A few days before a major national demonstration under the theme “Commit to the social safety net”, rights groups are concerned about the lack of support for their mission, which is essential to any democratic society.
Posted at 1:00 p.m.
When Mathieu’s anxiety over his unpaid bills became intolerable, he was able to benefit from budget support from an organization in his neighborhood. Injured in the back during a shift, Maéva was accompanied by a committee of injured workers in order to have her occupational disease recognized, which is contested by her employer. Thanks to the support of the housing committee in her neighborhood, Julia started a committee of tenants with a few neighbors to oppose the renovation undertaken by their new owner. Aziz, he campaigns for the improvement of adapted transport, so that people with disabilities are free to move.
The defense of rights, a democratic essential
For many Quebecers, the defense of rights comes down to demonstrating. If, of course, this is one of the strategies used by collective rights organizations, they do so much more and what they do is essential to the exercise of democracy. Indeed, they contribute to social debates by acting as revealers and denouncers of various problems through studies, memoirs, interviews, training, coffee meetings and political representations. They carry out struggles to defend the poorest and most marginalized in society, but also offer services, combat discrimination and contribute, through autonomous popular education, to broadening the participation of those directly concerned in public life and Politics.
Formal recognition
This essential contribution to society has been recognized for more than 20 years by the policy of recognition and support for community action which defines the relations between the State and the autonomous community movement. Within the framework of this policy, a particular concern concerns organizations for the collective defense of rights. Indeed, since the adoption of the Community Action Recognition Policy (PRAC), the government recognizes their essential contribution “to the vitality of democratic debate surrounding issues related to the exercise of fundamental rights…” and agrees “ that the financial situation of organizations whose sole or main mission is the collective defense of human rights [est] often characterized by precariousness”.
… but theoretical support
Unfortunately, it is clear that for more than 15 years, nothing has been done to materialize this recognition. While the situation has improved somewhat in recent years, the sector remains well below the community sector funding average. This endemic underfunding significantly hampers the full achievement of the mission of defense organizations, a mission that is recognized as essential to democracy.
What future for the defense of rights?
While the government’s most recent Community Action Plan does not contain any specific measures to deliver on the PRAC’s commitments to the sector, the future again looks uncertain for the groups. It is in this context that the Regroupement des organizations en defense collective des droits (RODCD), which brings together 350 organizations throughout Quebec, has decided to call on the political parties to find out their intentions on this issue. Will we finally see recognition translate into concrete commitments and better financial support or will we still have to settle for a pat on the back for “our good work”?
A few days before the elections, it seems to us more essential than ever that those who wish to represent the population in the National Assembly make a concrete commitment to the groups that defend the rights of the most marginalized in our society. Without adapted or public transport to vote, without polling stations in seniors’ residences, what value would our elections really have? Would we only talk about issues related to the fight against poverty without the interventions of community organizations? To ask the question, is to answer it. This is why we affirm that the defense of rights is a pillar of democracy and that it must be supported at its true value.