Migrant in
the Rog Factory Social Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia ©Council of Europe/Borut
Krajnc
During his
visit in Slovenia from 20 to 23 March, the Council of Europe Commissioner for
Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, examined the situation of Roma, migrants and
asylum seekers and of the increasing number of people living in poverty in the
country. He stressed the centrality of human rights to ensure that
Slovenian society is truly inclusive.
Slovenia,
which lies on the Balkan migration route, dealt in a humanitarian manner with
the transit of close to 500 000 migrants and refugees in 2015/2016. While
recognising the legitimate need of the Slovenian authorities for the means to
cope with such a situation in the future, the Commissioner regretted that this
has led to legislative amendments aiming at restricting access to asylum in the
country. The Commissioner was particularly concerned that some of these
amendments, which would allow the detention of asylum seekers, or empower
police to close borders and return asylum seekers without hearing their
protection needs, are contrary to Slovenia’s legal obligations under
international human rights and refugee law.
The
Commissioner welcomed Slovenia’s participation in the relocation and
resettlement of refugees. In this context, he examined integration measures for
the new arrivals. State programmes for the integration of refugees and other
beneficiaries of international protection are only starting and require
development to meet the current needs. While inclusion of refugee children into
mainstream education seems to be well developed, further measures are needed to
ensure that persons do not experience destitution from the period they receive
refugee status until they can access mainstream social assistance. Another area
requiring additional efforts is housing, where refugees reported severe
difficulties in accessing social housing and sometimes faced discrimination in
the rental market.
The
Commissioner visited the former Rog bicycle factory in Ljubljana, a local
community centre that helps migrants and asylum seekers learn Slovenian and
meet local Slovenian people. “Slovenia is no longer merely a transit country,
and some of the asylum seekers and refugees are here to stay. The authorities
should increase their capacity to handle this new reality and give them a
chance to integrate and contribute to Slovenian society,” the Commissioner
said. “For this to succeed, refugees themselves should be involved in the
development of integration programmes, and more outreach needs to be done to
local communities to overcome prejudices and hostility.”
The
Commissioner also visited the Dobruška vas settlement in the Škocjan
municipality, where Roma people live in insalubrious conditions, with a number
of families deprived of access to running water, electricity or sanitation. As
a result, the inhabitants of the settlement have to draw water from a polluted
stream, which has a detrimental effect on their health and the access of their
children to school. A case concerning this settlement is pending at the
European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The Commissioner also visited a
kindergarten in Krško, where Roma children are being equipped with the skills
which can help them in their future schooling and inclusion in Slovenian
society. The Commissioner was informed that, in other parts of the country, the
situation of Roma was considerably better. Nonetheless, Roma remain the group
most affected by high school dropout rates, poverty and marginalisation in
Slovenia, and further efforts are required to combat hate speech and prejudices
that undermine their chances at better education, employment and regular
housing solutions.
“The
Slovenian authorities have invested efforts over the past 10 years to improve
the situation of Roma, notably in the field of education and employment. Now is
the time to go the extra mile and to ensure once and for all that no Roma in
Slovenia experience severe deprivation. The government should also devote
further attention to social intervention with Roma families and ensure that the
local municipalities take the necessary steps to solve housing issues,” the
Commissioner said.
The
Commissioner learned with concern that poverty has been on the rise in Slovenia
since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2008 and now affects 14.5% of the
population even after social assistance. Slovenia has a strong tradition as a
welfare state, but austerity measures adopted in 2012 have led to cuts into
social benefits. Pension reforms have left older persons – especially women -
among those most at risk of poverty in the country. The Commissioner was told
that the numbers of “the working poor” are rising, and that there is a growing
phenomenon of long-term unemployment and intergenerational poverty. Economic
deprivation can have particularly negative consequences for children, as it
hinders their chances at a good education and can lead them to repeat poverty
patterns in adulthood.
“Slovenia
should stay true to its tradition as a welfare state with strong benefits to
protect people from poverty. Slovenia’s constitution enshrines the human rights
to social security, to health care, to proper housing and to adequate
conditions of work. Providing effective access to those rights is a legal
obligation. Under international law, Slovenia is obligated to progressively
realise these rights to the “maximum of available resources”. I urge the
Slovenian authorities to lift the remaining austerity measures that impact on
social benefits as soon as feasible and to ensure that workers receive adequate
remuneration,” the Commissioner said.
The
Commissioner recalled that human rights provide an essential safety net for
people, and are necessary to ensure that no one is left behind. Upholding human
rights should be a guiding principle in policy making. To that effect, the
Commissioner called on Slovenia to strengthen its national human rights
structures, by adopting the draft amendments to the Law on the Ombudsperson
that will give the institution an additional role in human rights research and
education, and by increasing the resources at the disposal of the Advocate for
the Principle of Equality.
