The Report “The Challenge of Migratory Flows and Refugee Protection - Reception Conditions and Procedures” focuses on the conditions and administrative procedures for the reception of applicants for international protection. The edition is material based on reports from on-site inspections at Controlled Access Facilities for Temporary Accommodation of Asylum Seekers, carried out by Senior Investigators of the Greek Ombudsman.

This publication is one of the actions under the project “Providing fundamental rights expertise to stakeholders operating in Greek migration and asylum system”. The project benefits from a co-funding from the EEA Grants (funding period 2014-2021), which represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe, and national funding.

Speech delivered on the occasion of the exchange of views between the Commissioner for Human Rights and the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

Chairperson, esteemed members of the Committee,

Thank you very much for this opportunity to exchange views.

Cooperation between this Committee and the Commissioner must be very intense because your work is about core human rights issues, and you are addressing some of the most critical concerns.

Dear members of the Committee, I want to take the opportunity this morning to indicate to you my four priorities as I start this position.

The first one is to work towards embedding human rights into the heart of the major developments and challenges of our day. I can think of no greater challenge for human rights in Europe than Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. That is why, in a few days, I will go to Kyiv where I will meet with authorities and with civil society to gain a better understanding and to see how I can best support the people of Ukraine.

Allow me to name a few other great challenges.

One of these is the situation of women in our societies. Women represent just over half of the population of our planet but there are grave issues about their human rights situation, as also shown in your work.  I will outline three dimensions of my commitment to make advancements on this point:

The first is standing up for the human rights of women. I will carry on in the spirit of my predecessor.

Second, combating violence against women. I will be a strong promoter of the Istanbul convention, of its ratification and implementation.

And third, I want to make sure to have a gendered perspective in everything I do as a Commissioner for Human Rights. I commit, with my Office, to acknowledge the different experience of women and men so that the engagement is appropriate for all.

Another major issue is the contagion of disinformation in our societies and of the related hate. Among the groups that are most preoccupying me right now, there is the hatred directed against Jews and against Muslims in our societies.

And yet another is the climate crisis and how we can ensure a human rights approach to it, not only in the context of the important decision of the European Court of Human Rights last week, in the case of Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland, but also by making sure that the green transition is a just transition.

My second category of priorities is around forgotten people. I believe the Commissioner for Human Rights is very well positioned to and has a duty to seek out and stand up for people who are forgotten, those pushed to the margins of our societies.

That is why my first public engagement last week was with the Roma community, and I will pay high attention to standing up for the human rights of Roma, across Council of Europe member states.

Another such group is persons with disabilities. I will join you in promoting appropriate deinstitutionalisation and the inclusion in the community of persons with disabilities, in full respect of their rights.

One further group of forgotten people is older people. Again, I think in particular about older people living in institutions. On this point, an important issue must be the human rights lessons drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic – including the extent to which older people were abandoned in the context of pandemic response, and how that must never happen again.

The third of my four priorities, and again it echoes an important focus of your work, is standing up for human rights defenders. I will continue the work of my predecessor. The Commissioner must be a strong partner of human rights defenders.  They are the glue connecting the human rights protection system. There isn't a single good human rights idea that did not originate in civil society. Human rights defenders are the champions of that proud record.

My fourth priority is a continuation of something very special to the Commissioner's office, and that is a quality of nimbleness, flexibility, and rapid response. We must have a capacity in the Council of Europe to react immediately to crisis wherever it emerges. The Commissioner’s mandate was designed to play an important part in that aspect.  I will accompany people where they are in real time on real issues.

Further, it is essential to understand the mandate of the Commissioner as one of complementarity and cooperation, both in their external and internal dimensions.

First, the external. It will be essential to work closely with the United Nations, the OSCE, and with other important parts of the human rights machinery. We need to work together towards our shared goals.

Secondly, there is also a very important internal dimension. The Commissioner must work closely with the institutions of the Council of Europe including, especially, the Parliamentary Assembly. I will look for ways to enhance, deepen and enrich the cooperation with you. I met with the President of PACE yesterday. We discussed how I can be more present in the Assembly, and I look forward to having regular exchanges, both to share with you my own findings and to learn from you.

