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Czech Human Rights Minister to push for right to nursery school, social housing

11 March 2014
4 minute read

Czech Minister for Human Rights and Legislation Jiří Dienstbier (Czech Social Democratic Party – ČSSD) wants to push for the right to social housing, equal access to education, increased powers for the ombud, and every child’s right to a place in daycare or preschool. He also wants to concentrate on the fight against poverty and changing the rules governing collections procedures. 

The minister made the statements at a press conference today during which he publicized his priorities. He also introduced his team.

"The equality and freedom of each and every person is the basic prerequisite for ensuring a dignified life. Everyone should have a chance at their own personal happiness," Dienstbier said.

The minister reiterated that the government has pledged in its program to lay the groundwork for such opportunities. He listed his six priorities as follows:

1) The right to social housing
2) The right of every child to equal access to education
3) The fight against poverty, with an emphasis on addressing indebtedness and collections procedures
4) Enhancing the powers of the ombud
5) Addressing socially excluded localities, coexistence, and an increased sense of security
6) Children’s entitlement to preschool education starting at age 2.

There is currently no social housing in the Czech Republic. A law on the issue should take effect by the end of 2016, according to the government’s proposed legislative plan. 

Dienstbier is meant to collaborate with the Labor Minister and Regional Development Minister on the bill. The outlines of the legislation should be ready by mid-2015. 

The Labor Minister is planning to submit an amendment by the end of this June regulating housing subsidies and the rules for their disbursal to those living in residential hotels. Dienstbier said that only one subsidy should be disbursed per room, for example.

The Human Rights Minister also said he believes that when children turn two they should have a guaranteed place in a preschool facility. "Such arrangements are already in effect in several countries. It is very important from the perspective of equal opportunities policy so that both parents can continue their professional careers and not have to sacrifice them to the fact that the family wants to have children," Dienstbier said. 

An amendment enhancing the powers of the ombud should also be ready soon. The change would make it possible for the Public Defender of Rights to turn to the Constitutional Court with proposals to abolish dubious laws or parts of them.

Dienstbier’s Legislative Section is being led by Deputy Human Rights and Legislation Minister Kateřina Valachová, who has worked at the Office of the Public Defender of Rights and in the Senate. The Human Rights Section, which includes the Agency for Social Inclusion, is being managed by Martina Štěpánková, a lawyer who has previously worked for the Office of the Government and most recently for the nonprofit Counseling Center for Citizenship and Human Rights (Poradna pro občanství a lidská práva).

Jarmila Balážová, the minister’s spokesperson, is also meant to be a reinforcement to the team. The journalist has worked in the NGO sector in addition to radio and television, and has dedicated herself to reporting on a broad range of human rights topics in the media. She considers communication with the media and the public to be crucial not only to the fight against anti-Semitism and antigypsyism which the Government has pledged to undertake, but also because it provides opportunities to work with the topic of human rights so that the concept will stop being perceived only in the context of certain groups in society. 

Dienstbier’s "secretariat" is currently headquartered at the Office of the Government and in office spaces on Vladislavova Street in Prague. The minister said these separate workplaces are slated for regrouping.

The Human Rights Minister is not counting on hiring new staffers. However, he will be taking the Equal Opportunities Department back from the Labor Ministry.

Dienstbier will also take over several posts from the EU Affairs Section of the Office of the Government. Starting this month the government’s Anti-Corruption Section and State Services Department will also fall under his Legislative Section.

There may be more experts working in EU projects for various sections under the Human Rights Minister’s management in future. When introducing the six human rights priorities for his team this year, Dienstbier said he is aware that all of them require years of non-populist, systematic attention.    

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