ANNUAL REPORTOF UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CHAPTER 1 20 1.1. Right to social protection In 2019, the Commissioner received more than 3,246 reports on human rights violations in the field of social protection. Most reports referred to violations of the rights to retirement benefits, half of them were related to the improper enforcement of court decisions on renewal of their rights. The rest was about securing the right to an adequate standard of living, obtaining benefits and appropriate entitlement status, and the right to a housing subsidy. The Commissioner received reports from persons with disabilities, citizens affected by Chornobyl disaster, rehabilitated or victims of repression, citizens of other privileged categories to protect their rights. Citizens also appealed for protection of the rights of incapacitated persons who are deprived of guardianship guaranteed by law. The monitoring also revealed a number of systemic violations of human rights in the field of social protection. Regular changes in the legislation on the allocation of housing subsidies for housing and utility services have led to reduced number of persons who can actually use the services. This has caused social tension in society, as evidenced by the numerous appeals of citizens on this issue. During the monitoring of the Commissioner and in the consideration of the citizens’ appeals on observance of their rights in the field of social protection, both individual and systemic violations of human and citizen’s rights and freedoms were identified, and legislative amendments are necessary to address many of them. The right of citizens to an adequate standard of living and social protection The rights to an adequate standard of living and social protection are violated due to the failure to apply the actual subsistence level calculated in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On the Subsistence Minimum” #966-XIV of 15 July 1999, since this indicator is the basis for determining the size of most social benefits and pensions. In May 2019, the Commissioner forwarded a respective submission to the Prime Minister of Ukraine. However, as evidenced by the provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2020” # 294-IX of 14 November 2019, the situation does not change. Given the inflation and the constant rise in prices for goods and services, including housing and utility services, the pension benefits are not enough to ensure adequate standard of living guaranteed by Article 48 of the Constitution of Ukraine (see Annex 1.1).