To mark International Day of the Person with Disability, the Ombudsman presented a brief assessment of the activity developed by the telephone line especially dedicated to supporting these fellow citizens.

Throughout 2022, in the period between 1st January and 30th November, the Disabled Citizens’ Line received 502 calls, a number that exceeds the total received in the previous year.

Evolution of calls received by the Disabled Citizens’ Line (2019-2022*)

* till 30/11/2022

Social benefits continue to be the topic that motivates the greatest number of requests for support over the telephone and, within these, the Social Benefit for Inclusion (PSI) stands out. This benefit continues to generate doubts, with 32 requests for clarifications having been received in relation to delays in its payment, as well as the grounds for rejection by Social Security.

A concomitant issue in the calls received by the Line concerns the issuing or renewal of the Medical Certificate of Multipurpose Disability (AMIM), generally due to significant delays. Given that the law establishes that the PSI is only due from the month of delivery of the certification document, i.e. from the date of presentation of the AMIM, the manifest delay in the issue of these certificates by the medical boards of the Regional Health Administrations seriously compromised the effectiveness of this social benefit, a circumstance that led the Ombudsman to insist at the beginning of the year, to the Government, on the need to review the legal framework – which did not occur.

In 2022, issues related to delays in response from public entities, namely social security, to requests for support products, and requests for help with integration in residential structures for persons with disabilities and/or domiciliary support, continue to be significant.

The insufficient response capacity of the health system remains, on the other hand, one of the most recurrent themes in the calls received, due to difficulties in scheduling appointments, both at the health centre and specialised appointments at hospitals, delays in the response regarding the reimbursement of medication and issues regarding the right to non-urgent patient transport.

El síndic de Greuges de la Comunitat Valenciana, Ángel Luna, ha apremiado a Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) a adaptar todos los andenes y acceso a sus servicios para garantizar la plena accesibilidad de los usuarios. Además, le pide que consigne las dotaciones presupuestarias suficientes para llevar a cabo dichas actuaciones.

Hasta que se ejecuten las obras y se consiga la completa accesibilidad de las instalaciones, Luna insta a tomar medidas “eficaces y rápidas” para atender las constantes incidencias que se producen en el servicio y que dificultan o imposibilitan la autonomía personal, así como la participación en la vida social, profesional y educativa de todas aquellas personas que tienen problemas de movilidad.

De esta forma se ha pronunciado el defensor del pueblo valenciano ante la queja presentada por la madre de un usuario de la localidad valenciana de Meliana, que denunciaba los graves inconvenientes que soportaban los usuarios que se desplazan con sillas de rueda y, en particular, su hijo, que necesita coger el metro a diario para asistir a clases en la Universidad.

El informe que FGV remitió al Síndic hacía referencia a diferentes órdenes, protocolos y circulares que, a juicio de esta institución, no consiguen hacer efectivo el derecho a la accesibilidad universal en los andenes y estaciones. De hecho, y en relación al anunciado Proyecto “Plataformes PMR”, FGV comunicaba que “está pendiente de licitar la ejecución de los trabajos” pero que no hay presupuesto para dicho fin, por lo que no saben cuándo iniciarán los mismos. Asimismo, respecto al Protocolo de uso de las plataformas portátiles, recuerda que es necesario avisar con 120 minutos de antelación.

En su resolución, el Síndic concluye que Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat no logra la accesibilidad de sus instalaciones para todas las personas, en especial para las que padecen una movilidad reducida. Tampoco consigue atender de manera efectiva las demandas de apoyo requeridas por las personas que necesitan ayudas puntuales cuando los mecanismos previstos para lograr la accesibilidad no funcionan.

Luna insiste en la lentitud con la que avanzan los derechos de las personas con movilidad reducida en cuanto transporte público y considera que la entidad Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat debe involucrarse de una manera plena en garantizar la libre circulación y plena accesibilidad de las personas con alguna discapacidad.

“La accesibilidad en todos los ámbitos de la vida, y en especial en el transporte, facilita que las personas con discapacidad puedan vivir de forma independiente y participar plenamente en todos los aspectos de la vida. Por tanto, la adopción de medidas que identifiquen y eliminen los obstáculos y las barreras de acceso son fundamentales” concluye el defensor.

Consulta la resolución del Síndic sobre este asunto: 11909676.pdf (elsindic.com)

Improving the normative framework and preventive mechanisms and policies in the area of protection of children from sexual exploitation and abuse in the private sector, as well as educating children and adults about recognizing and protecting themselves from this type of violence, are the best ways to improve the position of children, it was assessed today at the conference "National dialogue on the protection of children from sexual exploitation and abuse".

The conference, which was organized by the Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia and the Network of Organizations for Children of Serbia, was attended by representatives of parliamentary groups and committees in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, representatives of relevant ministries, state and provincial institutions, city administrations, courts, professional associations, the civil sector, independent state institutions and international organizations.

Opening the conference, the Protector of Citizens, Zoran Pašalić, stated that in recent years, children are the most frequent victims of human trafficking, and that the most common form of their abuse is exactly sexual exploitation.

"The private sector and the economy, especially tourism and catering, represent a critical point where children are at particular risk of sexual exploitation. For an effective fight against the sexual exploitation of children, first of all, changes in normative acts are necessary, but also the engagement of socially responsible companies", Pašalić said.

