III. CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS, CONTINUED

CERD

•          Austria, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 15 at para. 35.

35. The Committee recommends that the State party's reports be made readily available to the public from the time they are submitted and that the Committee's concluding observations on them be similarly publicized. It encourages the State party to insert the Committee's concluding observations on the appropriate ministry's website.

See also:

•          Costa Rica, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 21 at para. 84.

•          Belgium, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 17 at para. 45.

45. The Committees welcomes the measures taken by the State party to raise awareness of racism and racial discrimination, in particular in the army and among criminal justice officials. It also welcomes the measures taken to limit the information given by the judicial and police authorities to the press regarding the ethnic origin and the nationality of the alleged offenders.

•          Costa Rica, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 21 at paras. 82 and 83.

82. While noting that there is no regulation of the internet in national legislation, the Committee encourages the State party to adopt legislation in conformity with the Convention and to disseminate and promote the Convention by every means possible, including the Internet.

83. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to undertake educational campaigns to raise awareness of human rights, and in particular of issues concerning racism, xenophobia and intolerance in order to prevent and combat all forms of discrimination.

•          Croatia, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 24 at paras. 91 and 102.

91. The Committee...welcomes the adoption of the Associations Act, the establishment of the Office for Human Rights, the elaboration of a project of education aimed at achieving equality for minorities and promoting multiculturalism, the implementation of programmes of human rights education within the school environment, and the introduction of human rights training for police officers and judges.

...

102. While noting the efforts of the State party to introduce training for the police and judges, the Committee is concerned about the sufficiency of efforts to raise public awareness about the Convention, promote tolerance and discourage prejudice against certain minorities. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to familiarize the public with the Convention, in order to reduce the level of prejudice against certain minorities, and to promote tolerance. In this regard, the State party should reinforce its efforts to provide instruction on international human rights standards in all schools and organize training programmes for persons engaged in the administration of justice, including judges, lawyers and law enforcement officials.

•          Denmark, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 27 at para. 113.

113. ...The [translation] of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination into the Greenlandic language is...welcomed.

•          Jamaica, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 30 at para. 131.

131. The Committee reminds the State party that it has difficulties in accepting the mere assertion made by States parties as to the absence of racial discrimination in their territory. The Committee also reminds the State party that the absence of complaints by victims of racial discrimination could indicate a lack of awareness of available legal remedies. It encourages the State party to reconsider its position concerning racial discrimination in its territory and to implement effective measures to address direct and indirect discrimination. Moreover, the Committee recommends that the State party take appropriate measures to inform the public of the availability of legal remedies for victims of racial discrimination...

•          Liechtenstein, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 35 at paras. 157 and 158.

157. The Committee invites the State party to undertake specific efforts to disseminate the Convention in German so that the population may become more aware of issues of racial discrimination, racism and xenophobia.

158. The Committee requests the State party to disseminate its report and the Committee's concluding observations widely among all levels of society, and in particular State officials and the judiciary...

•          Lithuania, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 35 at paras. 168 and 181.

168. The Committee notes with satisfaction the effort made by the State party in the field of human rights education for State officials, and welcomes the intention of the State party to disseminate the present concluding observations on the web site of the Ministry of foreign affairs.

...

181. The Committee recommends that the Convention, as well as the concluding observations adopted by the Committee, be publicized to a greater extent.

•          Qatar, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 38 at para. 206.

206. The Committee recommends that the text of the Convention and its own concluding observations be disseminated as widely as possible. It notes with satisfaction the delegation's statement that the Al-Jezira television network of Qatar could play an important role in publicizing the Convention and the work of the Committee within the Arab world.

•          Republic of Moldova, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 41 at paras. 216 and 222.

216. The Committee notes with satisfaction the efforts undertaken by the State party to implement human rights education programmes, including those intended for law enforcement officials. The Committee further notes the efforts undertaken by the State party to disseminate information on human rights and, in particular, the rights of minorities in its territory.

...

222. With regard to article 7 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party continue and extend its educational and cultural programmes in order to raise public awareness of issues of racism and racial discrimination...The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure that minorities and ethnic groups in its territory receive information and education in their respective languages.

•          Switzerland, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 46 at para. 250.

250. The persistence of hostile attitudes towards black people, Muslims and asylum-seekers in Switzerland is of utmost concern to the Committee. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to prevent and combat such attitudes, including through information campaigns and education of the general public. Further, in the light of its general recommendation XIX, the Committee encourages the State party to continue monitoring all tendencies which may give rise to racial or ethnic segregation and endeavour to combat the negative consequences of such tendencies.

•          Armenia, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 50 at para. 277.

277. ...The Committee reminds the State party that the absence of complaints and legal action by victims of racial discrimination could possibly be an indication of a lack of awareness of available legal remedies. The State party is requested to supply the relevant provisions in the national legislation and to inform the public of the availability of all legal remedies...