Let me conclude by stressing what an extraordinary, unique resource the Parliamentary Assembly is – coming from right across every corner of the Council of Europe area, four times a year, with the on the street feel of what happens everywhere, in all the diversity of political views, and creating, as a result, an extraordinarily rich focal point for an understanding of the issues in Europe and the best way to engage them. I intend to fully draw on this knowledge and experience.

Chairperson and members, thank you again for your attention, and I welcome any questions you might have.

• Download the speech CommHR(2024)22

Hoy ha tenido lugar un acto de celebración en el que han participado más de doscientas cincuenta personas 

El 20 de marzo se cumplieron cuarenta años de la aprobación de la Ley del Síndic de Greuges, que se ha ido modificando para ampliar sus competencias 

800.000 personas se han dirigido a la institución para pedir que se defiendan sus derechos
 

El Invernadero del parque de la Ciutadella ha acogido esta tarde el acto de celebración del cuarenta aniversario de la aprobación de la Ley del Síndic de Greuges de Cataluña. El evento, en el que han participado más de doscientas cincuenta personas, ha contado con la presencia de numerosas personalidades del país, como el presidente de la Generalitat, Pere Aragonès; la presidenta del Parlamento, Anna Erra; varios consejeros; el defensor del pueblo de España, Ángel Gabilondo; el exsíndic de greuges, Rafael Ribó, y representantes de entidades sociales. 

Durante su discurso, la síndica, Esther Giménez-Salinas, ha querido agradecer el trabajo llevado a cabo por los síndics anteriores y sus equipos. A continuación, se ha centrado en los retos que afronta la sociedad, pero también la institución: “El importante crecimiento de la población de los últimos veinte años es un verdadero reto, pero también una gran oportunidad para reforzar la cohesión social. En Cataluña la diversidad es una gran riqueza, pero es necesario estar preparados”. También ha denunciado que “las leyes actuales no se adaptan a las nuevas situaciones porque están pensadas para una sociedad más homogénea”. 

Por último, ha pedido a la Administración que ponga a las personas en el centro y que escuche más a la ciudadanía: “Necesitamos una Administración más eficaz, menos burocrática y más humana.” También ha hecho un llamamiento a las entidades sociales y a la ciudadanía para que sean exigentes y luchen con valentía por la garantía de los derechos y libertades. 

Durante el acto se ha proyectado un vídeo inédito que repasa los cuarenta años de la institución, los logros conseguidos y la ampliación de sus atribuciones. La pieza audiovisual pone de manifiesto que, pese al transcurso del tiempo, los cuatro síndics –Frederic Rahola, Anton Cañellas, Rafael Ribó y Esther Giménez-Salinas– han compartido la preocupación por los temas sociales y por dar una cobertura especial a los colectivos más vulnerables. 

También se ha querido dar voz a tres testigos que representan distintos ámbitos de la sociedad y que han tenido una vinculación especial con la institución, y a dos miembros del actual Consejo Asesor Joven. 

En su conferencia, la presidenta del Parlamento ha puesto en valor que la institución del Síndic de Greuges “enlaza con el pasado, es el presente y estará en el futuro para ayudarnos a trabajar para una Cataluña mejor, que cuida y se preocupa por la gente, y, sobre todo, para una Cataluña cohesionada socialmente”. 

El acto ha concluido con un parlamento del presidente Aragonés, en el que ha destacado que el Síndic de Greuges fortalece los derechos de la ciudadanía, pero también las instituciones. “Es un aliado que nos ayuda a mejorar la Administración.” 

La Ley del Síndic de Greuges de Cataluña se aprobó el 20 de marzo de 1984 y entró en vigor en abril de ese año. Desde entonces, la institución ha ido ampliando sus competencias, lo que le ha permitido supervisar más derechos y libertades –como los derechos LGTBI o los derechos de las personas privadas de libertad– pero también a empresas privadas suministradoras de servicios públicos. A lo largo de estos años, más de 800.000 personas han confiado en la institución y han contribuido a hacer de ella una herramienta transformadora de la Administración y de sus políticas públicas.

