Labor, health and social affairs
Human rights are often equated with civil and political rights. However, economic, cultural and social rights are also equated with them.
These include, for example, the right to health, the right to work and rights in working life, the right to a secure livelihood, cultural and scientific rights (e.g. the right to education) and a ban on discrimination. They are primarily set out in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN Covenant I) and the European Social Charter (ESC). Although Liechtenstein is not a member of the ESC, it has acceded to UN Covenant I - the rights enshrined there also apply to us.
UN Covenant IEuropean Social Charter
Christian Blank
Deputy Managing Director
Department of Migration and Social Affairs, Communication
Age
Older people can be particularly exposed to human rights violations and experience disadvantages, for example when looking for a job, insurance or access to services. With increasing age and health restrictions, they can be hindered in their self-determination or exposed to neglect.
The Council of Europe identifies age discrimination, abuse in institutions and at home, limited autonomy and involuntary placement and medication as particular challenges to the rights of older people. Other important issues include care, privacy, social security and palliative care.
The rights of older people are protected by the principle of equality and the prohibition of discrimination in the constitution, in various UN conventions and in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). However, the ECHR's ban on discrimination only applies if other guaranteed rights are violated. There is no separate international agreement for the rights of older people. However, efforts are being made and the UN Human Rights Council has appointed an expert to promote the rights of older people.
At the end of 2023, the Liechtenstein government published an ageing strategy. This aims to protect the rights of older people. The strategy contains measures in eight fields of action, e.g. in old-age provision, social integration and volunteering, or housing in old age.
The VMR recommends: Liechtenstein should...
... pay particular attention to the challenges of vulnerable groups, such as older people with a migration background, when implementing the ageing strategy. In addition, provide sufficient financial and human resources for implementation.
Work and social security
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of occupation, to decent and satisfactory working conditions and to protection against unemployment. This also includes fair pay and non-discrimination as well as the right to form and join trade unions to protect their interests.
In addition, everyone has the right to social security. This means that the state must ensure an adequate standard of living for all residents - e.g. in the event of loss of earnings or need - through social insurance and economic social assistance.
Poverty
Poverty threatens numerous human rights, including the right to health, adequate housing, political participation and social security. Extreme poverty also jeopardizes the right to food and clean water. Women, the unemployed, the chronically ill, single parents and people from vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, migrants and refugees are particularly affected.
A report by the Office for Statistics from 2023 shows that poverty also exists in Liechtenstein: Around 14 percent of the population was considered to be at risk of poverty in 2020, including single-person households and single parents in particular, of whom around one in four are considered to be at risk.
Anti-poverty strategies must include measures relating to education, health, social security and job opportunities.
The VMR recommends: Liechtenstein should...
... investigate the causes, risk factors and consequences of poverty in greater depth in order to develop a national action plan against it.
Health
Everyone has the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. This is enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN Covenant I). This means that the country of Liechtenstein must provide sufficient and good public health facilities. The country must also ensure that all people have equal access to these healthcare facilities.
The deferral of health insurance benefits, which was enshrined in the Health Insurance Act (KVG) in 2020, rising healthcare costs, psychiatric and psychological care, and disability insurance legislation and practice pose human rights challenges in Liechtenstein.
The VMR recommends: Liechtenstein should...
... revise the implementation ordinance on the deferral of health insurance benefits so that emergency treatments are defined and benefits not utilized during the deferral period are not counted as debts.
... create a Reproductive Medicine Act and examine the ratification of the Council of Europe's Biomedicine Convention.
Do you have questions about human rights? Have your human rights been violated? Have you observed human rights violations? Then get in touch with us.