•          Estonia, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 60 at para. 365.

365. The Committee recommends that the State party's reports be made readily available to the public from the time they are submitted and that the Committee's observations on them be similarly publicized in Estonian and in languages of national minorities.

•          Hungary, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 63 at paras. 385 and 389.

385. The Committee expresses concern about discriminatory practices against persons belonging to the Roma minority in respect of access to public places such as restaurants, bars and cafés. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to intensify its efforts to combat such behaviour and raise the awareness of the population about all aspects of racial discrimination.

...

389. The Committee recommends that the State party's reports be made readily available to the public, including in the national language, from the time they are submitted and that the Committee's concluding observations on them be similarly publicized.

•          Mali, CERD, A/57/18 (2002) 66 at para. 397.

397. The Committee welcomes the information concerning human rights education as part of the training given to State officials, the promotion of national languages, the development of press freedom and the growing role of NGOs in Mali.

•          Côte d’Ivoire, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 19 at paras. 28, 36 and 37.

28. Taking note with satisfaction of the action taken on 4 October 2001 to raise awareness of human rights among the security forces, the Committee encourages the State party to continue and expand these efforts to cover political parties, press organs and civil society.

...

36. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to adopt legislation or regulations which define the respective spheres of competence of the National Human Rights Commission and the Ombudsman’s Office, spell out the procedure for bringing cases before them and determine whether their decisions are binding. More specifically, the Committee invites the State party to strengthen the guarantees of independence of these bodies so that their activities will be effective and credible, particularly for the purposes of mediation. To this end, the State party should take the appropriate measures to inform the public of the remedies available to the victims of acts of discrimination or xenophobia.

37. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary steps to educate officials, political leaders and the public about, and make them aware of, the provisions of the Convention. Due account must be taken of general recommendation XIII, according to which law enforcement officials should receive training to ensure that, in the performance of their duties, they respect and protect the human rights of all persons without distinction as to ethnic origin or religion.

•          Ecuador, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 22 at paras. 64 and 66.

64. The Committee recommends that the State party disseminate widely information on the available domestic remedies for acts of racial discrimination, on the legal avenues for obtaining compensation in cases of discrimination and on the individual complaint procedure under article 14 of the Convention.

...

66. The Committee is concerned at the reports on discrimination and hostility suffered by migrants and calls on the State party to intensify its efforts in designing and implementing educational campaigns to combat racial discrimination within all sectors of society.

•          Fiji, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 25 at para. 101.

101. The Committee recommends that the State party’s reports be made readily available to the public from the time they are submitted to the United Nations and that the observations of the Committee on these reports be similarly publicized.

•          Ghana, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 30 at paras. 108 and 111.

108. The Committee notes with satisfaction the important role played by the CHRAJ [Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice] in the protection of human rights, particularly the right to be protected from racial discrimination and intolerance, as well as the activities carried out in the field of human rights education and tolerance by both the CHRAJ and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). The decentralized set-up of the CHRAJ and its ongoing cooperation with civil society are noted with satisfaction; the Committee considers that these are good ways to reach out to people and to secure better implementation of the Convention.

...

111. The Committee is concerned that the existence of ethnic discrimination persists as an undercurrent in Ghanaian society and that, according to a 1997 survey, 25 per cent of respondents felt discriminated against due to their tribal origins. The Committee recommends that high priority be given to the eradication of discriminatory practices and racial prejudices in Ghana, through the strengthening of education in general and of human rights education programmes in particular, the criminalization of acts of racial discrimination and effective punishment.

•          Morocco, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 33 at paras. 131, 132 and 141.

131. The Committee welcomes the State party’s continued efforts to promote the culture of human rights, including the objectives of the Convention, particularly in the context of its national human rights education programme, which was launched in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and is now in its final stage.

132. The Committee also welcomes the establishment on 15 April 2000 by the Ministry of Human Rights, in cooperation with OHCHR and the United Nations Development Programme, of a human rights documentation, information and training centre.

...

141. ...The Committee reminds the State party that the mere absence of complaints and legal action by victims of racial discrimination may be mainly an indication of the absence of relevant specific legislation, or of a lack of awareness of the availability of legal remedies, or of insufficient will on the part of the authorities to prosecute. The Committee requests the State party to ensure that appropriate provisions are available in the national legislation and to inform the public about all legal remedies in the field of racial discrimination.

See also:

•          Tunisia, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 47 at para. 255.

•          Poland, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 35 at para. 164.

164. The Committee notes with satisfaction efforts to include human rights education in the school curriculum and encourages the State party to expand these efforts beyond the school system in order to promote understanding and tolerance among all racial and ethnic groups in society. In this regard, particular attention should be paid to the role of the mass media.

•          Russian Federation, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 38 at para. 173.

