Moving away from the “zero-vision”: A child perspective on evictions in Sweden
(2023) LAGM01 20231Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract
- Despite efforts to turn the trend, the number of evictions of children have not decreased in Sweden. In fact, the number has steadily increased, despite the Swedish governments ”zero-vision” on child evictions. The CRC has on several occasions recommended Sweden to better conform with international law, but no clear improvement has been seen.
This thesis investigates if the Swedish government has followed its duty to progressive steps towards full realization children’s right to housing. Taking a legal doctrinal approach, it discusses what obligation states have to refrain from child evictions. In the thesis, it is evaluated whether the Swedish authorities’ failure to decrease the number of evictions of children can be considered a... (More) - Despite efforts to turn the trend, the number of evictions of children have not decreased in Sweden. In fact, the number has steadily increased, despite the Swedish governments ”zero-vision” on child evictions. The CRC has on several occasions recommended Sweden to better conform with international law, but no clear improvement has been seen.
This thesis investigates if the Swedish government has followed its duty to progressive steps towards full realization children’s right to housing. Taking a legal doctrinal approach, it discusses what obligation states have to refrain from child evictions. In the thesis, it is evaluated whether the Swedish authorities’ failure to decrease the number of evictions of children can be considered a breach of international law. In addition to the de lege lata perspective, a functionalist approach is taken. The aim is to discuss how the right to housing can be better respected in Sweden. The thesis discusses who’s interests that are actually protected through the current legislation in force and how well this corresponds with the spirit of the international conventions.
The conclusion reached is that the numerous governmental investigations and initiatives to reduce evictions of children have not borne fruit. The Swedish state currently does not honour its obligation to progressively realize and better the human rights situation among children on their territory. Several important steps to improve the situation are suggested in the discussion. The initiatives range from adapting new legislation establishing a more sustainable housing market and offering better aid to families in need. Authorities must in their decisions and judgments treat the interests of children and their family members separately. They must also recognize that children have strong individual needs, that differ from the needs of others in the family.
Not only does the thesis enlighten the problems in Sweden today with regards to eviction. Also, it clearly suggests steps that could be taken to better the protection of human rights in the future in Sweden. It enlightens the importance of recognizing that children are an especially vulnerable group whose needs should be prioritized, not forgotten.
Key words: the rights of the child, eviction, Sweden, CRC, ICESCR (Less) - Popular Abstract (Swedish)
- Antalet barnvräkningar har ökat stadigt år för år i Sverige. Detta trots att den svenska regeringen sedan långt tillbaka fastslagit en “nollvision” mot vräkningar av barn. FN:s barnrättskommitté har vid flertalet tillfällen rekommenderat Sverige att agera för att bättre följa sina internationella konventionsåtaganden, men de senaste åren av reformer och utredningar har inte haft någon effekt på antalet barnvräkningar.
Denna uppsats ämnar undersöka om Sverige uppfyller sin skyldighet att gradvis förverkliga barns internationellt fastslagna rätt till bostad. Genom användandet av rättsdogmatisk metod, är syftet att klargöra vilken skyldighet stater har att avstå från barnvräkningar. Utöver det antas i uppsatsen ett funktionalistiskt... (More) - Antalet barnvräkningar har ökat stadigt år för år i Sverige. Detta trots att den svenska regeringen sedan långt tillbaka fastslagit en “nollvision” mot vräkningar av barn. FN:s barnrättskommitté har vid flertalet tillfällen rekommenderat Sverige att agera för att bättre följa sina internationella konventionsåtaganden, men de senaste åren av reformer och utredningar har inte haft någon effekt på antalet barnvräkningar.
