Poverty and inequality: Council of Europe warns Germany

Society - Poverty and inequality: Council of Europe warns Germany

The Council of Europe sees gaps in the fight against poverty and social inequality in Germany. In Germany, "persistent problems with access to social rights have led to worrying levels of poverty, social inequality and homelessness", said Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic after her five-day visit to Germany. She called for swift action to better protect the right to an adequate standard of living.

In particular, measures are needed to help single parents, children, people with disabilities and older people. The Federal Government should fulfill its obligation to strengthen children's rights "by enshrining them in the constitution and appointing a central authority to coordinate the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at all levels", the Commissioner demanded. It is also a mistake to send the majority of children with disabilities to special schools, as they "fall far short of their potential in terms of academic and professional career opportunities."

They are confident that the current budget discussions of the federal government will not have any impact on social support measures, they said. After all, these are "a lifeline for many and are also necessary to secure the minimum subsistence level prescribed by the Federal Constitutional Court."

Read also:

• European MPs condemn anti-Semitic monuments in Moldova

1. The Federal Government of Germany needs to take bolder actions to combat poverty and social inequality, as highlighted by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
2. The struggle against poverty in Germany, as noted by Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic, has resulted in concerning levels of poverty, social inequality, and homelessness among various groups, including single parents, children, and individuals with disabilities.
3. Germany's Federal Government should fulfill its obligation to uphold human rights, particularly children's rights, by incorporating them into the constitution and establishing a central authority for implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
4. Sending the majority of children with disabilities to special schools not only exacerbates social inequality but also deprives them of academic and professional opportunities.
5. The Europarat acknowledges the importance of social support measures in Germany, which serve as a lifeline for many and are essential for ensuring the constitutional minimum subsistence level set by the Federal Constitutional Court.
6. In the face of escalating concerns over poverty and inequality in Europe, the Council of Europe encourages all European countries, including Germany, to adopt comprehensive and inclusive strategies to combat these issues and protect human rights for all, regardless of disability.

Source: www.stern.de