173. The Committee welcomes the adoption in 2001 of a special federal programme entitled “Shaping an attitude of tolerance and preventing extremism in Russian society, 2001-2005”.

•          Slovenia, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 45 at para. 230.

230. The Committee welcomes the fact that Slovenia has made the declaration under article 14 of the Convention, recognizing the competence of the Committee to examine communications from individuals or groups of individuals. The Committee encourages the State party to take steps to make this mechanism known as widely as possible.

•          Tunisia, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 47 at para. 250.

250. The Committee commends the efforts made by the State party in the area of human rights education, including its advocacy of the principles of tolerance and respect in accordance with article 7 of the Convention, and welcomes the establishment of a national commission for human rights education.

•          Uganda, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 50 at para. 265.

265. The Committee welcomes the establishment of the Ugandan Human Rights Commission, which represents a positive step in combating violations of human rights and promoting the implementation of the Convention. In addition, the Committee commends the Commission for the important role it plays in disseminating human rights information, inter alia by introducing human rights education in training schools for police, army and prison officers.

•          Bolivia, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 58 at paras. 343 and 344.

343. The Committee notes the lack of information on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures which give effect to the provision of article 6 of the Convention. The Committee reminds the State party that the mere absence of complaints and legal action by victims of racial discrimination may be mainly an indication of the absence of relevant specific legislation, or of a lack of awareness of the availability of legal remedies, or of insufficient will on the part of the authorities to prosecute.

The Committee requests the State party to ensure that appropriate provisions are available in national legislation and to provide the public with adequate information about all legal remedies in the field of racial discrimination...

344. Regarding article 7 of the Convention, the Committee encourages the State party to make additional efforts to disseminate the Convention and other international human rights instruments in the main languages.

•          Cape Verde, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 62 at para. 366.

366. The Committee... requests the State party to ensure that appropriate provisions are available in national legislation and to inform the public about all legal remedies in the field of racial discrimination.

•          Czech Republic, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 65 at para. 388.

388. The Committee welcomes the anti-racism campaigns conducted annually and the broad population targeted by them, and notes the numerous other initiatives of the State party to combat discriminatory attitudes and practices. Unfortunately, that negative attitudes towards minorities and refugees persist among public officials, in the media and among the general public, is a matter of concern to the Committee. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned that the judiciary, unlike the police, does not seem to be the object of sensitization and educational activities.

The Committee recommends that the State party continue and intensify its anti-racism campaigns and other efforts aimed at combating racial and ethnic stereotyping. It recommends that the State party, while pursuing public education campaigns, continue and diversify targeted training programmes for professionals, such as the police, judges and other public officials working with the Roma and other vulnerable groups.

•          Finland, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 69 at paras. 406 and 410.

406. The Committee is concerned about the significant number of allegations which have been brought to its attention reflecting the existence of racist and xenophobic attitudes among some sectors of the population, notably among the young.

The Committee encourages the State party to continue to monitor all tendencies which may give rise to racist and xenophobic behaviour and to combat the negative consequences of such tendencies. The Committee further recommends that the State party continue to promote at all levels of education general awareness of diversity and multiculturalism and put into practice effective measures to facilitate the integration of minority groups in Finnish society.

...

410. The Committee notes that one of the reasons victims of acts of racial discrimination are reluctant to file a complaint before the competent authorities is the assumption that the complaint would not lead to any result.

The Committee recommends that the State party disseminate as widely as possible information on and raise public awareness of the domestic remedies available against acts of racial discrimination, the legal avenues for obtaining compensation in cases of discrimination and the individual complaint procedure under article 14 of the Convention.

•          Latvia, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 75 at paras. 455 and 456.

455. While noting that the State party is in the process of improving its legislation with a view to providing effective protection and remedies against any acts of racial discrimination, including the right to seek reparation for discrimination, the Committee is concerned at the very low level of awareness among the population of such a possibility.

The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to adopt and improve legislation in this respect. The State party is further encouraged to publicize the availability of legal remedies with a view to reaching out to the most vulnerable segments of society.

456. The Committee is concerned at the persistence of negative racial and ethnic stereotypes and notes that educational and training activities undertaken by the State party may not have been sufficient to combat discriminatory attitudes and practices.

The Committee recommends that the State party pursue its efforts to combat prejudices and promote understanding and tolerance through a broad range of measures targeting both professionals working with and persons belonging to minority groups, as well as the general public. The Committee encourages the State party, through the broad-based participatory drafting process of the envisaged National Plan of Action to implement the Durban Declaration and Plan of Action, to create awareness with regard to the diverse issues relating to racial discrimination.

•          Republic of Korea, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 83 at para. 498.

498. The Committee recommends that the State party disseminate information widely and raise public awareness of the domestic remedies available against acts of racial discrimination, on the legal avenues for obtaining compensation in cases of discrimination and on the individual complaints procedure under article 14 of the Convention.

