Der Thüringer Bürgerbeauftragte, Dr. Kurt Herzberg, nahm am 10.06.2024 am Frühlingsfest der LIGA der Freien Wohlfahrtsverbände in Thüringen e.V. teil.

Bei der Veranstaltung im Thüringer Landtag blickten neben Vertretern der Verbände auch Abgeordnete und Partnerinstitutionen in mehreren Podium-Talks auf die Zusammenarbeit der zu Ende gehenden Wahlperiode. Dr. Herzberg: „Auch in meiner Arbeit gab und gibt es immer wieder Gelegenheiten für eine Zusammenarbeit mit den Verbänden der LIGA, die von gegenseitigem Vertrauen geprägt ist. Hier möchte ich an die gemeinsamen Anstrengungen beim vom Thüringer Ministerium für Migration, Justiz und Verbraucherschutz (TMMJV) initiierten ‚Runden Tisch Energiearmut‘ erinnern. Ich bin froh über das fachlich intensive gemeinsame Suchen nach Lösungen in der Energie(kosten)krise, die sich in Folge des Ukrainekrieges auftat.“

13 junio 2024

El Defensor del Pueblo de Navarra-Nafarroako Arartekoa, Patxi Vera, ha sugerido “una modificación legislativa” para que las personas adjudicatarias de vivienda protegida “no puedan verse obligadas a adquirir anejos (garajes y trasteros, entre otros) de forma inseparable con aquella”. Además, ha demandado “que se configuren diferentes precios máximos de venta de unos y otros bienes para favorecer en mayor grado el derecho de acceso a la vivienda de quien la precisa”.  

Así lo recoge en una reciente resolución remitida al Departamento de Vivienda, Juventud y Políticas Migratorias, a la que se puede acceder a través de este enlace.

El origen de esta resolución surge de las quejas (Q24/247 y Q24/248) planteadas al Defensor por dos particulares el 5 de marzo pasado en torno a la promoción de unas viviendas en Barañáin en el año 2023. Los reclamantes denunciaron, en concreto, el precio del metro cuadrado de los garajes en dichas VPO. “Se da el caso de que un garaje de una vivienda de protección tasado cuesta 30.000 euros mientras que, para otro de 15 metros cuadrados, en el mismo edificio y de compra libre, el precio es de 15.000 euros”, revelaron.

Igualmente, argumentaron que "se puede dar el caso" de que no sea necesaria la adquisición del garaje "por no tener coche". Y que una persona que opte a una vivienda protegida (tasada o de protección oficial) "puede no disponer de suficiente dinero" para comprar una plaza de garaje que tiene el mismo precio por metro cuadrado que le piden por la vivienda.

EL PROCESO

Recibidas estas reclamaciones, el Defensor del Pueblo de Navarra-Nafarroako Arartekoa se dirigió al Departamento de Vivienda, Juventud y Políticas Migratorias para solicitar información al respecto. En su informe de respuesta, el Departamento señaló que “el precio de la vivienda protegida es un total del que forman parte el garaje, el trastero y otros anejos”.

Por otro lado, apuntó que la Disposición Adicional Cuarta de la citada Ley Foral, así como el artículo 10 del Decreto Foral 61/2013, establecen que a cada vivienda protegida pueden vincularse, de manera inseparable, un trastero y una plaza de garaje. Desde Vivienda se concluyó, por tanto, que “la normativa en materia de vivienda prevé la vinculación de los garajes y trasteros a las viviendas protegidas de manera opcional, siendo decisión de las promotoras optar por incluir o no dicha vinculación en el momento de solicitar la calificación provisional”.

El Departamento recordó, por último, que en virtud del artículo 36.4 de la referida Ley Foral “antes de participar en un procedimiento de adjudicación y elegir la promoción a la que se desea optar, la persona interesada es conocedora de si dicha promoción incluye anejos vinculados a la vivienda”.

Vista la respuesta y sus conclusiones, el Defensor del Pueblo de Navarra-Nafarroako Arartekoa consideró necesario solicitar información adicional. Específicamente, pidió al Departamento de Vivienda, Juventud y Políticas Migratorias que justificara “las razones de interés general” que respaldarían la conveniencia de mantener la limitación impuesta a los compradores de viviendas protegidas. Dicha limitación permite a las promotoras vincular inseparablemente un trastero y una plaza de garaje a la vivienda, haciendo obligatoria su compra.

