Where to find help if Unia cannot help?
We can only follow up on your report of discrimination, if we are competent to do so. In the case that Unia cannot support you, we will refer you to other organisations that can help you. We have listed some of them on this page. Please note that this is only a selection:
- Urgent help
- Help for children and teenagers
- Need psychosocial and/or legal help?
- Complaints about media
- Complaints about police authorities
We also gathered information about institutions operating in other regions of the country: Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels or the German-speaking community.
Urgent help
- Police: 101
- Ambulance / Emergency Doctor: 112
- General Practitioner On-Call Service (1733): Call this number if you need medical help during weekends or public holidays.
- Telephone Helpline (106 for NL, 107 for FR and 108 for DE): anonymous and confidential phone support available 24/7
- Suicide Prevention Centres (1813 for NL and 0800 32 123 for FR): offer anonymous and confidential help by phone, available 24/7
Help for children and teenagers
Open In Flanders (mostly in NL)
- Awel (102 for calls): Questions from children and teenagers answered in a personalized way. The 102 hotline is available from 16.00 to 22.00.
- 1712: A helpline for anyone who has questions about violence, abuse, and child maltreatment.
- Child Focus: Help for missing or sexually exploited children.
- Pupil Guidance Centre (CLB): Answers to all education-related questions (for children aged 2.5 to 18).
- JAC: the youth department of the Centre for General Welfare Work answers any question, concern or problem concerning young people aged between 12 and 25.
- Centre for General Welfare Work (CAW): support for personal difficulties, including emotional, relational, financial, and housing-related issues.
- Children’s Rights Commissioner: For questions related to children’s rights (for minors).
- OverKop: A safe space for young people aged 12 to 25.
- Tejo: Accessible therapeutic counselling for young people aged 10 to 20.
- Wat Wat: gives answers to all kinds of life questions from young people, for example regarding school, studies and relationships.
- Everything about Bullying: Information and referrals related to bullying.
- Houses of the Child: Brings together organizations that support (expecting) families.
Open In Wallonia and Brussels (mostly in FR)
- 103: Free youth hotline, available daily from 10:00 to 24:00
- 1712: A helpline for anyone who has questions about violence, abuse, and child maltreatment.
- Child Focus: A foundation for missing and sexually exploited children.
- P.M.S. Centres (psycho-medico-social centers): A free and confidential public service ensuring the well-being and medical follow-up of students.
- The General Delegate for Children's Rights: Provides information regarding children's rights and receives complaints or requests for mediation concerning violations of children's rights.
- MADOS (Maisons de l'Adolescent / Teen Houses): Places that offer reception, a listening ear, care, information, and guidance for young people aged 11 to 22.
- AMO services (open environment youth services): Preventive support for young people within their living environment and in their interactions with the social environment.
- Family planning centres: Free and confidential listening and support with all questions related to emotional, relational, and sexual life.
- Infor Jeunes: Free information on employment, housing, training, social protection, education, international mobility, etc.
- Support services of universities and university colleges: Psychosocial support, help with allowances and contributions, housing, transport, food, and academic success.
Need psychosocial and/or legal help?
Open General services in Flanders (mostly in NL)
- Centre for Mental Health Care (CGG): Outpatient support for serious psychological problems.
- Center for General Welfare Work: Provides social and psychosocial support to individuals and families on relationships, family issues, mental health, domestic violence, and sexual health.
- Legal Aid Commission (CJB): For free first-line legal assistance.
- Slachtofferzorg.be: If you are a victim or witness of a crime, traffic accident, disaster, or attack.
- First-line psychological support: Short-term outpatient psychological assistance:
- West Flanders: Elpen
- Flemish Brabant: Psychewijzer
- Antwerp: Psychological Care PA
- Limburg: Mental Health Care Network
- East Flanders: Psychological Help in the First Line
- Brussels: Psybru
- VDAB (Flanders and Brussels) and Actiris (Brussels): For questions about employment and training.
- Trefpunt Zelfhulp
Open General services in Wallonia and Brussels (mostly in FR)
- First-line legal assistance: Free legal advice to help you move forward in case of a legal issue.
- Victim Support Services Approved by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation: Private services available to all victims of crimes, offering psychological and social support.
- Mental health services (Wallonia and Brussels): Diagnosis, follow-up, and psychosocial, therapeutic, or psychiatric support through individual, family, and group consultations.
- Family planning centers: Free and confidential listening and support for all questions related to emotional, relational, and sexual life.
- Victimes.be: Information website about the rights of victims of crimes.
Open Help regarding disabilities in Flanders (mostly in NL)
- Flemish Agency for Persons with Disabilities (VAPH): helps people with disabilities to live independently by providing financial support, care services, and assistive tools.
- PHARE Service – Persons with Disabilities Seeking Autonomy (Brussels): same responsibilities as VAPH. PHARE is the Brussels counterpart of VAPH.
- SPF Social Security ("Directorate-General for Persons with Disabilities")federal body that recognises disability, grants integration and/or income replacement allowances, provides parking cards, enables access to social assistance (e.g. reduction in fees for cable TV, water, gas, and electricity expenses), helps with vehicle adaptations, and may allow exemption from certain taxes.
- Advisory Councils for Persons with Disabilities (at the Brussels, Flemish, and municipal levels): this organisation receives input from persons with disabilities and represents them in the development and implementation of policies affecting them.
