Flemish organizations approach the Human Rights Commission to impose a better housing policy

38 civil society organizations in Flanders are contacting the Human Rights Commission in Strasbourg, because they believe that there is not enough quality and affordable rental housing. “Housing is a basic right,” they wrote on their website. “Despite years of conflict between organizations and people living in poverty, and despite years of scientific research, many recommendations have been ignored by successive governments.”

So the organizations will go to the European Commission for Social Rights (ESRB) in Strasbourg on December 17. It evaluates complaints about non-compliance with the European Social Charter (ESH) by countries that have signed it. The ESC is a human rights treaty that states that everyone should have access to quality and affordable housing and be protected from poverty.

climate condition

The 38 organizations united in the Flemish Housing Case, similar to the Belgian Climate Case, an institution that brought Belgian governments to court over the failure of their climate policy.

“Currently, there are more than 155,000 families on the social housing waiting list,” said Woonzaak spokesperson Hugo Beersmans in De Morgen. 47 percent of private rental housing is of inadequate quality and 52 percent of private renters pay more than a third of their income as rent.

good chance

Three Flemish legal experts give a good chance to Vlaamse Woonzaak in Strasbourg. But unlike the court, only the ESRB can give advice. Until then, a trip to Strasbourg makes sense, says Peersmans. He hopes that if the Flemish government gets a beating on its fingers, it might take action. “Something must be done urgently to keep the situation livable.”