•          United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 88 at para. 533.

533. The Committee remains concerned at reports of attacks on asylum-seekers. In this regard, the Committee notes with concern that antagonism towards asylum-seekers has helped to sustain support for extremist political opinions.

The Committee recommends that the State party adopt further measures and intensify its efforts to counter racial tensions generated through asylum issues, inter alia by developing public education programmes and promoting positive images of ethnic minorities, asylum-seekers and immigrants, as well as measures making the asylum procedures more equitable, efficient and unbiased.

•          Malawi, CERD, A/58/18 (2003) 93 at paras. 562 and 568.

562. The Committee is concerned that the budgetary constraints facing the Malawi Human Rights Commission may limit its effectiveness. The Committee...recommends that information on the functions and activities of the Malawi Human Rights Commission be disseminated both in English and in Chichewa.

...

568. The Committee requests that the State party give wide publicity to the Convention and to the present concluding observations, both in English and in Chichewa, and draw the attention of the Malawi Human Rights Commission to them.

•          Bahamas, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 10 at para. 41.

41. The Committee is concerned that the substance of the Convention has not been brought to the attention of the public, on the grounds that the population is relatively homogeneous.

It recommends the State party to give the general public regular information on the substance of the Convention and step up its efforts to make people aware of the opportunities they have to appeal against instances of racial discrimination.

•          Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 21 at paras. 109 and 110.

109. Noting that the State party has not provided information on the practical implementation of article 6 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party raise the awareness of the population on their rights under the Convention, including their right to an effective remedy, and to sensitize the police and judicial authorities to the issue of racial discrimination.

110. The Committee takes note of the reportedly insufficient human rights education programmes in school curricula, in particular regarding the promotion of tolerance and respect for religious and ethnic minorities.

The Committee encourages the State party to strengthen its efforts in this area...

•          Nepal, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 24 at paras. 132 and 135.

132. While welcoming the State party’s efforts to implement special measures to advance and protect persons subjected to discrimination, the Committee remains concerned over the underrepresentation of disadvantaged groups in government, legislative bodies and the judiciary.

The Committee urges the State party to engage in efforts to promote awareness among the general public, as well as among members of disadvantaged communities, of the importance of their active participation in public and political life...

...

135. The Committee notes that governmental action has been taken to sensitize the general public, including members of vulnerable groups, against discriminatory traditional customs and societal attitudes.

The Committee recommends that the State party take further measures to ensure the training and education of teachers, social workers and law enforcement officials, especially those deployed against the insurgents as well as the political segments of the society. The Committee encourages the State party to carry out comprehensive public education campaigns and to include intercultural education in school curricula.

•          The Netherlands, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 29 at para. 150.

150. The Committee is concerned about the occurrence in the State party of racist and xenophobic incidents, particularly of an anti-Semitic and “Islamophobic” nature, and of manifestations of discriminatory attitudes towards ethnic minorities.

The Committee encourages the State party to continue monitoring all tendencies which may give rise to racist and xenophobic behaviour and to combat the negative consequences of such tendencies. The Committee further recommends that the State party continue to promote general awareness of diversity and multiculturalism at all levels of education, paying particular attention to respect for the cultural rights of minorities...

•          Suriname, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 36 at para. 197.

197. The Committee expresses surprise at the State party’s statement that the Maroons and Amerindians have never officially complained about the effects of natural-resource exploitation.

The Committee recommends that an information campaign be directed to the indigenous and tribal peoples, informing them what remedies are available for upholding their rights and interests, and that investigations take place whenever the State party receives reports that the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples have been flouted.

•          Argentina, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 45 at para. 241.

241. While the Committee welcomes the new Immigration Law No. 25871, it takes note that enacting measures still need to be adopted.

The Committee calls upon the State party to enact measures to implement the law without delay, taking full account of the principle of non-discrimination. The Committee furthermore recommends that the State party conduct a public information and awareness-raising campaign and provide training courses for all governmental authorities at the national, provincial and municipal levels on the changes contained in the new law.

•          Belarus, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 50 at para. 268.

268. While taking note of the legislative provisions providing for the right to effective protection and remedies in the State party, the Committee reiterates its concern over the lack of specific information and statistics on cases where the relevant provisions of domestic legislation concerning racial discrimination were applied.

...The Committee reminds the State party that the mere absence of complaints and legal action by victims of racial discrimination may be largely an indication of the absence of relevant specific legislation, a lack of awareness of the availability of legal remedies, or insufficient will by the authorities to prosecute. It is therefore essential to provide for the relevant provisions in national legislation and to inform the public of the availability of all legal remedies in the field of racial discrimination...

See also:

•          Azerbaijan, CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 18 at para. 63

•          Kazakhstan, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 54 at para. 296.

