Czech Govt HR Commissioner submits plan to resolve crises in regions

Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková presented
information to the 3 April cabinet session on the design of a plan for the
state to follow when intervening in regions where social unrest and tensions
are growing. The Government asked the Commissioner to elaborate the plan
through a resolution adopted last August to set up a Working Group to address
crisis situations in the regions.

The group has seven members including the director of the Czech Government
Agency for Social Inclusion and deputy ministers from the Education Ministry, the
Industry and Trade Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Labor and Social
Affairs Ministry, and the Regional Development Ministry. The Human Rights
Commissioner will convene the Working Group whenever the staff of the Agency for Social Inclusion notes a deterioration in the social
situation in a particular region that might lead to social unrest.

The plan presented to the Government by Šimůnková last week includes
proposed measures for each ministry to take with respect to regions with
problems. The aim is for there to be the greatest possible degree
of collaboration and coordination between the ministries at that time and for
them to mutually inform one another of their steps.

The group and the plan were created in response to a report by the Czech
Government Agency for Social Inclusion evaluating the procedures of
the state administration when addressing the situation in the Šluknov district
in 2011. That report drew attention precisely to the lack of coordination between the various ministries.

According to the plan, the Interior Ministry, for example, would recommend
local governments create the position of crime prevention assistant, improve street
lighting, and introduce CCTV systems. The Labor and Social Affairs Ministry would allocate the necessary money from its active employment policy to create
local community service or social impact jobs, audit the disbursal of welfare,
and suggest which social services should be introduced. The Education Ministry would enhance after-school projects and fund the hiring of school
psychologists or teaching assistants from its reserves. The Regional
Development Ministry would evaluate the options for using EU monies to
address the situation. The Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion would
then coordinate negotiations with local governments, among other matters.