Minister Henri Kox Meets with Representatives of the Social Associations Addressing Housing, Fight against Narcotics

On Monday 6 December 2021, Luxembourg's Ministry of the Interior, together with the Ministry of Housing, has confirmed that Minister Henri Kox met with representatives of the social associations working for the fight against narcotics and accommodation assistance: the organisations represented included the Jugendan Drogenhëllef Foundation (Günter Biwersi, director; Hervé Hick, head of the “Supported housing - Les Niches” department), Luxembourg Red Cross (Nadine Conrady, director of the “Social action and health” department), the National Social Defense Committee (CNDS; Raoul Schaaf, director) and Caritas (Marc Pauly, Head of the Housing Department; David Mallinger, Emergency Reception of the Streetwork Unit).

Housing

The discussion between Minister Henri Kox and the four organisations focused, among other things, on the subject of access to affordable housing for people exposed to acute precariousness, having very low incomes and affected by other important issues. The Ministry of Housing provides financial support to organisations active in the social field, through its social rental management programme as well as its programme on building grants.

The government's affordable (and sustainable) housing initiative targets the most vulnerable people in society. While ensuring a social mix in neighbourhoods, it is also a question of offering those on the fringes of society the prospect of decent housing.

More protection for individuals

"The problem of homelessness, poor housing or the non-transparency of the rental market obliges the government to offer better assistance to individuals and to better supervise the private market. As this is a complex phenomenon, a concerted policy is necessary in order to provide effective aid to people in need" stated Minister Henri Kox.

Fight against narcotics

Addressing the subject of the fight against narcotics, association representatives welcomed the catalogue of measures in the “drug-related crime problematic” package adopted by the Cabinet of the Government in October 2021, in particular the prevention component and measures aimed at improving social support for those concerned. The catalogue of measures drawn up in collaboration with five partner ministries according to a holistic approach, brings together 27 preventive and repressive measures, in the short term and in the long term, to fight effectively and sustainably against drug-related crime.

The Minister of the Interior undertakes to monitor the package and encourages partnerships at the local level and with associative actors. Together with the ministers concerned, he will present the full package at three regional conferences in January and February 2022 in the cities of Ettelbrück, Esch-sur-Alzette and Luxembourg. The exact dates will be announced shortly.

Future exchanges between the Jugendan Drogenhëllef Foundation and the Ministry of the Interior have already been planned with a view to ad hoc collaborations.