FN til Danmark: Husk de betalelige boliger og drop ghettopakken!

Danmark har tiltrådt konventionen om økonomiske, sociale og kulturelle rettigheder. Dermed følger en række krav og minimumsbetingelser, som Danmark forpligter sig til at overholde;  bl.a. at sørge for, at deres borgere har adgang til en passende bolig og til fortsat forbedring af egne levevilkår. 

Den 18. oktober kom FNs komite vedr. økonomiske, sociale og kulturelle rettigheder, med følgende kritik:

“ Komiteen udtrykker bekymring over manglen på betalelige boliger hos medlemsstaten [Danmark -red.], hvilket forværres af den stigende tendens med erhvervelse af ejendomme af private investorer, der i henhold til lov om midlertidig regulering af boligforhold § 5, stk. 2 har tilladelse til at hæve huslejen til ”det lejedes værdi (artikel 11)” [egen oversættelse].

Komiteen anbefaler at Danmark

”bygger flere betalelige boliger og […] identificerer nødvendige skridt mod urimelige      huslejeniveauer og huslejeforhøjelser.” [egen oversættelse].

FN har altså vurderet, at Danmark ikke foretager sig nødvendige for at sikre denne adgang og kritiserer blandt andet, at loven giver mulighed for ’renovictions’, dvs. lejeforhøjelser så store, at man ikke har råd til at bo.

I LLO forstår vi ovennævnte som et vink med en vognstang:

• Hvis §5,2 beholdes i sin nuværende form, svækker det Danmark mulighed for at leve op til FNs anbefaling og de konventioner vi selv har tilsluttet os.

Og beskeden må derfor være klar:

• Gør noget ved boligreguleringslovens § 5,stk. 2.

En betalelig bolig er en menneskeret!

Men ikke kun § 5, stk. 2. møder kritik fra FN, det gør den såkaldte ”Ghettopakken” også:

Komiteen er bekymret over, at [ghettopakken] krænker rettigheder som f.eks. opholdsret og forældres frihed til at vælge deres børns uddannelse. Komiteen er også bekymret over, at loven er diskriminerende, da den blandt andet indfører kategorisering af områder som ”ghettoer” defineret af andelen af ​​indbyggere fra ”ikke-vestlige” lande, hvilket ikke kun resulterer i forskelsbehandling på grund af etnisk oprindelse og nationalitet, men også yderligere marginaliserer dem og sørger for en fordobling af straffe for forbrydelser begået i ”øgede strafzoner” [egen oversættelse].

I LLO håber vi, at det gør indtryk, når Danmark på denne måde får kritik fra den komité i FN, der skal påse, at vi overholder de konventioner, vi har tilsluttet os.

Du kan læse hele rapporten her: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CESCR/Shared%20Documents/DNK/E_C-12_DNK_CO_6_37523_E.docx

Du kan læse de refererede afsnit (på engelsk) nedenfor:

49.                 The Committee expresses concern at the shortage of affordable housing in the State party, which is exacerbated by the increasing trend of the acquisition of properties by private investors who, under the 1996 law No. 5.2 on Temporary Regulation of Housing Conditions, are authorized to augment rents up to the “value of the rented dwelling” (art. 11).

50.                 The Committee recommends that the State party increase the stock of affordable housing units. It also recommends that the research to be undertaken on the scope and effect of housing regulation also (a) consider the impact of existing legislation on the affordability of housing, especially for disadvantaged and marginalized groups; (b) identify appropriate means against unreasonable rent levels or rent increases; and (c) assess the adequacy of the amount and eligibility requirements for housing benefits. The Committee refers the State party to its general comment No. 4 (1991) on the right to adequate housing.

51.                 While appreciating that law L38 (law amending the Social Housing Act, Social Housing Rent Act and the Rent Act) seeks to address residential segregation and enhance social cohesion in the State party, the Committee is concerned that it infringes upon rights such as the freedom of residence and the liberty of parents to choose their children’s education. The Committee is also concerned that the law is discriminatory as, among others, it introduces the categorization of areas as “ghettos” defined by the proportion of residents from “non-Western” countries thus not only resulting in discrimination based on ethnic origin and nationality but also further marginalizing them, and provides for the doubling of sentences for crimes committed in “increased punishment zones”. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned that rather than providing for support, the law introduces sanctions, such as the withdrawal of child benefit if parents do not enrol their children in mandatory language programmes or develop their Danish language skills at home (arts. 11, 10, 2(2)).

52.                 The Committee urges the State party to adopt a rights-based approach to its efforts to address residential segregation and to enhance social cohesion. In this regards, it recommends that the State party:

(a)                  Remove the definitional element of a “ghetto” with reference to residents from “non-Western” countries, a discriminator on the basis of ethnic origin and nationality;

(b)                  Assess the impact of the “Ghetto package” on affected communities;

(c)                  Remove the coercive and punitive elements of law L38;

(d)                  Repeal all provisions that have direct or indirect discriminatory effect on refugees, migrants, and residents of the “ghetto” areas;

(e)                  Identify, in meaningful consultation with concerned communities, the necessary support to facilitate their integration; and

(f)                  Ensure that evictions and rehousing respect human rights standards.