- GRIP vzw: organisation where people with disabilities speak out for their rights and advocate.
Open Help regarding disabilities in Wallonia and Brussels (mostly in FR)
- AVIQ – Agency for a Quality Life (Wallonia): Agency that offers the recognition of disability, material assistance (at home and in the workplace), support for employment (in the regular or adapted sector), access to day centres and residential facilities, and referral to useful information (including lists of support services).
- PHARE Service – Persons with Disabilities Seeking Autonomy (Brussels): Same responsibilities as AVIQ. PHARE is the Brussels counterpart of AVIQ.
- SPF Social Security ("Directorate-General for Persons with Disabilities"): Federal body that recognises disability, grants integration and/or income replacement allowances, provides parking cards, enables access to social assistance (e.g. reduction in fees for cable TV, water, gas, and electricity expenses), helps with vehicle adaptations, and may allow exemption from certain taxes.
- Advisory Councils for Persons with Disabilities (at the Brussels, COCOF, Wallonia-Brussels Federation, and municipal levels): Organisation that receives input from persons with disabilities and represents them in the development and implementation of policies affecting them.
- Esenca: Legal support and assistance for persons with disabilities.
- Bruxelles Social (Brussels): For further information about the social support network that may be useful to persons with disabilities in the Brussels region.
Open Help related to racism / religious religion (nationwide)
- Movement against Racism, Antisemitism and Xenophobia: Provides socio-legal advice to victims of racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia.
- Sankaa: Umbrella organisation for associations connected to the African community.
- Collective for Inclusion and against Islamophobia: A space for listening and support in cases of Islamophobia.
- Antisemitisme.be: Records all antisemitic incidents in Belgium.
Open Help related to LGBTQIA+ in Flanders (mostly in NL)
- Lumi: Support and information line for all your questions about gender and sexual orientation.
- Transgender Infopunt: Provides information about gender identity and gender diversity. It supports transgender individuals, their relatives, and professionals through guidance, education, and policy advice.
- Çavaria: Advocacy organisation for LGBTIA+ people and umbrella organisation of LGBTIA+ associations.
- Merhaba: For LGBTI+ individuals with a migration background.
Open Help related to LGBTQIA+ in Wallonia and Brussels (mostly in FR)
- Prisme Federation (Wallonia): The federation’s members support LGBTQIA+ individuals, including through support groups.
- Rainbow Houses (Wallonia): Local contact points for all LGBTQIA+ individuals, including support groups.
- Rainbow House (Brussels): The federation’s members support LGBTQIA+ individuals, including through support groups.
- Merhaba: For LGBTIA+ individuals with a migration background.
Open Help in case of domestic or sexual violence (nationwide)
- In case of emergencies: See above.
- Domestic violence helpline (0800 30 0 30): Supportive and empathetic listening service that helps people to express themselves regarding situations of domestic violence.
- Sexual Assault Centres: Provide multidisciplinary care to victims of sexual violence and guidance for support. It is possible (but not required) to file a complaint on the website.
- SOS Viol: Social and psychological support in case of sexual violence.
- Victimes.be: Information website concerning the rights of victims of crimes.
- Family planning centres (Wallonia and Brussels) and Centre for General Welfare Work (Flanders): Free and confidential counselling and support for all questions regarding emotional, relational, and sexual life.
Open Other specialised reporting services (nationwide)
- VMRI - Flemish Human Rights Institute: Organisation that treats reports of discrimination on matters under the competence of the Flemish Region and Community.
- Trade unions (FGTB, CSC, and CGSLB): Defend the professional, economic, and social rights and interests of their members.
- Federal Migration Centre (Myria): Defends the rights of migrants.
- Institute for the Equality of Women and Men: Organisation that treats reports of discrimination based on gender.
- Data Protection Authority: Organisation for issues related to the protection of personal data.
- Mediators and Ombudspersons: Independent institutions that receive citizens' complaints about public services (at various levels) and seek solutions through dialogue.
- Federal Institute for Human Rights (FIRM): Independent institution that monitors respect for human rights in Belgium and supports whistleblowers reporting workplace abuse (fraud, legal violations, health or environmental hazards).
- Association for Victims of Human Trafficking (PAG-ASA): Support for autonomy and reintegration of victims of human trafficking.
- Sürya: Specialises in sheltering, supporting, and housing victims of trafficking and international human trafficking.
Complaints about media
- Advertising Ethics Jury (JEP): For complaints about the content of advertising messages and to verify compliance with advertising ethics rules.
- Complaint Service of the Cultural Pact (federal level): For complaints about any discrimination against users of public cultural institutions.
- General Association of Professional Journalists of Belgium: For reporting ethical or deontological issues in articles written by journalists.
- Higher Council for Audiovisual Media (Wallonia-Brussels): For complaints concerning the audiovisual media sector in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
- Flemish Media Regulator (Flanders): For complaints concerning the audiovisual media sector in Flanders.
Complaints about police authorities
- General Inspection of the Federal and Local Police (AIG): Receives complaints and checks whether police services correctly apply rules and standards.
- Committee P: For complaints about organisational or structural dysfunction, individual misconduct, negligence, or serious error.
- Supervisory Body for Police Information: Can request the modification or deletion of recorded data if the recording does not comply with legal provisions.
- Central Prison Monitoring Council (CCSP): An independent and impartial monitoring and advisory body that receives complaints from detainees and ensures the protection of their rights and human dignity.