On the occasion of the Slovenian Day of Paraplegics and Tetraplegics, which is celebrated on 16 April, the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia (Ombudsman) emphasises that the provision of equal opportunities and non-discrimination of disabled people are key topics, in which the institution of the Ombudsman recognises the many challenges we have as a society in this area. Personal assistance is an important step towards a more active integration of disabled people into society. "Personal assistance has improved the quality of life and enabled greater independence for many disabled people who need help from others in their daily lives. Unfortunately, the Ombudsman receives many questions, comments, and complaints on this topic. We are still contacted by many petitioners who received a lower number of hours during the reassessment of their eligibility for personal assistance or were no longer entitled to personal assistance at all. It is particularly worrying that the evaluation form has changed despite the unchanged legislation, which also violates the principle of legal security," explains Ombudsman Svetina.

When preparing a proposal for a new law on personal assistance, which is already the subject of public debate, the Ombudsman expects that the legislator will examine in detail the proposals of the professional public and, in the event of their (non)compliance, provide professional arguments for his decision. In doing so, he appeals to the decision-makers that the amendment to the Personal Assistance Act should provide adequate legal regulation of the field of personal assistance, whereby the rights of individuals should be equally protected and individuals should be enabled to exercise legal remedies effectively, as this is the foundation of the rule of law. The Ombudsman reiterates that the guideline for amending the currently valid Personal Assistance Act must in no way be based on the assumption that it is an abuse of the current regulation, which the Ombudsman has pointed out several times, but rather on ensuring the need for assistance to those eligible individuals who, due to disability, cannot to be equally included in society.

As the only national institution for human rights in Slovenia, the Ombudsman is constantly advocating for the comprehensive and high-quality integration of tetraplegics and paraplegics into all spheres of society, under the same conditions as other individuals. "Unfortunately, obvious discrimination against disabled people is still present in many areas in Slovenia. Even the recent case at URI Soča, when due to the doctors' strike, they did not provide checkups in the Outpatient Clinic for drivers with special needs for almost a month, shows obvious discrimination against disabled people and violation of commitments from the Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons. During the strike, I repeatedly publicly warned the authorities in the country and the management of URI Soča that disabled people should not be hostages in the power struggle between the government and doctors, and at the same time, I also reminded them to exercise the rights that derive from the Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons, from which it follows, that the contracting states must enable disabled people to live independently and participate fully in all areas of life and guarantee the right to live independently and be included in the community. I am satisfied that even after our interventions, the authorities have resumed medical examinations for disabled people, because from a human point of view, it is only reasonable and expected that an institution such as URI Soča respects the rights of disabled people in all circumstances," added Ombudsman Svetina.

The Ombudsman also draws attention to the accessibility of public institutions, including schools, municipalities, courts, and administrative units for physically challenged persons, and the need to appropriately arrange public infrastructure. In the country, we still cannot be satisfied with the accessibility of public facilities for the disabled. "Inaccessibility to built facilities for the disabled is a problem in Slovenia that is being solved too slowly. Thirteen years after the entry into force of the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act (ZIMI) and only one year before the statutory deadline, access to public infrastructure that would enable them to live self-sufficiently and independently is still not sufficiently guaranteed to disabled persons. The situation in the area of ​​housing care is particularly critical, as there is a lack of suitable housing for tetraplegics and paraplegics. It seems that we as a society have failed in this area," points out Svetina.

The institution of the Ombudsman also perceives problems in passenger transport, and expects the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy to immediately implement Article 16 of the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act, which will ensure the same accessibility of public passenger transport in road transport for the disabled. The legal deadline for the appropriate adaptation of buses for the transport of passengers in road traffic in such a way as to ensure accessibility for the disabled expired more than three years ago, in December 2020. It has been shown that the lack of adaptation of intercity passenger transport is a major problem for the disabled especially at a time when, due to the strike, they were unable to undergo medical examinations for the renewal of their driver's licence, and thus their right to an independent life was significantly hindered. "Without adjustments, disabled people are even more vulnerable, as we push them to the edge of society and do not take into account their rights guaranteed by the Constitution. A mature society accepts fellow human beings regardless of their personal circumstances and enables them to be treated equally in society or social inclusion, Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina emphasises.

