About our foundation
The Eberhard-Schultz-Stiftung für soziale Menschenrechte und Partizipation (Eberhard-Schultz-Foundation for Social Human Rights and Participation)
Our foundation is a non-profit, and charitable organization, dedicated to promote and protect the Social Human Rights. We want to force the German government and others in the EU and worldwide to ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) so that these Social Human Rights gain the status as enforceable law by legal actions. Our foundation is part of the Citizens for Europe-Network.You can find our profile at the Citizens website here and our call to the German government „Finally ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights!” (see below).
There are 37,000 children dying of hunger globally. Millions of people are deprived of education, housing, work and the conditions for a life worthy of a human being, although these conditions are bindingly laid down as a „Human Right of the second generation“ in international law. It is about time that these Social Human Rights are adopted as enforceable national law. Our foundation is aiming to create the necessary awareness and conditions for that.
What are Social Human Rights?
According to the ICESCR, the Social Human Rights include:
- Right to social security
- Right to family life
- Right to adequate standard of living
- Right to health
- Right to free education
- Right to participation in cultural life
Our foundation advocates the genuine and complete translation of these fundamental Human Rights into German national law to ensure a more equal and just society!
Social Human Rights Price
The foundation awards the Social Human Rights Prize annually to honor organizations that make outstanding contributions to social human rights. The focus is on topics such as social justice, human rights, and social participation.
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2024
At the 21th of November 2024, our foundation awards the organization “MemMed-Memoria Mediterranea“ with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin.
Memoria Mediterranea is a voluntary organisation of experts from the fields of law, anthropology and psychology that looks after the psycho-social health of the bereaved families of refugees who have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean. This includes supporting families in searching for and identifying the deceased and repatriating them for a humane burial. In addition, MemMed collects and documents the stories of refugees and thus contributes to raising awareness of racist practices at Europe’s external borders.
This winner fulfills our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2023
At the 24th of October 2023, our foundation awards the organization “XENION-Projekt Wohnraum für Geflüchtete” (Projecct Housing for Refugees) with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin.
As part of the project, XENION assists the most vulnerable refugees to find and maintain suitable housing. In addition, external donations are used to finance deposits in co-operative/community housing projects, thereby securing a share of housing for refugees in each project. XENION provides psychosocial therapy and counselling to politically persecuted and traumatised refugees.
This winner fulfills our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2022
At the 17th of October 2022, our foundation awards the organization “KOP-Kampagne für Opfer rassistischer Polizeigewalt” with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin.
KOP aims to counter institutional racism at various levels and thus break through the racist norm. Specifically, the groups deal with issues such as the police practices of racial profiling, the documentation and investigation of racist police attacks and assaults as well as victim support and referral to counselling services.
This winner fulfills our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2021
At the 29th of October 2021, our foundation awards the organization “project wings” with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin, in the „Festsaal“ (Ballroom) of the “Rathaus Charlottenburg“.
Project Wings in Germany works with various educational institutions, visits schools and offers project days and weeks, plants trees and sells ecological products in an online shop to finance the projects. The focus of the work is the ECOBRICK deposit and recycling system in the form of a recycling village in Sumatra, Indonesia.
They demonstrate that a commitment to environmental protection is also essential to the observance and fulfilment of human rights, and pursues the ultimate goal of making environmental protection socially acceptable.
This winner fulfills our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2020
At the 29th of October 2019, our foundation awards the organization “Wassertor e. V.” with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin, in the „Festsaal“ (Ballroom) of the “Rathaus Charlottenburg“.
Wassertor e. V. has been working for over ten years to improve the participation and quality of life of isolated older people in Berlin-Kreuzberg, despite poverty, social disadvantage and language barriers. The team achieves this through various programmes that respond to the current needs of older people. Even during the coronavirus outbreak, needs – from food and social counselling to sports and storytelling – were met quickly and easily with adapted and new services.
This winner fulfills our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2019
At the 17th of October 2019, our foundation awards the organization „Bizim Kiez“ with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin, in the „Festsaal“ (Ballroom) of the “Rathaus Charlottenburg“.
„Bizim Kiez“ is a neighbourhood initiative in Berlin, founded in 2015 to resist gentrification and the displacement of local businesses and residents. The project began when the community came together to support a small fruit and vegetable shop that was threatened by rising rents. Since then, Bizim Kiez has grown into a broader movement advocating for the rights of people affected by urban development pressures and working to preserve local culture and social diversity in the city.
