Social rights should be at the heart of the EU-Algeria Partnership

Social rights should be at the heart of the EU-Algeria Partnership

The 11th session of EU-Algeria Association Council, held on 14 May, discussed the EU-Algeria Partnership Priorities and adopted a Single Support Framework for the period 2018-2020. The Council also decided to set up an EU-Algeria Joint Parliamentary Committee to intensify dialogue.

During the press conference, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini and the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdelkader Messahel, stressed the importance of the role of the civil society in Algeria. SOLIDAR regrets, however, the lack of commitments regarding the protection of human, social, economic and cultural rights, particularly ast he Algerian authorities have intensified their attacks against activists, bloggers, human rights defenders and trade unions lately. A letter co-signed by Euromed Rights, Human Rights Watch, OMCT, Reporters sans Frontières and SOLIDAR was sent to Ms. Federica Mogherini ahead of the Association Council, expressing their concerns. Find it here.

SOLIDAR presents its recommendations in its new report on Algeria made in the framework of the social rights monitor. The latter is a tool developed by SOLIDAR members and partners to allow civil society organizations based in the country to assess the situation in terms of social protection, decent work and an enabling environment while tracking the progress made since the implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

As part of this Partnership, SOLIDAR believes that the EU should support the Algerian government:

• In its engagement towards improving social protection (including access to health care and other essential services) by providing assistance and sharing good practices. Efforts should aim to universalize social protection;
• In building capacity and knowledge on how to implement sound and proper monitoring and evaluation to assess ex-ante and ex-post social protection programmes;
• In formulating education and employment policies that are based on an assessment of the country’s needs;
• In promoting a participatory and inclusive approach to civil society organizations to reinforce the trust between the government, the EU and civil society and recognize them as key actors to deliver social services to the most vulnerable groups;
• In organizing regular and systematic collective bargaining that includes representatives of the governments, the employers and workers and provides room for independent trade unions. To this end, the Algerian government should conform to ILO Convention № 87 on freedom of association and the protection of the right to organise.

SOLIDAR would like to recall that it is only through an open, dynamic and solidarity-based society that stability can be achieved in Algeria.

SOLIDAR, its members and partners remain committed to advocate for social justice in Algeria. Next week, SOLIDAR and its members will go to Geneva for the 107th ILO International Labour Conference to support the adoption of a binding instrument to end violence and harassment in the world of work and promote freedom of association and the respect of Convention № 87.