched by La Fragua Projects with the support of theBarcelona City Council and the Department of Social Rights and Inclusion of the Government of Catalonia, has been conceived as a mechanism for democratic innovation to strengthen the participation of refugee, migrant, Roma and racialised communities in the development of public policies. Its aim: to create spaces for horizontal dialogue that recognise diversity and transform the way collective decisions are made.
Through four Participatory Spaces for Democratic Innovation (EPIDs), the project has addressed key issues such as the right to housing, job insecurity, school segregation, institutional racism, political disengagement, hate speech, gender-based violence and racialised LGBTIQ+ rights. The discussions have highlighted the persistence of structural inequalities affecting access to basic rights and civic participation, as well as the need to incorporate an anti-racist and intersectional perspective into all public policies.
The main conclusions include:
- Ensuring access to housing through anti-discrimination measures and market regulation.
- Combat job insecurity and racist harassment through clear protocols and positive action.
- Reducing school segregation and incorporating anti-racism training into the education system.
- Establish mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in police operations.
- Create permanent spaces for participation that give a voice to racialised communities.
- To tackle hate speech and disinformation through educational and media strategies.
- To safeguard LGBTIQ+ rights and combat gender-based violence through an intersectional approach.
This report is not merely a diagnosis: it is a call to action. The proposals it contains are the result of real-life experience and point towards a shared vision: a fairer, more inclusive and more democratic Barcelona.
Read the full report in Catalan here: Barcelona Cafè 2025 Report (Cat)
Read the full report in Spanish here: Barcelona Cafè 2025 Report (Esp)
Source: La Fragua Projects
Photo: Nou Barris Committee for the Republic