296. The Committee notes the absence of court cases regarding racial discrimination in the State party and that only two complaints of racial discrimination were brought before the Commission on Human Rights in 2000 and 2001.

The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that the paucity of complaints is not the result of victims’ lack of awareness of their rights or limited financial means, or their lack of confidence in the police and the judicial authorities, or to the authorities’ lack of attention or sensitivity to cases of racial discrimination. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that appropriate provisions are available in the national legislation regarding effective protection and remedies against violation of the Convention and to disseminate as widely as possible among the public information on the legal remedies available.

•          Madagascar, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 58 at para. 322.

322. The Committee recalls that the fact that victims of racial discrimination do not bring cases before the courts may be the result of, inter alia, the limited resources available to them, their lack of awareness of their rights, or the authorities’ lack of attention or sensitivity to cases of racial discrimination.

The State party should take steps to inform the population about their rights as regards efforts to combat racial discrimination and should make it easier for victims to gain access to justice, in particular through the effective application of a system of legal aid. It should also strengthen training for law enforcement personnel, the legal profession and customary chiefs in this regard.

•          Mauritania, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 61 at paras. 342, 346 and 350.

342. The Committee notes with concern that vestiges of the caste system persist in Mauritania. While welcoming the fact that slavery was abolished by a law dated 9 November 1981, it remains concerned about information on the persistence of slavery-like practices, which constitute serious instances of discrimination based on descent...

The Committee draws the State party’s attention to its general recommendation XXIX concerning racial discrimination based on descent...It strongly recommends that the State party launch, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations and religious leaders, a wide-ranging information and public-awareness campaign to put an end to slavery-like practices...

...

346. The Committee is concerned about the prevalence of female genital mutilation among some ethnic groups.

The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to put a stop to this practice. Information and awareness-raising measures aimed specifically at, and designed for, relevant population groups should be adopted.

...

350. The Committee notes that no case of racial discrimination has been brought before the national courts and is concerned that victims’ opportunities to obtain a remedy are inadequate. It recalls that the fact that victims of racial discrimination do not complain to a court is not necessarily a positive indicator, and can be the result of, inter alia, the limited resources available to victims, their lack of awareness of their rights, their lack of confidence in the police and the judicial authorities, or the authorities’ lack of attention or sensitivity to cases of racial discrimination.

The Committee recommends, in particular, that the State party conduct an independent and impartial inquiry when allegations of discrimination and slavery-like practices are brought to its attention. The State party should inform the victims of all remedies available to them, facilitate their access to justice, guarantee their right to just and adequate reparation, and publicize the relevant laws.

•          Saint Lucia, CERD, A/59/18 (2004) 86 at para. 452.

452. The Committee is concerned by reports of the alleged inclusion in certain school textbooks of racist passages concerning the Bethechilokono people.

It urges the State party to delete all racist content from school textbooks, to take measures to punish those who make such references, to provide education that will eliminate racial prejudices and to promote understanding and tolerance among different racial and ethnic groups.

•          Azerbaijan, CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 18 at para. 65.

65. The Committee, while noting the information provided by the delegation, remains of the view that measures taken to educate the public, law enforcement officials, members of political parties and media professionals on the provisions of the Convention could be strengthened (art. 7).

The Committee encourages the State party to expand and strengthen existing efforts regarding human rights education. Furthermore, particular attention should be paid to general recommendation XIII, according to which law enforcement officials should receive specific training to ensure that, in the performance of their duties, they respect and protect the human rights of all persons without distinction as to race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.

•          France, CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 26 at para. 119.

119. The Committee recommends to the State party that it should widely distribute information on available domestic remedies against acts of racial discrimination, the legal means available for obtaining compensation in the event of discrimination, and the procedure governing individual complaints under article 14 of the Convention, which France has accepted.

•          Lao People’s Democratic Republic, CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 35 at para. 176.

176. The Committee notes with concern that the State party claims that it is unable to introduce human rights education programmes in schools. It is also concerned at reports that law enforcement officials continue to have minimal awareness of human rights issues as set out in the law, the Constitution and international instruments (art. 7).

The Committee recommends to the State party that it introduce, if necessary with the assistance of the international community, education programmes in schools on human rights and combating racial discrimination, and that it increase its efforts to provide training to law enforcement officials.

•          Nigeria, CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 54 at para. 299.

299. The Committee, while taking note of information on measures taken by the State party to enhance better understanding, respect and tolerance between different ethnic groups living in Nigeria, is of the view that the measures taken to promote intercultural understanding and education between ethnic groups are unsatisfactory (art. 7).

The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen measures to promote understanding, tolerance and friendship between ethnic groups, including comprehensive public education campaigns and intercultural education in school curricula...

•          Turkmenistan, CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 61 at para. 327.

