2020-03 OVERSEES DELEGATION repeated demonstrations have only persisted for many years. However, the malaiseandinjustices that have demonstrations are an expression of inearly2018. These public French in 2017, and again in Guiana protest highlivingcosts), thenin 2011 (with 45 days to of blockades 2008 and2009,inMayotte inOctober the AmericasandReunionin2006, 2018. These followed uprisingsin Reunion, inNovember andDecember demonstrations, in scale particularly movementsSocial have ledto large- publicservices. primary equal rights andeffective access to variable outcomes that jeopardise situations, tolerate theESECcannot from themanyApart reasons for these troubling difficulties. particularly are experiencing and Saint-Martin French Mayotte Guiana, For example, the various overseas . , but also within and between significant, notonlywithmainland that thedisparities are stillquite varied circumstances. The ESECfinds access to withhighly publicservices, have suffered from various gapsin For decades, theOverseas Territories THE OVERSEASTHE TERRITORIES ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES IN sional integration with trainingandprofes- for theseterritories lies old, thechallenge 20 years of thepopulation under With 1/3 plan and aninvestment plan to territories need both a general remedial The ESECbelieves that the overseas groups inoverseas France. vulnerable affecting additional factor isan of in-personpublicservices disappearance gradual needs. The know the population and its specific and peoplefrom theterritories who not rely authorities enough on local does public policies. The government the territories to buildlong-term constructively withstakeholders in crisis-based approach andwork move away from areactive and the stakes. The government should not sufficiently mobilisedgiven In many areas, publicofficials are are effectively denied.” and whenthisaccess isblocked, rights onaccessdepends to publicservices, than anywhere else, access to rights delegation: “In overseas France, more Jacques Mr As Toubon reminded the haveDefender thisstudy. supported oftheHumanRights the many reports (Outre-mer: àvos droits!), aswell as colloquium 2018 heldon14June on HumanRights, presented at the National Consultative Commission various territories. The findingsofthe association representatives inthe withtradeconducted unionand various hearings andinterviews been widely corroborated by the The findingsofthisstudyhave citizens intheoverseas territories. promises andthedistress ofourfellow expression ofangerat thebroken protests shouldbeseenasan facing theterritories. These repeated view ofthedeep-seated difficulties insufficient corrective measures in awarenessled to short-lived and of ourterritories. thefuture be addressed, affect as they environment are priorities that must in health care, education and the shortcomings to eachterritory. The human development models tailored transition toward tenable, sustainable Michele Chay Michele Contact: Sarah Mouhoussoune Contact: 01 44436418 [email protected] and HealthSection. AffairsDelegation andtheSocial She isamemberoftheOversees Mayotte Group. intheOverseas Sarah represents of theterritory 01 44436242 [email protected] Delegation. the Overseas the CGT Group, andamemberof where she representsSection, the LabourandEmployment federation, is Vice-President of oftheCGT tradeSecretary andformer GeneralSecretary Chay,Michèle former Confederal

FRENCH GUIANA The infant mortality rate is 8.8% in , compared to a national average of 3.5%

MAYOTTE HOSPITAL PUBLIC SERVICE CENTRE CHM CENTRE is the only hospital in the area. Out of 1,383 public service Designed for 300 beds, centres in France, only 21 are it actually accommodates located in the overseas nearly 900 patients territories

THE ESEC’S POINTS OF CONSIDERATION

Ô Point 1 Stabilising the situation will require more effective integration of the needs of the overseas territories in the government’s sectoral public policies, ensuring better consideration and the mobilisation of additional resources. However, public policies must be tailored and differentiated according to each . To achieve this, the prefects must have expanded powers and increased autonomy to deal with the needs of the population and the particularities of the local situation. Ô Point 2 The government should move away from a reactive and crisis-based approach and work constructively with stakeholders in the territories to build long-term public policies. In this respect, the signing of the first Convergence and Transformation Contracts for the period 2019-2022 is a positive step towards better consideration of local needs. These contracts bring together stakeholders, clearly define priorities and provide visibility. The ESEC believes that they should be evaluated over time with the broad participation of the relevant overseas communities. Ô Point 3 The ESEC calls on the National Commission for the Evaluation of Government Policies in Overseas France to carry out a detailed evaluation of public spending in Overseas France, territory by territory, and to assess the budgetary adjustments required to ensure equal resources in light of the specific needs of each territory, distinguishing between increases in operating expenditures and specific infrastructure investment needs. Ô Point 4 The ESEC calls for the inclusion of an “Overseas Impact Clause” in the legislative process. Legislative and regulatory impact studies must systematically account for overseas concerns in the ex-ante evaluation of the clause. This study should not be limited to a legal and institutional analysis of the clause, but should also incorporate social, economic and environmental impacts specific to overseas France. Ô Point 5 The ESEC calls for an examination of the indicators used for overseas territories. It is essential to have reliable and comprehensive indicators that allow for comparisons over time and space in order to objectively monitor public policies. The data should be systematically included in official national publications. The presentation and interpretation of national indicators must also take into account the local context and realities. RÉUNION One in three young people in Reunion leaves school without a diploma