En su segunda respuesta, el Departamento reiteró que “la vinculación de los anejos se concreta en el acto de calificación provisional de las viviendas, quedando a partir de ese momento sujetas a dicha condición”. Y añadió que “el interés de vincular los anejos a las viviendas protegidas es una cuestión que ha de ser adoptada en cada promoción valorando, en cada caso, si la incorporación de anejos resulta un elemento atractivo y ventajoso para los potenciales compradores de las viviendas”. “En cualquier caso, este Departamento no tiene mecanismos legales para impedir ni, en su caso, obligar a la vinculación de garajes y trasteros”, concluyó el informe.

LOS ARGUMENTOS DE LA RESOLUCIÓN

Ante este escenario, el Defensor del Pueblo de Navarra-Nafarroako Arartekoa estimó que “podría ser conveniente” introducir una modificación legal en el articulado de la Ley Foral 10/2010, de 10 de mayo, de derecho a la vivienda. “Como viene a expresarse en la queja, puede generar situaciones injustas para los interesados al poder limitar excesivamente el acceso a viviendas de personas con un nivel bajo de recursos que, de facto, pueden tener cerrado el acceso al mercado libre”, señaló en su resolución.

Siguiendo ese mismo argumento, la sugerencia normativa apuntó como “razonable” que la norma facilite la compra de una vivienda a quien se encuentra en situación de necesidad, viendo “también razonable que el precio máximo de venta de viviendas y garajes se configure de forma distinta, dado el diferente uso de unos y otros bienes, y la realidad de que, ordinariamente, su precio de mercado no es coincidente”.

Por ello, la resolución del Defensor del Pueblo de Navarra-Nafarroako Arartekoa expuso como argumento final que “al amparo de lo previsto en el artículo 33.2 de la Ley Foral 4/2000, estimando que el cumplimiento de la norma puede derivar en resultados injustos y perjudiciales para los interesados, y que no se han explicado en grado suficiente las razones de fondo que justificarían la actual configuración de aquella, cabe articular un sistema más flexible que facilite en mayor grado la compra de vivienda protegida a quien la necesita”.

Para acceder al contenido íntegro de la resolución emitida con ocasión de las quejas Q24/247 y Q24/248, se puede seguir este enlace.

Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina is participating in the 17th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention of the United Nations (UN) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP17 - CRPD), which will be held in New York from 11 to 13 June. Ahead of the Summit of the Future, which will be held within the framework of the UN at the level of world leaders in September 2024, the common thread of the session is a rethinking of the importance of including disabled people and the search for an international consensus on how to provide them with a better present and protect their future. Acceptance of fellow human beings regardless of their personal circumstances is a reflection of maturity, believes Svetina, who emphasises that countries must take a more active stance in caring for the disabled and show greater ambition not only at the national, but also at the international level. "All too many meetings pass in patting on the back and satisfaction that we remembered them. But we will actually show respect and development when every disabled person is enabled to be heard, seen and understood, regardless of disability. Co-creating progress is everyone's responsibility, regardless of the individual's psychophysical abilities, and we will have to take many decisive joint steps in this area to ensure the equal inclusion of disabled people in society," Svetina emphasises.

At the meeting, he actively participated in the general discussion. As one of the sub-themes of the conference was international cooperation to promote technological innovation and technology transfer for an inclusive future, he focused in his address on the advantages, challenges, and risks of artificial intelligence on the rights of people with disabilities. Svetina also spoke on behalf of the Working Group on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI), which brings together more than 40 European Human Rights institutions on how countries can work together towards a future in which artificial intelligence not only accelerates technological progress, but also preserves and strengthens fundamental rights. He assessed that it is essential that the technological development of artificial intelligence takes place within appropriate legal and ethical frameworks, which will strengthen the existing levels of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of each individual. “I firmly believe that an inclusive future in which people with disabilities can fully enjoy their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is within reach. This requires strong political will and determination to invest in promoting accessibility and supporting independent living in the community," Svetina asserted in his speech. As he said, artificial intelligence offers many innovative solutions and new possibilities for communication, interaction, independence, and inclusion of disabled people. “Speech-to-text or vision-enhancement tools remove many barriers. By using voice recognition functions or gesture control, digital platforms are more user-friendly. Navigation systems powered by artificial intelligence help people with visual or mobility impairments navigate public spaces. Adaptive learning platforms are a tremendous added value for students with learning disabilities, and in the workplace, AI also provides disabled people with tools that adapt to different abilities, opening up equal employment opportunities. Artificial intelligence also brings solutions and improvements in the field of healthcare and pharmacy, but in all industries, it also raises important questions and brings risks – including for the disabled," he stated.