Denna uppsats ämnar undersöka om Sverige uppfyller sin skyldighet att gradvis förverkliga barns internationellt fastslagna rätt till bostad. Genom användandet av rättsdogmatisk metod, är syftet att klargöra vilken skyldighet stater har att avstå från barnvräkningar. Utöver det antas i uppsatsen ett funktionalistiskt angreppssätt. En diskussion förs kring vilka intressen som egentligen skyddas genom dagens svenska vräkningslagstiftning, och hur väl detta korresponderar till de internationella konventionerna. I uppsatsen diskuteras också steg framåt för att minska antalet barnvräkningar framöver.
Slutsatsen som nås är att även om de senaste decenniernas svenska regeringar vidtagit flertalet utredningar och reformer, kan inte sägas att Sverige fullt respekterat barns rätt till bostad. Sverige har inte lyckats att gradvis hindra barns exkludering på bostadsmarknaden och hemlöshet bland unga. I uppsatsens föreslås steg för att förbättra barns ställning både på bostadsmarknaden och i vräkningsprocessen. Dessa förslag inkluderar en rad frågor, alltifrån hur lagstiftningen kan förbättras, till hur stater skapar en mer hållbar bostadsmarknad och vilka steg som bör tas för att erbjuda bättre sociala bidrag och skydd för barn som hotas av vräkning. Ett viktigt steg är att beslutande myndigheter måste skilja mellan föräldrar och deras barns rätt till hjälp och uppmärksamma deras individuella behov.
Uppsatsen visar att steg är möjliga för att bättre skydda barns rättigheter på bostadsmarknaden. Alla stater, speciellt med tanke på den pågående bostadskrisen i Europa, måste agera för att stärka skyddet. Uppsatsen lyfter att barn är en speciellt utsatt grupp på bostadsmarknaden och att deras behov därmed måste prioriteras, inte glömmas bort.
Nyckelord: barns rättigheter, vräkning, sverige, barnkonventionen, konventionen om ekonomiska, sociala och kulturella rättigheter (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9151967
- author
- Cornefjord, Eric LU
- supervisor
-
- Serde Atalay LU
- organization
- course
- LAGM01 20231
- year
- 2023
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- the rights of the child, eviction, Sweden, CRC, ICESCR
- language
- English
- id
- 9151967
- date added to LUP
- 2024-05-23 10:36:06
- date last changed
- 2024-05-23 10:36:06
@misc{9151967,
abstract = {{Despite efforts to turn the trend, the number of evictions of children have not decreased in Sweden. In fact, the number has steadily increased, despite the Swedish governments ”zero-vision” on child evictions. The CRC has on several occasions recommended Sweden to better conform with international law, but no clear improvement has been seen.
This thesis investigates if the Swedish government has followed its duty to progressive steps towards full realization children’s right to housing. Taking a legal doctrinal approach, it discusses what obligation states have to refrain from child evictions. In the thesis, it is evaluated whether the Swedish authorities’ failure to decrease the number of evictions of children can be considered a breach of international law. In addition to the de lege lata perspective, a functionalist approach is taken. The aim is to discuss how the right to housing can be better respected in Sweden. The thesis discusses who’s interests that are actually protected through the current legislation in force and how well this corresponds with the spirit of the international conventions.
The conclusion reached is that the numerous governmental investigations and initiatives to reduce evictions of children have not borne fruit. The Swedish state currently does not honour its obligation to progressively realize and better the human rights situation among children on their territory. Several important steps to improve the situation are suggested in the discussion. The initiatives range from adapting new legislation establishing a more sustainable housing market and offering better aid to families in need. Authorities must in their decisions and judgments treat the interests of children and their family members separately. They must also recognize that children have strong individual needs, that differ from the needs of others in the family.
Not only does the thesis enlighten the problems in Sweden today with regards to eviction. Also, it clearly suggests steps that could be taken to better the protection of human rights in the future in Sweden. It enlightens the importance of recognizing that children are an especially vulnerable group whose needs should be prioritized, not forgotten.
Key words: the rights of the child, eviction, Sweden, CRC, ICESCR}},
author = {{Cornefjord, Eric}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Moving away from the “zero-vision”: A child perspective on evictions in Sweden}},
year = {{2023}},
}