The Director of the Network of Organizations for Children of Serbia, Saša Stefanović, also emphasized the importance of participation of the private sector and civil society in preventing the sexual exploitation of children through the application of internal norms, through self-regulation and co-regulation, and added that the organization has developed internal policies that are useful to all associations that work directly with children.

The Vice-President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and member of the Parliamentary Committee for Children's Rights, Elvira Kovač, presented the parliament's activities on changing the domestic legislation and implementing international conventions in the area of child rights protection, and stated that peer education is also needed in the fight against sexual exploitation.

The Minister for Family Welfare and Demography, Darija Kisić, emphasized that any kind of violence is unacceptable and that in the fight against sexual exploitation of children, prevention is very important, as well as pointing out sexual harassment, which is often a prelude to sexual abuse.

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, Miomir Đorđević, pointed out that centres for social work are often the first to encounter cases of sexual abuse of children and stated that this topic requires the engagement of several competent authorities and other state actors and expressed the Ministry's readiness to participate in activities to protect children from sexual exploitation.

"Every year, millions of children are exposed to sexual abuse within the family, social community, in sports, at school... Every country has a problem with the sexual exploitation of children, and the only difference is in the approach to solving that problem", said the director of UNICEF in Serbia, Dejana Kostadinova.

Gordana Tiodorović, Assistant Director of the Sector of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce for providing support in the representation and protection of interests of members, said that in Serbia there are companies that implement internal protocols for the protection of children from abuse and that the SCC is ready to support the manner in which the problem of sexual exploitation of children in the private sector is solved, with its engagement.

The Deputy Protector of Citizens for Children's Rights, Jelena Stojanović, presented the activities of this independent institution for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as preventive work that is being carried out through the Youth Advisory Panel of the Protector of Citizens, in which children and young people learn about children's rights and ways to protect them.

En los centros públicos con elevada complejidad se hace discriminación positiva en la provisión de plantillas, pero es insuficiente

La reducción de las horas lectivas para el profesorado de los centros públicos (con 3.500 profesores más a partir de enero) o la reducción de ratios del curso 2022/2023 no se aplican con criterios de equidad

En los centros concertados no se tiene en cuenta la característica de alta complejidad a la hora de determinar su financiación

Los centros públicos con elevada complejidad están especialmente afectados por una elevada movilidad de las plantillas y no existe ninguna política de incentivos para revertirla

Es necesario que estos centros dispongan de más horas de coordinación y tutoría del profesorado y que se mejore la dotación de personal de atención educativa
 

Hoy se ha entregado al Parlamento de Cataluña el informe La dotación de personal y la gestión de equipos educativos en los centros con elevada complejidad, que recoge los resultados de los trabajos desarrollados por la Comisión de estudio sobre derechos laborales, dotación de personal y segregación escolar, en el marco del Pacto contra la segregación escolar en Cataluña. Esta comisión tiene por objetivo formular propuestas de mejora relacionadas con la provisión de personal docente y de apoyo a los centros con elevada complejidad. De acuerdo con datos del curso escolar 2021/2022, en Cataluña existen 666 centros públicos y 64 centros concertados de alta y muy alta complejidad (gráfico 1).

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Marino Fardelli Difensore civico della Regione Lazio e Presidente del Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori Civici delle Regioni e delle Province Autonome Italiane è stato ospite del Difensore Civico (Ombudsman) di Cipro Mrs. Maria Stylianou-Lottidis per partecipare a Nicosia alla Rete dei Difensori Civici dell’area del Mediterraneo Association of Mediterranean Ombudsmen – AOM presieduta dal Difensore Civico della Grecia Mr. Andrea Pottakis, in una serie di iniziative all’interno del programma istituzionale avente a tema “30+ anni Istituzione del difensore civico”.

Durante i suoi interventi nella seduta plenaria e negli incontri seguenti, il Difensore Civico del Lazio ha rappresentato una fotografia della difesa civica nel Lazio e in Italia quale strumento vicino al cittadino portando numeri ed esempi di casi trattati e di quelli risolti che hanno soddisfatto il cittadino stesso. Soddisfazioni per il fatto che il suo intervento sia stato apprezzato dai colleghi e dalla rappresentanza diplomatica ed istituzionale presente proveniente da diversi paesi europei.

La prima giornata dei lavori ha visto la presenza del Presidente della Repubblica di Cipro Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis e del Presidente della Camera dei Rappresentanti, sig. Annita Demetriou.

Il secondo giorno si è svolta la plenaria con una serie di interventi qualificanti l’attività della difesa civica nelle zone europee e a confine con l’Europa.

Nella terza giornata sono stati affrontati in una serie di incontri multilaterali dove ad esempio l’Italia, l’Albania, la Grecia, Malta, Cipro (nazioni che affacciano sul Mediterraneo) hanno rappresentato alcune questioni sui temi che ha posto l’Ucraina in tema di difesa dei diritti umani e di accoglienza e supporto amministrativo agli ucraini presenti nei paesi esteri.

In Italia la difesa civica c’è e momenti come questi, anche in ambito europeo, sono la testimonianza di un lavoro di squadra che si sta mettendo in campo a beneficio dei cittadini da parte dei Difensori Civici delle Regioni e delle Province Autonome Italiane.