PARA LA JUSTICIA DE ARAGÓN, CONCEPCIÓN GIMENO, LA LABOR DE LA ASOCIACIÓN SE REVELA INDISPENSABLE ANTE EL AUMENTO DE CASOS DE DEPRESIÓN Y ANSIEDAD Y LA INSUFICIENCIA DE LOS RECURSOS PÚBLICOS

En 2023, AFDA ofreció 27.000 consultas individuales y en los dos últimos años ha atendido alrededor de 9.000 personas, casi la mitad, derivadas directamente del sistema público de salud, a través de la Estrategia de Atención Comunitaria

La Justicia de Aragón, Concepción Gimeno, se ha reunido esta mañana con la presidenta de la Asociación de Apoyo al Tratamiento de la Depresión y la Ansiedad en Aragón (AFDA), Pilar Comeras, y el coordinador general de la entidad, Javier Mediel. El encuentro se enmarca en los trabajos preparatorios con motivo de la elaboración de un informe especial sobre salud mental.

Los representantes de AFDA han compartido con la Justicia de Aragón la trayectoria de la entidad, sin ánimo de lucro y declarada de interés público, que nació hace más de 20 años de manera espontánea por la inquietud de familiares de personas afectadas por depresión y ansiedad que necesitaban compartir su experiencia y apoyarse mutuamente.

En la actualidad, 60 profesionales de la salud emocional y física trabajan en AFDA, que el año pasado ofreció 27.000 consultas individuales para ayudar a personas a recuperar su bienestar. Además de las consultas individuales, la asociación trabaja en grupos guiados y de apoyo a las familias, talleres pensados para crear redes de apoyo y conectar a las personas, proyectos de investigación y formación, entre otras iniciativas.

Para Concepción Gimeno, la labor de AFDA se revela indispensable ante el aumento de casos de depresión y ansiedad y la insuficiencia de recursos públicos para atender a estas personas. De hecho, según datos facilitados por los representantes de AFDA, el sistema de salud tiene 5 psicólogos de media por cada 100.000 habitantes, cuando la OMS recomienda un mínimo de 20. “La parte psicoterapéutica de la atención está muy lejos de cubrirse” ha explicado Javier Mediel y la alternativa ante esta carencia es la farmacología.

AFDA, que atiende a todas las personas que acuden a la entidad, con independencia de su situación económica, se financia al 90% con las cuotas de los socios, que ya suman 3.000 personas; el 8% de sus ingresos procede de fondos públicos y el 2% de fondos privados, a través de fundaciones de empresas comprometidas con la salud mental.

Respecto a la prevalencia de la depresión y la ansiedad, la experiencia de AFDA apunta a que estas respuestas adaptativas se dan cada vez más entre los jóvenes, y en mujeres alrededor de los cincuenta años; también destacan el impacto entre las personas jubiladas y estiman que una de cada tres está afectada por depresión o ansiedad.

Concepción Gimeno ha compartido con los representantes de la asociación, la importancia que tiene tejer redes de apoyo para atender a las personas afectadas y también como medida de prevención ante un sistema desbordado. Igualmente, se ha hecho hincapié en la conveniencia de impulsar estrategias de salud comunitarias, con iniciativas que favorezcan espacios públicos de encuentro y socialización, en la reflexión sobre el reparto de los cuidados, de manera que la mujer no asuma mayoritariamente estas responsabilidades, así como en la necesidad de un debate colectivo sobre estas situaciones y los factores sociales de riesgo que les afectan.

Los encuentros de trabajo de la Justicia de Aragón con colectivos relacionados con la salud mental, en concreto con la depresión y la ansiedad, continuarán las próximas semanas.