Individual Consultations
As a point of contact, counseling center, and ombudsman for individuals, the VMR gains direct insight into human rights issues faced by people in Liechtenstein and obtains a nuanced understanding of structural challenges, legal loopholes, and implementation shortcomings in various sectors of society. It can take targeted action to improve the individual situation of those affected and help them obtain justice.
At the same time, these consultations often provide a valuable basis for monitoring structural problems and recommending systematic improvements to human rights protection. In the reporting year, the VMR conducted 73 (57 in the previous year) consultations. 20 (24) of these concerned children’s rights and 7 (1) concerned the rights of persons with disabilities.
Thematically, among the 46 consultations on human rights under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the prohibition of discrimination under Art. 2 ranked first with 10 (previous year: 5) and the right to asylum under Art. 14, with 10 (2) consultations, were the primary focus. The consultation figures highlight the human rights risks and vulnerabilities associated with flight and migration, as well as systemic shortcomings (no general anti-discrimination law) in the area of discrimination.
Of the 20 consultations conducted by the Ombudsman’s Office for Children and Adolescents (OSKJ) regarding children’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 12 (8 in the previous year) consultations various children’s rights related to school and vocational training, and 7 (5) various children’s rights related to divorce and custody. The grouping of consultations around family and education points to structural and systemic challenges in these significant areas of life for children and adolescents in Liechtenstein.