A report on
the Commissioner’s visit is forthcoming
The Ro
Migrant in
the Rog Factory Social Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia ©Council of Europe/Borut
Krajnc
During his
visit in Slovenia from 20 to 23 March, the Council of Europe Commissioner for
Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, examined the situation of Roma, migrants and
asylum seekers and of the increasing number of people living in poverty in the
country. He stressed the centrality of human rights to ensure that
Slovenian society is truly inclusive.
Slovenia,
which lies on the Balkan migration route, dealt in a humanitarian manner with
the transit of close to 500 000 migrants and refugees in 2015/2016. While
recognising the legitimate need of the Slovenian authorities for the means to
cope with such a situation in the future, the Commissioner regretted that this
has led to legislative amendments aiming at restricting access to asylum in the
country. The Commissioner was particularly concerned that some of these
amendments, which would allow the detention of asylum seekers, or empower
police to close borders and return asylum seekers without hearing their
protection needs, are contrary to Slovenia’s legal obligations under
international human rights and refugee law.
The
Commissioner welcomed Slovenia’s participation in the relocation and
resettlement of refugees. In this context, he examined integration measures for
the new arrivals. State programmes for the integration of refugees and other
beneficiaries of international protection are only starting and require
development to meet the current needs. While inclusion of refugee children into
mainstream education seems to be well developed, further measures are needed to
ensure that persons do not experience destitution from the period they receive
refugee status until they can access mainstream social assistance. Another area
requiring additional efforts is housing, where refugees reported severe
difficulties in accessing social housing and sometimes faced discrimination in
the rental market.
The
Commissioner visited the former Rog bicycle factory in Ljubljana, a local
community centre that helps migrants and asylum seekers learn Slovenian and
meet local Slovenian people. “Slovenia is no longer merely a transit country,
and some of the asylum seekers and refugees are here to stay. The authorities
should increase their capacity to handle this new reality and give them a
chance to integrate and contribute to Slovenian society,” the Commissioner
said. “For this to succeed, refugees themselves should be involved in the
development of integration programmes, and more outreach needs to be done to
local communities to overcome prejudices and hostility.”
The
Commissioner also visited the Dobruška vas settlement in the Škocjan
municipality, where Roma people live in insalubrious conditions, with a number
of families deprived of access to running water, electricity or sanitation. As
a result, the inhabitants of the settlement have to draw water from a polluted
stream, which has a detrimental effect on their health and the access of their
children to school. A case concerning this settlement is pending at the
European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The Commissioner also visited a
kindergarten in Krško, where Roma children are being equipped with the skills
which can help them in their future schooling and inclusion in Slovenian
society. The Commissioner was informed that, in other parts of the country, the
situation of Roma was considerably better. Nonetheless, Roma remain the group
most affected by high school dropout rates, poverty and marginalisation in
Slovenia, and further efforts are required to combat hate speech and prejudices
that undermine their chances at better education, employment and regular
housing solutions.
“The
Slovenian authorities have invested efforts over the past 10 years to improve
the situation of Roma, notably in the field of education and employment. Now is
the time to go the extra mile and to ensure once and for all that no Roma in
Slovenia experience severe deprivation. The government should also devote
further attention to social intervention with Roma families and ensure that the
local municipalities take the necessary steps to solve housing issues,” the
Commissioner said.
The
Commissioner learned with concern that poverty has been on the rise in Slovenia
since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2008 and now affects 14.5% of the
population even after social assistance. Slovenia has a strong tradition as a
welfare state, but austerity measures adopted in 2012 have led to cuts into
social benefits. Pension reforms have left older persons – especially women -
among those most at risk of poverty in the country. The Commissioner was told
that the numbers of “the working poor” are rising, and that there is a growing
phenomenon of long-term unemployment and intergenerational poverty. Economic
deprivation can have particularly negative consequences for children, as it
hinders their chances at a good education and can lead them to repeat poverty
patterns in adulthood.
“Slovenia
should stay true to its tradition as a welfare state with strong benefits to
protect people from poverty. Slovenia’s constitution enshrines the human rights
to social security, to health care, to proper housing and to adequate
conditions of work. Providing effective access to those rights is a legal
obligation. Under international law, Slovenia is obligated to progressively
realise these rights to the “maximum of available resources”. I urge the
Slovenian authorities to lift the remaining austerity measures that impact on
social benefits as soon as feasible and to ensure that workers receive adequate
remuneration,” the Commissioner said.
The
Commissioner recalled that human rights provide an essential safety net for
people, and are necessary to ensure that no one is left behind. Upholding human
rights should be a guiding principle in policy making. To that effect, the
Commissioner called on Slovenia to strengthen its national human rights
structures, by adopting the draft amendments to the Law on the Ombudsperson
that will give the institution an additional role in human rights research and
education, and by increasing the resources at the disposal of the Advocate for
the Principle of Equality.
A report on
the Commissioner’s visit is forthcoming
The Rog
Factory Social Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 20 March 2017
g Factory Social Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 20 March 2017
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