As he said, artificial intelligence, which is used in decision-making systems about individual rights and obligations, affects many human rights, for example, privacy and protection of personal data, the principle of equality and social justice, freedom of expression and assembly, the right to non-discriminatory treatment, and the right to work, as well as individual autonomy and dignity. Thus, according to the Slovenian Ombudsman, systems powered by artificial intelligence can, for example, by using biased or discriminatory algorithms, unduly limit eligibility for benefits such as unemployment benefits. “If AI systems are trained on flawed data sets, they can also be biased in hiring. They can also provide incorrect risk assessments based on disability types, which can result in unfair increases in health insurance premiums, and I could go on and on,” he said.

Svetina underlined the importance of ENNHRI's activities and the joint efforts of its members, including Slovenia, to promote human rights in the field of artificial intelligence at the European level. He said this organisation had made a significant contribution to the adoption of the Act of the European Union on artificial intelligence and the Framework Convention of the Council of Europe on artificial intelligence, human rights, democracy and the rule of law and called on countries to ensure that national human rights institutions have sufficient capacity to efficient performance of their duties. "Strong national institutions for human rights and independent monitoring bodies, together with disability organisations, are essential for promoting, protecting and monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities," Peter Svetina also believes.

In the conversations he conducted, Svetina underlined the importance of effective international cooperation, with the help of which countries can create connected and effective solutions from a multitude of different initiatives. In his opinion, the flow of information between policymakers and the community that develops and uses artificial intelligence is also extremely important. "When formulating policies and developing and using artificial intelligence systems in the case of vulnerable groups, active consultation with them or their representative organisations is key," he said, and also pointed out the responsibility of more developed countries to help developing countries in the field of artificial intelligence, as the technological vacuum is being entered by countries and private companies for whom respect for human rights in the development of artificial intelligence is not a high priority. As he said, human rights must always be put before private business interests.

On the margins of the session, the Ombudsman also met with Ambassador Boštjan Malovrh, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Nations in New York, and thanked him and his team, with whom he also met, for all Slovenia's efforts in enforcing human rights at the international level, particularly within the framework of the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (Third Committee), ECOSOC, the Human Rights Council and treaty bodies. At the meeting with Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, Ombudsman Svetina specifically highlighted his expectation that Slovenia, within the framework of its activities in the Security Council, advocates for international peace and security in a way that, in addition to the political and military aspects, also includes humanitarian, health, environmental, technological and other dimensions.

Support for human rights systems and defenders

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

FRA delivered online training to staff of the Romanian People’s Advocate on 11 and 12 June. The aim was to promote and strengthen the use of the EU’s Fundamental Rights Charter at the national level.

Over 60 employees from the national and local level improved their knowledge of the Charter’s provisions, applicability and added value while also becoming aware of the Agency’s tools and extensive material on the Charter.

The participants used the opportunity to engage in a peer-to-peer exchange with a representative of the Croatian Ombuds Institution on the use of the Charter in their daily work.

Anyone can experience vulnerability at some point in their life. People experiencing vulnerability may mean they struggle to access and navigate public services, which in turn can lead to disadvantages. While some people may not see themselves as vulnerable, being mindful of this helps public service providers ensure that everyone's unique and individual needs are identified and met. 

With others, we have created a set of resources to help public service providers support people experiencing vulnerability.

The toolkit contains a Powerpoint presentation, a Workbook, Facilitator's Notes, and videos with contributions from organisations discussing their work in this area.

Access the resources here: www.nipso.org.uk/resources/vulnerability