MAYOTTE MAYOTTE has between 3,000 and 6,000 unaccompanied The CNCDH has reported that foreign minors in its territory nearly 80% of schools in Mayotte do not meet minimum safety and hygiene standards

Ô Point 6 The ESEC calls on public officials, the national government, local authorities and partner organisations to set up public service centres throughout the French overseas territories. They are an essential local resource that allows the most vulnerable to access their rights and public services. Ô Point 7 The ESEC urges the government to create technical support platforms for local authorities and/or associations in the prefectures, particularly to help them carry out their investment tasks. These platforms will be able to provide local authorities with administrative expertise in public procurement, as well as financial engineering expertise to help them implement complex equipment projects and mobilise European funds. Ô Point 8 The transition to digital must not come at the expense of universal access to public services. The government must invest in both network coverage and user support. Remedial action in the overseas territories must factor in the digital paradigm from the outset so as not to fall further behind. Vulnerable groups, of which there are many in overseas France, should continue to have access to local offices and community facilities in order to connect with each other (reception points in public service centres, digital buses, etc.). Ô Point 9 The pool of overseas administrative staff must be expanded by creating post-baccalaureate courses to prepare students for public administration schools, as well as a Preparatory Institute for General Administration (IPAG) in each department and locality. Initial and continuing training programmes, which remain scant in overseas France, could be strengthened by developing public service schools and training and management centres for the local civil service in each overseas region. The ESEC encourages public officials to set up a Regional Administration Institute in the French overseas territories. Ô Point 10 The ESEC supports the “Cadres d’avenir pour Mayotte” training scheme and calls for it to be expanded to the other territories. Contact: [email protected] - 01 44 43 60 36 Ô Ô Ô Ô Ô Ô Ô Ô Ô

Point 12 Point 11 Point 19 Point 18 Point 17 Point 16 Point 15 Point 14 Point 13 committed to aquatic andmarinebiodiversity. andstrengthen andnetworks inoverseas actors should support territoriesBiodiversity Agency associations shouldbeencouraged sothat raise theycan awareness actors. amongalllocal The French strategic documents for themaritime region. Training for natural and environmental protection maintained, andeffective governance, alongwiththeiractivities asthesebodies aidindeveloping The ESECbelieves that the existenceOverseas andeffectiveness ofthe Maritime Councils shouldbe taking into account thesocial, cultural andlinguistic realities ofthepupils. education teacher networks.3 classesinpriority training shouldbestrengthened, Initialandin-service per class, require schoolingat theageofthree compulsory anddoublethenumberof Year 2and Year The ESEC believes that the government must increase the number of teachers to a maximum of 24 pupils it should invest heavily inequipment to provide aneducation inlinewithnational standards. resourcesnecessary to bringitinlinewithexisting andcorrect needs. any underfunding Accordingly, the relevant to actors bring educational offerings up to standard. The government should provide the Education success andacademic mustbethefirstpriority. calls The ESECforamajormobilisation ofall France. Access conditions andbenefitlevels shouldbeharmonised. 5 years. The ESECisinfavour benefitsinMayotte ofaligningallsocialsecurity withthoseinmainland government, andtheMayotte Fund thedepartment to Security render Social iteffective withinthenext assistancemedical for foreigners shouldbeimplemented. Atimetableshouldbedeveloped withthe In Mayotte, law access ordinary to welfare benefits, universal health coverage andgovernment the income of theresidents. allocated to care centres. Nursinghomesshouldbemadeaffordable, withapricingsystem that matches programmes.pathways support Additional for resources theelderlyanddependency shouldbe Regional healthstrategies shouldprepare for thefuture ageingofthepopulation anddevisehealth to allpatients, allowing access to healthcare, includinginremote areas andfor vulnerable groups. The ESECrecommends expanding thegeographic coverage ofhospitals, healthcentres andclinicsopen training. They shouldalsoexpand maternal andchild welfare ontheground. services associations, childwelfare agenciesandjudicialyouth lackstaff, and protection services supervision should coordinate resources better andmobilisethenecessary to protect young people, at atimewhen The ESECbelieves that childprotection mustbeatop priority. The government andthedepartments maintained to ensure that associations remain inplace. ensuringtheproper administration ofjustice. shouldbe for Government civilsociety support and Associations constituents, are essential for supporting providing access to thelaw andcitizenship, and remote municipalities, “law canoes”, etc., mobilecourts, shouldbestrengthened and expanded. such astheprovision ofinterpreters, legalassistance centres, fieldvisits by officialslocal to communities centresIn additionto thepublicservice already mentioned, theESECbelieves that practices, goodlocal andenforce security. ofday-to-day needed to maintain service apolicy The ESECbelieves that thegovernment should adjustthenumberofpolice, gendarmesandmagistrates