Public Defender of Rights does not request the cancel of state quarantine centers, but review of the system

Date of article: 06/05/2020

Daily News of: 06/05/2020

Country:  Slovakia

Author:

Article language: en

The Public Defender of Rights Mária Patakyová does not request the cancel of state quarantine centers, but review of the system. She feels it is particularly important that fundamental rights and freedoms are respected as far as possible during its exercise. She also suggests that the obligation of isolatation  in a state quarantine center  should not be mandatory for any form of travel, wheather individual or organized (in general) but only for persons suspected of being infected with COVID-19 and for persons who are not able to ensure the home isolation for them.  The Public Defender of Rights also proposed to set up an effective control mechanism for compliance with the regulation of home isolation.

The Public Defender of Right respects the steps of the government, which seek to minimize the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the citizens of this country. The Public Defender of Rights is convinces that all adopted measures according to the Act on Civil Protection of the Population related to the COVID-19 disease, have to be temporary,  minimally-invasive and regularly reviewed. Therefore she emphasizes the importance of respectation of the fundamental rights and freedoms as well as taking into account the principle of proportionality during adopting the measures.

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La Situación De Las Personas Refugiadas En La Capv

Date of article: 04/05/2020

Daily News of: 05/05/2020

Country:  Spain - Basque Country

Author:

Article language: es

LA SITUACIÓN DE LAS PERSONAS REFUGIADAS EN LA CAPV
Publicado dentro de la Colección de Derechos Humanos  "Juan San Martín"
Vitoria-Gasteiz

La preocupación del Ararteko por la situación y la acogida humanitaria de las personas refugiadas viene siendo una constante. La solidaridad con las personas que huyen de conflictos bélicos y de la persecución constituye el elemento de dignidad y cohesión imprescindible en la construcción de una sociedad justa y solidaria.

Los compromisos y deberes jurídicos que se derivan de los convenios y tratados internacionales y la normativa internacional de derecho humanitario son de obligado cumplimiento porque están en juego la justicia, el respeto a los derechos humanos, su carácter universal, soporte de toda sociedad civilizada, plural y solidaria. El Ararteko está plenamente convencido de que su defensa y promoción es indefectible, prioritaria y urgente.

Por ello, en el marco de la beca del Ararteko de investigación sobre la aplicación en Euskadi de los derechos humanos los colectivos sociales especialmente vulnerables, la Comisión de Selección, integrada por representantes del Ararteko y de la Universidad del País Vasco, consideró de interés el proyecto relacionado con la situación de las personas refugiadas en la CAPV que presentaron las investigadoras Sofía Lucas, Simona Sobotovicova y Casilda Zarauz, que fue adjudicatario de dicha beca en 2017.

Se trataba con ello de analizar cuál es el papel de la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco en la acogida y protección de las personas solicitantes de protección internacional en el marco jurídico actual, cuáles son las competencias legales atribuidas, las políticas públicas desarrolladas y si éstas cumplen los estándares de condiciones de acogida de las personas refugiadas del derecho internacional; la contribución de las administraciones públicas vascas al sistema de acogida general, así como experiencias y buenas prácticas que pudieran estar produciéndose o que resultaran recomendables, haciendo referencia específica a las iniciativas de solidaridad promovidas por la sociedad civil.

En la investigación publicada se contienen 31 conclusiones y se realizan diversas propuestas para mejorar la situación de las personas refugiadas en el proceso de acogida, 9 de ellas dirigidas a las administraciones vascas. Entre ellas destacan las referidas al acceso a la sanidad, a la vivienda, al mercado laboral, a los recursos formativos y de aprendizaje del idioma; la necesidad de flexibilizar los requisitos para el acceso a las prestaciones económicas; el perfeccionamiento de la coordinación entre las instituciones y entidades sociales; así como la reflexión sobre un posible desarrollo legislativo del concepto de acogida.