327. The Committee notes that, since independence, no case of racial discrimination has been referred to the courts. According to some information, members of national and ethnic minorities who suffer racial discrimination do not complain to courts because they fear reprisals and lack confidence in the police and the judicial authorities, and because of the authorities’ lack of impartiality and of sensitivity to cases of racial discrimination (art. 6).

The Committee recommends to the State party that it inform victims of their rights, including remedies available to them, facilitate their access to justice, guarantee their right to just and adequate reparation, and publicize the relevant laws. The State party should ensure that its competent authorities proceed to a prompt and impartial investigation on complaints of racial discrimination, or whenever there are reasonable grounds to believe that racial discrimination has been committed on its territory. Judges and lawyers, as well as law enforcement personnel, should be trained accordingly.

•          United Republic of Tanzania, CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 67 at para. 357.

357. The Committee notes the lack of information on complaints of racial discrimination and the absence of court cases regarding racial discrimination (arts. 6 and 7).

The Committee recalls that the absence of cases may be due to the victims’ lack of information about the existing remedies, and therefore recommends that the State party ensure that appropriate provisions are available in national legislation regarding effective protection and remedies against violation of the Convention and that the public at large is appropriately informed about their rights and the legal remedies available against their violation...

•          Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 71 at para. 372.

372. The Committee welcomes the fact that article 31 of the Constitution recognizes the right to address petitions to the international human rights treaty bodies, and that in 2003 the State party made the optional declaration provided for in article 14 of the Convention thus responding to a request of the Committee, and hopes that the public is being appropriately informed about the possibilities and procedures under the mentioned article of the Convention.

•          Zambia, CERD, A/60/18 (2005) 75 at para. 407.

407. While welcoming the efforts pursued by the State party in the field of human rights education, the Committee remains concerned that most people living in Zambia are not aware of their rights and thus find it difficult to seek redress if their rights are violated. The Committee further recalls that the fact that victims of racial discrimination rarely report on such matters to the appropriate authorities can also be the result of, inter alia, the limited resources available to victims, their lack of confidence in the police and the judicial authorities, or the authorities’ lack of attention or sensitivity to cases of racial discrimination (art. 6).

The State party should strengthen its efforts to raise the awareness of people on their rights, inform the victims of all remedies available to them, facilitate their access to justice, and train judges, lawyers, and law enforcement personnel accordingly.

ICCPR

•          Ukraine, ICCPR, A/57/40 vol. I (2002) 32 at para. 74(24).

(24) The Committee calls upon the State party to publicize the text of these concluding observations in appropriate languages, and requests that the next periodic report be widely disseminated among the public, including non-governmental organizations operating in Ukraine.

•          Azerbaijan, ICCPR, A/57/40 vol. I ( 2002) 47 at paras. 77(17), 77(18) and 77(25).

(17) With regard to articles 3, 9 and 26 of the Covenant, the Committee is concerned at the incidence of violence against women, including rape and domestic violence. The Committee takes note with concern that domestic violence is apparently not acknowledged to be a problem. The Committee notes as well that information on these matters is not systematically maintained, that women have a low level of awareness of their rights and the remedies available to them, and that complaints are not being adequately dealt with.

The State party should take effective measures to combat violence against women, including marital rape. The State party should also organize an effective information campaign to address all forms of violence against women. The Committee urges that reliable data be systematically collected and maintained on the incidence of violence and discrimination against women in all their forms.

(18) The Committee is concerned that the traditional attitudes to women still prevail, whereby a woman's primary role is as wife and mother (articles 3 and 26 of the Covenant).

The State party should take measures to overcome traditional attitudes regarding the role of women in society. It should organize special training programmes for women and regular awareness campaigns in this regard.

...

25. The Committee is concerned at the apparently low level of awareness amongst the public of the provisions of the Covenant (article 2 of the Covenant).

The State party should widely publicize the provisions of the Covenant and the availability of the complaint mechanism to individuals as provided upon the entry into force in the State party of the Optional Protocol.

•          Georgia, ICCPR, A/57/40 vol. I (2002) 53 at paras. 78(14) and 78(17).

(14) The Committee notes with concern that domestic violence against women remains a problem in Georgia.

The State party should take effective measures, including the enactment and implementation of appropriate legislation, training of police officers, promotion of public awareness and, in more concrete terms, human rights training to protect women against domestic violence, in accordance with article 9 of the Covenant...

...

(17) The Committee notes with deep concern the increase in the number of acts of religious intolerance and harassment of religious minorities of various creeds, particularly Jehovah's Witnesses.

The State party should take the necessary measures to ensure the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion as provided in article 18 of the Covenant. It should also:

...

(c) Conduct a public awareness campaign on religious tolerance and prevent, through education, intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief.

•          Hungary, ICCPR, A/57/40 vol. I (2002) 60 at paras. 80(10) and 80(14).

