Date : 2015.12.11

On the last day of the 88th session, UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) adopted concluding observations of Egypt, Holy See, Lithuania, Mongolia, Slovenia and Turkey. *Recommendations with asterisks [*] are follow-up recommendations

Concluding observations, reports of the State parties and other stakeholders are available at the OHCHR website . You can also watch the video archives of the public meetings with the State parties at UN Treaty Body Webcast  Celebration of 50th anniversary of the Convention  took place on 26th November 2015.

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Egypt

The Committee raised various issues concerning the situation of minority groups including Copts, the Nubians, the Bedouins, the Berbers, the Baha’i and black Egyptians. The Committee expressed concern on the status of civil society organisations especially of those working for human rights, as well as human rights defenders. Questions regarding the treatment of refugees and asylum-seekers, migrants and victims of human trafficking were raised. The Committee encouraged the State party to enable National Human Rights Council to hold “A status” under the Paris Principles. The Committee was concerned by the lack of case of racial discrimination  and application of domestic law to such case. The Committee stressed the need for statistical data to comprehend the situation of racial discrimination. Read more (English) . In concluding observations , the Committee issued recommendations concerning following areas:

• Relevant statistical data;
• Definition of racial discrimination;
• Criminalization of racial discrimination;
• National human rights bodies;
• Lack of legal actions relating to racial discrimination;
• Situation of minorities*;
• Situation of the black community;
• Discrimination and violence against Copts*;
• Inter-ethnic conflicts*;
• Situation of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers;
• Political representation of minorities;
• The counter-terrorism law;
• Combating human trafficking;
• Multiple discrimination;
• Human rights training and awareness-raising;
• Situation of human rights defenders and journalists; and
• Amendment to article 8 of the Convention*.

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Holy See

The Committee requested the State party for further information on application of the Convention and legal framework for racial discrimination cases. The Committee expressed concern on discrimination and segregation of Dalit communities in Catholic Churches in India. Issues of past and present abuses against indigenous peoples were raised during the consideration. The Committee regretted the inadequate recognition of intersectionality of discrimination. The Committee expressed concern on racial discrimination by some Catholic priests. The Committee encouraged the State party to promote the inclusion of mariginalised children in education. Read more (English) . NGO briefing (English) . In concluding observations , the Committee issued recommendations concerning following areas:

• Applicability and scope of the Convention;
• Legislative framework*;
• Access to remedies;
• Monitoring and handling of cases of racial discrimination;
• Diversity in leadership positions;
• Indigenous peoples*;
• Accountability for the Rwandan genocide;
• Discriminatory acts by Catholic clergy and officials; and
• International Decade for People of African Descent*.

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Lithuania

The Committee expressed concern with regard to a low number of cases of hate crime and access to justice for minority groups. The Committee encouraged the State party to establish an independent national human rights institution. The Committee was concerned by the number of people remaining as stateless persons. The Committee expressed interest in State party’s measures for Roma including in access to education, labour and health. The issue of multiple discrimination against Roma women was also raised. The Committee asked the State party how it addresses online and offline hate speech. The function of the Ombudsman for Equal Opportunities drew the Committee’s attention. Read more (English) . In concluding observations , the Committee issued recommendations concerning following areas:

• Grounds for discrimination in the legislation;
• Draft Law on National Minorities*;
• Provision of data;
• National human rights institution;
• Resources for human rights institutions;
• Hate speech, including over Internet and incitement to hatred;
• Racist hate crimes;
• Xenophobic marches and racist propaganda;
• The situation of Roma;
• Enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights by minorities;
• Stateless persons, refugees, asylum seekers*;
• Trafficking in persons;
• Reparation for acts of racial discrimination*; and
• Amendment to article 8 of the Convention *.

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Mongolia

The Committee asked the State party regarding the status of national human rights institution. Hate speech, discrimination and restriction on freedom of movement against foreigners were concerned by the Committee. The Committee expressed interest in the number of minority representatives in the Parliament including minority women. The State party was asked to provide information on measures to protect the traditional culture of indigenous peoples. The Committee raised issues of exploitation of migrant workers from China and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Committee request the State party for information on the status of civil society organisations and the Convention in domestic law. Read more (English) . In concluding observations , the Committee issued recommendations concerning following areas:

• Lack of disaggregated data;
• Anti-discrimination legislation;
• Access to remedies;
• National human rights institution;
• Racist hate speech*;
• Racist organizations and hate crimes*;
• Asylum-seekers, refugees and stateless persons;
• Immigration policy;
• Migrant workers;
• Ethnic minorities;
• Indigenous peoples; and
• Amendment of article 8 of the Convention*.

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Slovenia

Roma’s rights to education, health, housing, employment, language were raised by the Committee. The Committee requested the State party for information on “the erased” persons and discrimination they may face, as well as measures to provide them a citizenship. The Committee encouraged the State party to establish a national human rights institution in compliance with the Paris Principles. The Committee welcomed the State party’s initiative to adopt an anti-discrimination law. Disaggregated data of the population was requested by the Committee. The Committee asked the State party regarding measures to mark the Decade of People of African Descent. The information on how the State party addresses hate speech and hate crime was requested. Read more (English) . NGO briefing (English) . In concluding observations , the Committee issued recommendations concerning following areas:

• Ethnic composition of the population;
• Discrimination against Roma*;
• Combating hate speech and crimes*;
• Participation of minorities in public and political life;
• The “Erased” and stateless persons;
• Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees; 
• National human rights institution; and
• Amendments to article 8, paragraph 6, of the Convention*.

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Turkey

The Committee raised the issues of the lack of disaggregated data of the population, definition of racial discrimination and independence of national human rights institution. The Committee was concerned by the situation of minority groups including Roma, Kurds, and other linguistic and ethno-religious minorities. While welcoming the State party’s efforts to host refugees, the Committee asked the access to education for refugee children as well as the situation of internally displaced persons. The Committee stressed that anti-hate speech measures should not be used to curtail freedom of expression of minorities. The Committee encouraged the State party to reflect all grounds of racial discrimination prescribed in the Convention into domestic law.  Read more (English) . In concluding observations , the Committee issued recommendations concerning following areas:

• Reservations and declarations;
• Absence of a definition of racial discrimination in conformity with the Convention;
• Laws on Anti-Discrimination and Equality and on the Establishment of the Law
  Enforcement Monitoring Commission*;
• Provision of data;
• “Minorities” and the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923;
• National human rights institution;
• Ombudsman Institution;
• Human rights bodies;
• Compliance of the legislation with article 4 of the Convention;
• Racist hate speech and hate crimes*;
• Organizations that promote racial hatred and propaganda;
• The situation of Roma;
• Kurdish community;
• Protection of minority rights;
• Syrian and Iraqi refugees*;
• Migrants including refugees and asylum seekers;
• Internally displaced persons (IDPs);
• Complaints of racial discrimination and remedies; and
• Amendment to article 8, paragraph 6 of the Convention*.