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Parallel Report of the Alliance for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Germany (Wsk-Allianz)

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Parallel Report of the Alliance for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Germany (Wsk-Allianz) PARALLEL REPORT OF THE ALLIANCE FOR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS IN GERMANY (WSK-ALLIANZ) complementing the 5th Report of the Federal Republic of Germany on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) 1 PARALLEL REPORT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS IMPRINT ORGANISATIONS CONTRIBUTING TO THE REPORT: Amnesty International, Sektion der Bundesrepublik Deutschland e.V. Ban Ying e.V. Behandlungszentrum für Folteropfer Berlin (bzfo) Berliner Rechtshilfefonds Jugendhilfe e.V. (BRJ) BPE - Bundesverband Psychiatrie-Erfahrener e.V. Bund demokratischer WissenschaftlerInnen (BdWi) Diakonisches Werk der EKD FIAN Deutschland e.V. Forum Menschenrechte Frauenhauskoordinierung e.V. Gesellschaft zum Schutz von Bürgerrecht und Menschenwürde (GBM) Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW) GEW Landesverband Bayern Humanistische Union e.V. Intersexuelle Menschen e.V. IPPNW, Deutsche Sektion der Internationalen Ärzte für die Verhütung des Atomkrieges / Ärzte in sozialer Verantwortung e.V. KOK e.V. (Bundesweiter Koordinierungskreis gegen Frauenhandel und Gewalt an Frauen im Migrationsprozess) Lesben- und Schwulenverband in Deutschland (LSVD) e.V. Unter Druck – Kultur von der Straße e.V. Zentrum für Postgraduale Studien Sozialer Arbeit e.V. Berlin (ZPSA) GROUP OF COORDINATORS: Sibylle Gurzeler, ZPSA e.V. Ute Hausmann, FIAN Deutschland e.V. Ingo Stamm, Diakonisches Werk der EKD Frank Uhe, IPPNW Michael Windfuhr, Brot für die Welt (until Dec. 31, 2010) KONTAKT [email protected] www.wsk-allianz.de TRANSLATION German into English by: Ekpenyong Ani LAYOUT: Anne Tritschler PREFACE The Alliance for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Germany (in German: WSK-Allianz) is an ad-hoc network with 20 member organization (NGOs) from various fields of work. The Alliance is mainly based in Berlin und began its work in fall 2008, according to a initiative by the German Institute for Human Rights. The WSK-Allianz was officially launched in March 2009 with the goal to compose a coordinated parallel report to the Fifth State Report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The first product of the Alliance was a list of issues, which was submitted to the Pre- Sessional working group in October 2010 and presented by members of the Alliance in Geneva. This Parallel Report has been made possible through an intensive working process of the member organisations, which were working either in small groups or on themselves on certain topics or articles of the ICESCR. In numerous meetings the findings were brought together and the report was formed. The Parallel Report is a critical annotation and an up-to-date supplement to the Fifth State Report. Cross- cutting issues are the situation of migrants in Germany and the Equalization of men and women. The report is mainly structured along the articles of the Covenant. SALVATORIUS CLAUSE The statements and demands expressed in this report are supported by the NGOs sustaining the report according to their respective assignments and objectives. The participating NGOs are united by the aim of a joint report from the perspective of civil society. Notwithstanding, not all of the participating NGOs are able to support every single opinion and recommendation expressed here. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Such a project couldn’t be realised without the strong commitment of the people and the organisations involved. Special thanks to them. The Parallel Report of the Alliance for Economic, Social und Cultural Rights in Germany has been made possible by the financial support of the “Bildungs- und Foerderwerk” of the German Education Union, Brot fuer die Welt, the Forum Menschenrechte, Amnesty International (Germany), the IPPNW - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Humanistische Union and the BPE - Federal Organisation of (ex-) Users and Survivors of Psychiatry in Germany. 3 PARALLEL REPORT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS TABLE OF CONTENTS IMPRINT, ORGANISATIONS CONTRIBUTING, CONTACT........................................ 2 PREFACE, SALVATORIUS CLAUSE, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................... 3 1. GENERAL QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE NATIONAL APPLICATION OF THE COVENANT ......................... 7 1.1. Involvement of civil society in compiling the report ������������������������������������������������������������������������������7 1.2. Problems of implementing human rights treaties in a federal system ���������������������������������������������������7 1.3. Optional protocol ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8 2. NON-DISCRIMINATION (ARTICLE 2) ............................................................... 9 2.1. General Act on Equal Treatment (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz – AGG) ���������������������������������9 2.2. Residential obligation for asylum seekers and refugees with ‘toleration’ visa (Duldung) ������������������������9 3. EQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN (ARTICLE 3) ................................... 12 3.1. Introduction �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������12 3.2. Trafficking in persons and trafficking in women.................................................................................12 3.2.1. On the training programmes on trafficking in persons .............................................................12 3.2.2. Concept for cooperation and care (“lack of appropriate care for victims”) ..............................12 3.2.3. Residence Act (“risks and dangers”) ......................................................................................13 3.2.4. Access to courts ....................................................................................................................14 4. RIGHT TO WORK AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING (ARTICLE 6) ...................... 15 4.1. The Right to work and training of women (Part-time Employment) ����������������������������������������������������15 4.2. Right to work for asylum seekers and persons with a ‘toleration’ visa (Duldung) ���������������������������������15 4.2.1. Regional restrictions ..............................................................................................................16 4.3. Right to professional training of asylum seekers and persons with a ‘toleration‘ visa ���������������������������17 4.3.1. Regional restrictions ...............................................................................................................17 4.3.2. Employment promotion measures ..........................................................................................18 4.3.3. Consequences .......................................................................................................................18 5. RIGHT TO JUST AND FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS OF WORK (ARTICLE 7) ........ 19 5.1. Equality of men and women �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������19 5.1.1. Equal Remuneration .............................................................................................................19 5.1.2. Promotion .............................................................................................................................19 5.1.3. Work-Life Balance .................................................................................................................19 5.2. Equality between registered partnerships and marriage in tax law and civil service law ���������������������20 5.3. Equalisation of the income gap and living conditions in Eastern and Western Germany ���������������������20 5.4. The situation of refugees and asylum seekers �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������23 5.5. The situation of migrants in diplomats’ households ���������������������������������������������������������������������������23 5.6. The situation of undocumented migrants ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������23 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 6. RIGHT TO TAKE PART IN TRADE UNION ACTIVITIES (ARTICLE 8) .................. 25 6.1. The right to strike for public servants ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������25 6.1.1. Debate on the right to strike ...................................................................................................25 6.1.2. Asserting the right to strike .....................................................................................................25 6.1.3. Strike action by public servants .............................................................................................26 7. RIGHT TO SOCIAL SECURITY (ARTICLE 9) .................................................... 27 7.1. The right to social security and Germany’s social policy ���������������������������������������������������������������������27 7.1.1. Concern and recommendation of the CESCR in 2001 .............................................................27 7.1.2. Consequences of the “Agenda 2010” – reform of the social security system ..........................27 7.1.3. Redistribution from the poor to the rich – increase of old-age and child poverty ......................28 7.2. The legal position of low-income groups �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������29
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