(10) The Committee regrets continuing reports of violence against women, including rape and sexual harassment.

The State party should take more vigorous measures to encourage the development of a culture of human rights and to ban violence against women; in this context, training and education in human rights are essential at all levels and in all sectors of society. In particular, the State party should take measures to encourage women to report domestic violence to the authorities, and to make police officers more sensitive in their handling of allegations of rape and its psychological effects on the victim...

...

(14) The Committee notes with concern discriminatory practices with respect to the registration of certain religious groups in Hungary and the limited protection accorded to the religious rights of asylum-seekers and prisoners...[I]t observes that educational programmes concerning religious tolerance and non-discrimination on the basis of religion or conviction are inadequate.

The State party should ensure that religious organizations are treated in a manner that is compatible with the Covenant;...and it should undertake educational programmes designed to promote tolerance and the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of religion and conviction (articles 18 and 26 of the Covenant).

•          Viet Nam, ICCPR, A/57/40 vol. I (2002) 67 at para. 82(14).

(14) The Committee is concerned that the State party asserts that domestic violence against women is a new phenomenon and that, although some efforts have been made, there is no comprehensive approach to preventing and eliminating it and punishing the perpetrator (arts. 3, 7, 9 and 26).

The State party should assess the impact of measures already taken to address the incidence of domestic violence against women...The State party should further implement training and sensitization programmes for the judiciary, law enforcement officials and members of the legal profession, as well as awareness-raising measures, to ensure zero tolerance in society of violence against women.

•          Egypt, ICCPR, A/58/40 vol. I (2003) 31 at para. 77(20).

(20) While noting the efforts the State party has made to ensure that people are educated about human rights and tolerance, the Committee observes that results in this area are still inadequate.

The State party is invited to strengthen human rights education and use education to forestall all displays of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief.

•          Togo, ICCPR, A/58/40 vol. I (2003) 36 at para. 78(22).

(22) The Committee is worried about continuing discrimination against women and girls with respect to access to education, employment, inheritance and political representation in Togo. Moreover, as the State party itself has acknowledged, certain cultural practices, as well as women’s unawareness of their rights, give rise to many violations of women’s rights.

The State party should eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, increase its efforts to educate girls and make the population more aware of women’s rights, and carry out new programmes with a view to giving women access to employment and political posts.

•          Estonia, ICCPR, A/58/40 vol. I (2003) 41 at para. 79(19).

(19) The State party should disseminate widely the text of its second periodic report, the replies provided to the Committee’s list of issues and the present concluding observations.

•          Luxembourg, ICCPR, A/58/40 vol. I (2003) 45 at para. 80(10).

(10) While taking note of the awareness-raising efforts being made by the State party, the Committee regrets that the Covenant and the Optional Protocol are still not well known to the public.

The State party should disseminate the Covenant and the Optional Protocol more widely.

•          Mali, ICCPR, A/58/40 vol. I (2003) 47 at para. 81(11).

(11) The Committee notes with concern that a very high percentage of women in Mali have reportedly been subjected to genital mutilation. The Committee welcomes the programmes already implemented by the authorities and non-governmental organizations to combat the practice, but regrets that there is no specific legal prohibition...

The State party should prohibit and criminalize the practice of female genital mutilation so as to send a clear and strong signal to those concerned. The State party should strengthen its awareness-raising and education programmes in that regard...

•          Slovakia, ICCPR, A/58/40 vol. I (2003) 52 at para. 82(9).

(9) The Committee is concerned at reports of high rates of domestic violence and regrets that the statistics provided by the State party were inconclusive. While noting some positive steps taken by the State party in the area of legislation, the Committee regrets that the adoption of the National Strategy for the Prevention and Elimination of Violence Committed against Women and in Families has been delayed (arts. 3, 9, 26).

The State party should adopt the necessary policy and legal framework to combat domestic violence; specifically, it should provide a framework for the protection of a spouse who is subjected to violence or threats of violence. The Committee recommends that the Government of Slovakia establish crisis centre hotlines and victim support centres equipped with medical, psychological, legal and emotional support services; in order to raise public awareness, it should disseminate information on this issue through the media.

See also:

•          Latvia, ICCPR, A/59/40 vol. I (2003) 30 at para. 66(13).

•          Portugal, ICCPR, A/58/40 vol. I (2003) 56 at para. 83(7).

(7) The Committee notes with satisfaction that the State party has translated into Portuguese and disseminated numerous United Nations documents relating to human rights.

•          Russian Federation, ICCPR, A/59/40 vol. I (2003) 20 at para. 64(21).

(21) The Committee is concerned that journalists, researchers and environmental activists have been tried and convicted on treason charges, essentially for having disseminated information of legitimate public interest, and that in some cases where the charges were not proven, the courts have referred the matter back to prosecutors instead of dismissing the charges.

