Poverty on the Rise in Europe – the 2017 Conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights
The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights has been involved on European human rights issues for many year. Karin Lukas, Senior Researcher at BIM, is current Vice-President of the European Committee of Social Rights which just published its Conclusions 2017 of 33 States on the articles of the European Social Charter relating to the thematic group “Health, social security and social protection.”
The Committee concluded that the poverty level in Europe is far too high and the measures taken to remedy this worrying problem are insufficient. In many States the social security benefits in particular with regard to unemployment and old age are well below the poverty level.
The Committee also found that many States had failed to take adequate steps to address the persistently high levels of infant and maternal mortality and to reduce the high number of fatal accidents at work.
On a positive note, the Committee found progress in respect of health and safety at work and the extension of social security benefits in particular in relation to healthcare and disability.
In total, the Committee noted 175 situations of non-conformity and 228 situations of conformity with the provisions of the Charter. In 83 cases, the Committee was unable to assess the situation due to lack of information and postponed its conclusion.
A press briefing with the highlights of the 2017 conclusions can be found here.
More information on the European Social Charter and the European Committee of Social Rights: www.coe.int/en/web/turin-european-social-charter