Robert Trettin as a representative of the “Nationale Armutskonferenz” (National conference on poverty) got a special award.
As an affected person, Robert Trettin has been involved in the field of addiction support since the 1980s and founded the ‘Concept social’ association in 2008, in which he campaigned at a political and legal level for the interests of people in need of help, especially the homeless.
These winners fulfill our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2018
At the 17th of October 2018, our foundation awards the organization „Ärzte der Welt e.V.“ with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin, in the „Festsaal“ (Ballroom) of the “Rathaus Charlottenburg“.
Ärzte der Welt e.V. (Doctors of the World) campaign worldwide for the social human right to healthcare for those who have no or only limited access to it.
„Bündnis Mieterprotest Kosmosviertel“ (‘Kosmosviertel tenant protest alliance’) has got a special award.
The alliance is committed to improving living conditions in the Alt-Glienicker Kosmosviertel, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the city of Berlin.
These winners fulfill our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2017
At the 10th of October 2017, the organization „KulturistenHoch2“ has been awarded with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin, in the „Festsaal“ (Ballroom) of the “Rathaus Charlottenburg“.
The Hamburg initiative KULTURISTENHOCH2 offers senior citizens the opportunity to attend cultural events free of charge with senior school students.
„Vielfältiges Menschenbild gUG“ got a special award.
VMB provides outpatient social services for children, young people and adults with disabilities, regardless of their background.
These winners fulfill our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Winner of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2016
The foundation awards mob e.V. the ‘‘social human rights price 2016’’ and FIAN Deutschland e.V. a special award.
Activists from mob e.V. provide emergency shelter, food and income opportunities to homeless and poor people by selling the homeless newspaper ‚Strassenfeger‘.
FIAN Deutschland e.V. has been campaigning tirelessly for decades for the realisation of the most fundamental of all rights, the right to food, pointing out structural deficits in the national and international discourse. They are real pioneers and have been active for years with few resources, including the possibility of writing alternative reports to the State Report.
With the two awards and topical speeches, delivered by active experts on the issues of increasing poverty in Germany, ‘’refugee crisis’’ and social human rights for everybody, our foundation contributes as in previous years appreciation to the commitment to social human rights, this time under the auspices of the district mayor Reinhard Naumann in the „Festsaal“ (ballroom) of the “Rathaus Charlottenburg“.
After the musical prelude, followed by the welcome of numerous guests, including representatives of countries who already ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) of 1966 (in contrast to the Federal Republic of Germany), the program begins with a greeting of the chairman of the curatorship, Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth. She underlines the importance of the social human rights especially in the view of the effects of the crisis and wars worldwide for our rich and Western societies.
During a following discussion hosted by the journalist Gün Tank, Eberhard Schultz (chairman of the foundation) and Prof. Dr. Aysel Yollu-Tok (deputy chairperson) draw up a summary and present the current and the future activity of the foundation.
Winners of the „Social Human Rights“ award 2015
At the 27th of October 2015, the organization „Medibüro Berlin“ and „SOS Mediterranee e.V.“ been awarded with the „Social Human Rights“ price at our annual meeting in Berlin, in the „Festsaal“ (Ballroom) of the “Rathaus Charlottenburg“.
Medibüro activists are calling for adequate medical care for all. They want an anonymous health certificate that would remove the fear of being found out. They will not rest until their demands are met.
SOS Méditerranée is a humanitarian organization dedicated to the rescue of migrants in distress in the Mediterranean Sea. Founded in 2015 by Captain Dr. Klaus Vogel and others, the initiative operates as a European network to provide civil sea rescue missions. The organization works to save lives, offer medical assistance, and advocate for human rights, highlighting the urgent need for safe migration routes.
These winners fulfill our requirements that everybody can participate in a democratic society of social equality and diversity and live in accordance with the Social Human Rights as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
We are supporting „Medibüro Berlin“ since they enforce to stand for the right of healthcare for people who have no legal residence status, property or health insurance. Therefore, they place these people to medical staff.
Furthermore, we have honored „SOS Mediterranee e.V.“ who has the aim to build a network of boats and experienced crews in operations of sea rescue. The initiative would like to save the right of Life, right of minimum subsistence level and right of health care.
