The fundamental rights impact of the measures taken to reduce the spread of Covid-19 on those living in poverty or in a precarious situation
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Vrije Universiteit Brussel
From the SelectedWorks of Serge Gutwirth
April, 2020
The fundamental rights impact of the measures
taken to reduce the spread of Covid-19 on those
living in poverty or in a precarious situation
Amy Weatherburn
Serge Gutwirth
Paul De Hert
Available at: https://works.bepress.com/serge_gutwirth/138/The fundamental rights impact of the measures taken to reduce the spread
of Covid-19 on those living in poverty or in a precarious situation
The impact of the Covid-19 outbreak and the governmental measures1 to reduce its spread on
fundamental rights are numerous and will not only have an immediate impact but the effects will still
be felt in months, if not years to come. The initial response of the government to primarily safeguard
health and economy fails to recognise the societal impact and requires a shift in the response to the
crisis.
An initial assessment of the fundamental rights impact in Belgium from 1 February – 20 March
2020 has been published as part of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency Covid-19 Bulletins
on the fundamental rights implications of the pandemic in the EU.2 The initial findings of this
assessment will be incorporated into the current analysis, taking into account subsequent changes up
until 13 April 2020.
The impact of anti-Covid-19 measures on those living in poverty and in a precarious situation
and the potential increasing existing inequalities has been raised by Unia (the interfederal centre for
equal opportunities)3 and the Network Against Poverty whose successful call to arms4 has seen the
announcement on 8 April 2020 of an Federal Taskforce for Vulnerable Groups.5 This taskforce will
investigate the impact of Covid-19 measures on vulnerable persons and those living in a precarious
situation. We strongly welcome this next step in the Federal response to the corona crisis and
encourage that the following considerations are taken into account in order to reduce the risk of
further marginalisation and inequality.
Despite the restrictions that have been implemented regarding the workplace, and the introduction of
temporary unemployment from February 2020- June 2020, those who are working in precarious
sectors and have temporary or part-time jobs are adversely impacted by the pandemic. Persons
with a vulnerable employment profile are disproportionately represented by persons with a migration
background, persons in unskilled jobs, persons with disabilities and persons over the age of 55.6
For those who live in precarious situation, the economic impact of the Covid-19 can increase
the risk of homelessness, lack of sufficient resources for subsistence that can lead to destitution
and unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Furthermore, the impact of the outbreak on the delivery of
crucial services such as the payment of social security benefits can have a significant impact on those
who are at risk of loss of income and higher utility bills. For those who already find themselves to be
homeless, the lack of a permanent residence makes respecting social conferment measures difficult, and
access to food and shelter even more difficult as support and assistance is withdrawn.
The measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 also negatively affect asylum seekers and
undocumented migrants. Asylum seekers require access to structural assistance, however from 17
March 2020 – 3 April 2020, the arrival centre for asylum seekers was closed leaving new arrivals with
no way of requesting international protection or being assigned to reception places.7 The decision to
unilaterally suspend respect for international obligations was criticised8 and - despite the introduction
by the Immigration Office of an online form for requests for international protection that is followed by
1
1
Arrêté ministériel du 18 mars 2020 portant des mesures d'urgence pour limiter la propagation du coronavirus COVID-19, Published in the
Belgian Official Gazette, 18 March 2020.
2
EU Fundamental Rights Agency, Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak in the EU Fundamental Rights Implications, Country Report: Belgium,
23 March 2020; EU Fundamental Rights Agency, Coronavirus pandemic in the EU - Fundamental Rights Implications - Bulletin 1, 11 April
2020..
3
UNIA, COVID-19 : des mesures de protection dans le respect des droits fondamentaux, 20 March 2020.
4
Netwerk Tegen Armoede, Armoede-, vluchtelingen- en mensenrechtenorganisaties bundelen krachten en vragen interfederale taskforce voor
mensen in kwetsbare positive, 27 March 2020.
5
Nathalie Muylle en Denis Ducarme: “Taskforce om kwetsbare mensen door coronacrisis te helpen, Press Release, 8 April 2020..
6
UNIA, Le taux d’emploi des personnes d’origine étrangère s’améliore mais reste à la traîne, 11 March 2020.
7
Fedasil, Le centre d’arrivée ferme ses portes, 11 March 2020.
