El informe ordinario del Valedor do Pobo ya está listo y será presentado este mes ante el Parlamento de Galicia

Date of article: 06/03/2015

Daily News of: 06/03/2015

Country:  Spain - Galicia

Author: Regional Ombudsman of Galicia

Article language: es

El Valedor do Pobo concluyó hace días la redacción de su informe ordinario correspondiente al ejercicio 2014, que será entregado a la presidenta de la cámara gallega, Pilar Rojo, este mismo mes, en cuanto la agenda parlamentaria lo permita. El documento, que cuenta con más de mil páginas, somete la repaso toda la actividad desplegada por la institución durante el año pasado. Entre otros aspectos incluye un capítulo estadístico donde se recoge un resumen de todas las iniciativas promovidas por los ciudadanos ante el alto comisionado parlamentario y que incorpora datos acerca de las personas que confiaron al valedor la solución a sus problemas, los asuntos tratados, el perfil de los reclamantes o las recomendaciones dirigidos a la administración, etc.

El año 2014 resultó especialmente intenso en cuanto a la actividad institucional promovida por la defensoría, tanto en el campo de la divulgación de los derechos como en la organización de sesiones de trabajo y jornadas formativas dirigidas a profesionales que trabajan con colectivos especialmente vulnerables. Un año más, el documento incorpora en específico un capítulo dedicado a repasar cuestiones relacionadas con la protección de los derechos de la mujer. En el mismo se darán a conocer por primera vez datos acerca de los riesgos que la población más joven asume en sus relaciones con las nuevas tecnologías, pero tratados desde una perspectiva de género.

Como resulta habitual, la memoria anual del valedor se organiza por temática. Ademáis de las estadísticas, los asuntos abordados se organizan en los diferentes capítulos según las áreas de investigación. Como novedad este año se incorpora una sección acerca de transparencia, donde se someten la valoración las últimas novedades normativas y compromisos que deben adquirir los poderes públicos en favor del ciudadano.

Con la entrega del informe ordinario a la presidenta, y la divulgación de los principales resultados ante los medios de comunicación, la memoria del defensor gallego iniciará su andadura parlamentaria, que se completará con las comparecencias del titular de la institución, primero ante la Comisión Mixta de Peticiones y , por último, en sesión plenaria

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More opportunities for refugees to enter the EU legally can save lives, says FRA Focus paper

Date of article: 06/03/2015

Daily News of: 06/03/2015

Country:  EUROPE

Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Article language: en

© European Union, 2015
In the biggest movement of forcibly displaced people since World War II, tens of thousands of people are risking their lives, and dying, while trying to seek sanctuary in the EU. FRA’s latest Focus paper, presents different ways to improve and increase legal admissions to the EU.

“Already this year over 370 people have died trying to find a better life by crossing the Mediterranean,” says FRA Director Morten Kjaerum. “A comprehensive set of different actions is needed to reduce the loss of lives at sea and the abuses carried out by human traffickers. As one of these actions, the EU and its Member States therefore need to do more to ensure legal options are on the table and more readily available to ensure more people can enjoy their right to asylum and come to the EU safely.”

For the first time in the post-World War II era, in 2013 the number of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people worldwide has exceeded 50 million people. Many refugees are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse as the possibilities for people in need of protection to legally enter and stay in the EU are very limited.

The FRA Focus “Legal entry channels to the EU for persons in need of international protection: a toolbox” aims to describe possible ways to increase legal admissions into the EU of people in need of international protection. It does not deal with asylum seekers who appear at the border or are already inside the EU who should be treated fairly in accordance with EU asylum acquis and in full respect of the principle of non-refoulement and the prohibition of collective expulsion.

It presents a toolbox of possible schemes Member States could use to enable more people to reach the EU without resorting to smugglers. These include: 

  • refugee-related schemes, such as resettlement, humanitarian admissions, the issuance of humanitarian visas (either under Schengen or national law) and temporary protection; 
  • regular mobility schemes such as those available to family members of people residing in the EU, students, migrant workers and other categories of people, which could be made more accessible to refugees staying in third countries.

The paper outlines the advantages as well as risks of legal entry and suggests possible ways to overcome these risks. Promising practices presented by FRA illustrate that several EU Member States as well as other countries have already put in place different legal entry schemes and programmes, which could be expanded and which could inspire other EU Member States to follow.

The paper also suggests that increasing legal avenues to reach the EU should be a core component of the European Commission’s future plan to combat human trafficking. Other suggestions include the need for the EU to: propose common approaches for legal entry; help exchange of promising practices among Member States; and financially contribute to national efforts to increase opportunities for legal entry.

Overall, there is a clear need for EU institutions and Member States to increase the possibilities to reach the EU legally. Ultimately, this will help save lives and lessen the abuse that people trying to come to the EU suffer.

 

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