Using Empirical Data to Diagnose Gaps in Justice and Fundamental Rights in the EU

Abstract

Ensuring justice, inclusion, and non-discrimination requires not only robust legal frameworks but also a clear understanding of how these concepts are experienced by people in their everyday lives. This article examines the extent to which human dignity is protected and operationalized across EU Member States using empirical data from EUROVOICES, a large-scale initiative led by the World Justice Project, which measures people’s experiences and perceptions with the rule of law through surveys conducted among the general population and legal experts. The article focuses on key dimensions that form the practical conditions of human dignity: fundamental rights and civic space; equality and non-discrimination; and access to justice.