At the same time, however, we are also individuals and so diverse in our appearance, opinions, and traditions that it is sometimes difficult for us to feel a sense of belonging. In our globalised world, people move from one cultural circle to another, often in search of a better life. What's more, the internet constantly opens new windows to every conceivable idea, culture, and lifestyle. This gives people with physical or mental disabilities, special needs, or unusual lifestyles a voice and allows them to actively participate in social and political debates.

Due to these developments, the issue of diversity and participation currently plays a major role in Germany and many other countries. But what does diversity actually mean, and how close are we to achieving the goal of enabling all people to participate equally in life?

Diversity has many dimensions

In everyday life, we tend to categorise other people simply by nationality, culture, or religion: “the Americans”, “the Asians”, “the Muslims”. But beyond this very rough classification, there are numerous other dimensions of diversity. Various models describe those dimensions, which can vary depending on the perspective. However, seven core dimensions are often cited¹: social background, gender and gender identity, religion and worldview, sexual orientation, age, ethnic origin and nationality, and mental and physical abilities.

Some of these dimensions even reinforce each other, which is called intersectionality. For example, black women experience more and different forms of discrimination than black men or white women, and migrants with physical or mental disabilities have a much harder time gaining a foothold in the social system than non-immigrants with disabilities.  

In addition, some dimensions are more visible than others: a person's skin colour can be discerned at first glance, but things like chronic illnesses or neurodiversity cannot. As a result, we often judge other people too quickly because we only base our opinions on what we can see at first glance. This mechanism made sense in the course of evolution, but it sometimes makes it difficult for us to peacefully coexist today.

Equal does not necessarily mean equal

In everyday language, we often use the terms “equality” and “equity” as synonyms, but in fact they refer to two different approaches: equality means that all people have the same rights and starting conditions. Individuals who are naturally worse off than others are thus given the same starting position but still have poorer prospects.

Equality, on the other hand, means that the individual needs of all people are taken into account and that some are given a better starting position so that they ultimately have the same prospects. This principle has been practised in some sports for decades – for example in horse racing, where the better horses start with a higher total weight of rider and equipment, or in golf, where handicaps give weaker players a head start.

In Germany, true equality is still rather poor in many places. A good example is the issue of education: our education system has often been criticised as being impermeable. Children with highly educated parents have significantly better chances of achieving a high level of education in this country than children of parents with lower levels of schooling. According to the 2024 Social Report², 67 percent of parents whose children attended a Gymnasium (highest level secondary school) in 2019 had themselves obtained the Abitur (university entrance qualification) or Fachabitur (vocational qualification). Across all types of schools, the figure was only 46 percent. Parents of pupils attending a Hauptschule (lowest level secondary school), on the other hand, were more likely than average to have a Hauptschule qualification themselves, namely 42 percent compared to 16 percent.

The level of education, in turn, often determines whether someone finds work or not and what salary that work brings in. A higher level of education therefore contributes massively to better participation in society – and it also continues across generations.

Inside or outside? From exclusion to inclusion

Other terms are also often confused, such as integration and inclusion. However, they do not mean quite the same thing: integration means that people are incorporated into existing structures and systems and must adapt to them. Inclusion, on the other hand, promotes an environment that is open and accessible to everyone from the outset. In some respects, the question of who belongs and who does not can also be viewed as a multi-stage process: from the complete exclusion of certain groups to their separation into distinct areas of life, to their gradual integration, to their complete inclusion.

Incidentally, the inclusion of people with disabilities has been considered a human right since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities came into force internationally in 2008. At the time, Germany was struggling with the concept more than other countries and did not ratify the convention until 2009³. Since then, inclusion has been discussed in our country primarily in the context of schooling: all children should have the same opportunities for education and learn in mainstream schools, even if they have a disability or need special support for other reasons.

However, statistics show that this mission is progressing slowly: of all pupils with special educational needs, just over 20 percent attended a mainstream school in the 2010/2011 school year. In the 2023/2024 school year, the figure was just under 44 percent⁴. Depending on your perspective, you could say that the proportion has doubled – but the vast majority of children with special educational needs still end up in special schools. Unlike Italy, where 99 percent of all children now attend mainstream schools, Germany still tends to employ separation in the school system.

In general, we use the term “inclusion” in our everyday debates mainly when it comes to people with disabilities. Originally, however, it refers to all people – because we are all individuals with our own needs, which sometimes clash with those of the prevailing social majority. And yet we all want only one thing: to be part of a community in which we can live in a way that suits us.