8
Avocats.be, Avocats.be demande le respect de la Convention de Genève et l’allongement des délais de recours contre les décisions prises en
matière migratoire, Press release, 18 March 2020.a date and time for an appointment at the arrival centre at “Petit Chateau”9 - the position of those who
are outside of the system remains precarious, with many who are not able to register feared to be left in
the streets.10 Rather than enforcing social distancing rules on those who have limited options, such as
those who are camped in Maximilien Parc in Brussels, structural measures should be taken to provide
housing and subsistence.11 This is not only the case for those who are awaiting to access the asylum
system, but also those who have been released from detention centres, or are living undocumented
without access to social security structures.
In order to minimise the societal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, in the short and long term, we
emphasise the following recommendations that outline concrete proposals for future measures that
can contribute to the work of the newly established Taskforce for Vulnerable Groups:
Access to the labour market
• The disproportionate impact of those with a vulnerable employment profile requires that those
workers who are uninfected should be able to continue to work in a manner that is in compliance
with health and safety regulations and taking into account additional sanitary measures to
ensure that workers are protected from infection.12
• All necessary measures should be taken to ensure that the possibility to employ those with a
vulnerable employment profile is maximised. Guidelines should be provided to competent
institutions (Landlord Association, VDAB, Actiris, ...) on how to deal with recruitment of
vulnerable profiles during the corona virus.13
Security of housing and subsistence
• Additional measures should be taken such as temporary postponement of any evictions,
disconnection of utilities or seizures. 14
• Debt counsellors and debt intermediaries should ensure that persons have sufficient living
resources to purchase food.15
• Implement the recommendations of UNIA for access to food of those persons living in a
precarious situation (such as access to supermarkets at same time as elderly persons, ability to
pay with cash and ability to be accompanied). 16
• Structural measures should be taken to provide support to those who are homeless, and to
provide shelter to those who are presenting with symptoms of Covid-19.17
Secure the rights of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants
• Provide undocumented migrants with a residence permit that allows them at least to stay in
Belgium during the time of the health crisis.
• Ensure that asylum seekers and undocumented migrants receive enough to meet their needs, to
confine themselves and to respect basic health recommendations.
• Release foreigners who are still detained in closed centres and provide them with a residence
permit and accommodation in emergency structures.
• Allow those seeking international protection to file their asylum application and to ensure that
they are accommodated.
• Automatically extend all residence permits that are about to expire for 3 months.18
Bibliography
2
9
Office des Etrangers, COVID-19 : incidences sur les procédures administratives; Cire, Office des étrangers: introduction d’enregistrement
de demande de protection internationale en ligne, 9 April 2020.
10
Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, Goed nieuws! Taskforce kwetsbare mensen opgericht, 10 April 2020
11
Avocats.be, Coronavirus: permettre à tous de se confiner est la seule manière d’en sortir, Un collectif d’associations signataires, 1 April
2020.
12
Rtbf.be, Coronavirus: le Groupe des 10 estime que les personnes non contaminées doivent pouvoir continuer à travailler, 17 March 2020,.
13
Orbit vzw, #iedereenaanboord in coronatijden | ORBITFLASH 2 over racisme en discriminatie, 11 March 2020.
14
Welzijnzorg, Concrete aanbevelingen tijdens de coronacrisis, No date.
15
Welzijnzorg, Concrete aanbevelingen tijdens de coronacrisis, No date.
16
UNIA, Unia s’inquiète au sujet de l’accessibilité des supermarchés pendant le confinement, 1 April 2020.
17
Rtbf.be, Coronavirus en Belgique : les premiers sans-abris confinés à Bruxelles, 18 March 2020.
18
Avocats.be, Coronavirus: permettre à tous de se confiner est la seule manière d’en sortir, Un collectif d’associations signataires, 1 April
2020- Arrêté ministériel du 18 mars 2020 portant des mesures d'urgence pour limiter la propagation du
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2020]
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- UNIA, Unia s’inquiète au sujet de l’accessibilité des supermarchés pendant le confinement, 1 April
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April 2020].
Dr Amy Weatherburn, Post-doctoral Researcher, Fundamental Rights Research Centre, Faculty of Law &
Criminology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel;
Prof. Dr. Serge Gutwirth, Law Science Technology & Society Research Group, Faculty of Law & Criminology,
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Prof. Dr. Paul de Hert, Co-Director, Fundamental Rights Research Centre, Faculty of Law & Criminology, Vrije
Universiteit Brussel
Brussels, 12 April 2020
Published in Societal exit from lockdown. Contribution from academic expertise, Preprint
version 1.1, 2020, p. 62-65 via https://www.cartaacademica.org/post-covidYou can also read