Vitoria-Gasteiz, 4 de mayo de 2020


Publicado dentro de la Colección de Derechos Humanos  "Juan San Martín"

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Bank cards should be issued for all accounts, including those held by enforcement debtors

Date of article: 05/05/2020

Daily News of: 05/05/2020

Country:  Croatia

Author:

Article language: en

Ombudswoman Lora Vidović initiated an investigation on suspected discrimination after receiving a complaint filed against a commercial bank for not issuing cards for protected accounts, owned by enforcement debtors. This means they cannot use ATMs or other banking services available to other clients with bank cards, such as contactless payment or internet banking, but instead are forced to go to the bank. As many enforcement debtors are older persons and chronically ill, who are in increased risk of coronavirus infection and should therefore avoid social contact as much as possible, such practice could constitute discrimination based on property, socio-economic status and health.

This problem also relates to those living in smaller municipalities without bank offices in rural areas, either because of limited possibility to leave the place of residence and permanent stay, or because of additional costs of going to the nearest bank. In her 2015 Annual Report, Ombudswoman warned about this problem and recommended all banks to issue bank cards for protected accounts, so citizens could use ATMs and internet banking services without limitation. Several of them have since implemented the recommendation, but the majority decided only to consider it or immediately refused to do it, while some have never responded.

As five years have passed since, and due to the coronavirus related circumstances, Ombudswoman requested the Croatian National Bank (CNB) to provide information regarding the implementation of this recommendation and to inform her about all activities and measures taken to enable owners of such accounts to withdraw their money using ATM’s, as well as to use contactless payment and internet banking services.

This problem could be an example of an indirect discrimination where a seemingly neutral provision, criterion or practice puts or might put someone in a less favourable position in regard to others in a comparable situation, unless they can be objectively justified by a legitimate aim, while means to achieve it are appropriate and necessary. Ombudswoman’s further actions will depend on the received statements, which, in addition to the CNB, were also requested from the bank to which complaint refers to.

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(FRA) European Parliament Intergroup to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on children

Date of article: 05/05/2020

Daily News of: 05/05/2020

Country:  EUROPE

Author:

Article language: en

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It follows their European Parliament Intergroup Statement on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Children (link is external) of 10 April.

The objective of the meeting is to highlight the threats and hidden risks that the current COVID-19 outbreak has on children. It also seeks to identify concrete measures to take – both at EU and national level – to mitigate the impact.

FRA will refer to its bulletin on the COVID-19 pandemic on fundamental rights. It will draw on input received by child rights stakeholders stressing the need to address children issues and ensure that any responses take a child rights perspective.

Speakers from the European Commission, Members of the European Parliament Intergroup on Children’s Rights, UNICEF and civil society will also give their views. They will discuss what can help and provide input into the upcoming EU Child Rights Strategy. 

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European Ombudsman publishes Annual Report 2019

Date of article: 05/05/2020

Daily News of: 05/05/2020

Country:  EUROPE

Author:

Article language: en

The European Ombudsman’s annual report for 2019 has been published, showing that the Ombudsman opened 458 inquiries and that the biggest proportion (26.9%) concerned transparency-related issues.

The Ombudsman conducted several inquiries into Member State decision making in Brussels in 2019 with the overall aim of making it easier for the public to understand how decisions are reached and who is involved. The inquiries concerned how decisions on annual fishing quotas are taken, Member States’ positions on the risk of pesticides to bees, and the transparency of the Eurogroup Working Group, which prepares the regular meetings of Euro finance ministers.

The Ombudsman also concluded a major analysis of how the European Commission manages revolving doors, making several proposals to ensure a more systematic approach to dealing with EU staff who leave to work in the private sector and those entering the EU civil service from the private sector.

Other inquiries led to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) introducing measures to strengthen the independence of the process leading to decisions on granting market access to new medicines, and to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) pledging to set up a complaints mechanism for those who feel their rights have been breached.

The European Network of Ombudsmen (ENO) continued to focus on parallel inquiries and initiatives, with 2019 seeing the conclusion of a strategic initiative  - involving seven national ombudsman offices - that had looked into the complaint mechanisms in Member States for matters concerning EU structural and investment funds.

The Ombudsman also hosted the second Award for Good Administration, which recognises excellence in EU public service. The overall award went to the teams from the European Commission that worked on the EU initiative to reduce plastic pollution and raise awareness about the problem.

The complete Annual Report 2019 is available here.

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