The State party should ensure that no one is subjected to criminal charges or conviction for carrying out legitimate journalistic or investigative scientific work, within the terms covered by article 19 of the Covenant.

•          Sri Lanka, ICCPR, A/59/40 vol. I (2003) 30 at para. 66(20).

(20) The Committee deplores the high incidence of violence against women, including domestic violence. It regrets that specific legislation to combat domestic violence still awaits adoption and notes with concern that marital rape is criminalized only in the case of judicial separation (art. 7).

The State party is urged to enact appropriate legislation in conformity with the Covenant without delay. It should criminalize marital rape in all circumstances. The State party is also urged to initiate awareness-raising campaigns about violence against women.

•          Germany, ICCPR, A/59/40 vol. I (2004) 39 at para. 68(20).

(20) While it takes note of the firm stance of Germany in favour of respect for human rights within the framework of the anti-terrorism measures it adopted subsequent to the events of 11 September 2001, the Committee expresses its concern regarding the effect of those measures on the situation of human rights in Germany, in particular for certain persons of foreign extraction, because of an atmosphere of latent suspicion towards them (arts. 17, 19, 22 and 26).

...

(b) The State party is...requested to undertake an educational campaign through the media to protect persons of foreign extraction, in particular Arabs and Muslims, from stereotypes associating them with terrorism, extremism and fanaticism.

•          Suriname, ICCPR, A/59/40 vol. I (2004) 43 at paras. 69(6), 69(12) and 69(22).

(6) The Committee welcomes the delegation’s information that human rights training is provided for the police, the judiciary, teachers and students and recommends that the State party extend such training to other parts of the Surinamese population.

...

(12) The Committee notes with concern the high incidence of domestic violence and the absence of appropriate legislation to protect women against such violence...

The State party should take legal and educational measures to combat domestic violence. It is invited to educate the population at large about the need to respect women’s rights and dignity.

...

(22) The State party should widely publicize the present examination of its second periodic report by the Committee and, in particular, these concluding observations. The State party is further invited to make publicly available, including to the Committee, the findings of the Commission to Prepare an Institution Charged with Investigating Violation of Human Rights in Suriname.

•          Serbia and Montenegro, ICCPR, A/59/40 vol. I (2004) 68 at para. 75(17).

(17) The Committee is concerned at reports of high rates of domestic violence...

The State party should adopt the necessary policy and legal framework to effectively combat domestic violence. The Committee recommends in particular that the State party establish crisis-centre hotlines and victim support centres equipped with medical, psychological and legal support, including shelters for battered spouses and children. In order to raise public awareness, it should disseminate information on this issue through the media.

See also:

•          Albania, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2004) 25 at para. 82(10).

•          Finland, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2004) 22 at para. 81(16).

(16) The Committee is concerned that negative attitudes and de facto discrimination against immigrants are still to be found in certain strata of the Finnish population.

The State party should step up its efforts to promote tolerance and combat prejudice, particularly through public awareness campaigns.

•          Albania, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2004) 25 at para. 82(20).

(20) While noting the policies established by the State party, the Committee is still concerned with the abuses, exploitation, maltreatment and trafficking of children, inter alia child labour, as well as with the lack of information regarding that situation in the State party (arts. 23 and 24).

The State party should reinforce measures to combat abuse and exploitation of children, and establish public awareness-raising campaigns regarding children rights.

•          Benin, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2004) 30 at paras. 83(7), 83(10), 83(14) and 83(25).

(7) The Committee notes with concern that the individual complaint procedure before the Court, which is highly important, is largely unknown to the public and that the Court decisions are not subject to a follow-up procedure (art. 2 of the Covenant).

The State party should make people more aware of the opportunities they have to bring matters before the Constitutional Court, ensure that the Court’s decisions are enforced, and contemplate the establishment of a body to follow up the Court’s decisions.

...

(10) The Committee notes that under the new Personal and Family Code, only monogamous marriage is recognized, and that custom ceases to have the force of law in all matters covered by the present Code The Committee is concerned, however, at the possible consequences of polygamous marriages that might nevertheless be concluded under customary law, particularly as regards the protection that would be afforded to women involved in such unions (articles 3 and 23 of the Covenant).

The State party should clearly prohibit the conclusion of new polygamous marriages, in accordance with the Committee’s general comment No. 28 on article 3 of the Covenant. It should provide greater protection to women who, once the new Personal and Family Code has entered into force and out of respect for tradition, may enter into polygamous unions when such unions no longer have any legal standing. The Committee invites the State party to increase its efforts to inform women and make them aware of these issues, including in the remotest parts of the country.

...

(14) The Committee is concerned at the persistence of vigilante justice. It also notes with concern that infanticides motivated by traditional beliefs are being committed in the country (articles 6, 7 and 24 of the Covenant).

The State party should protect persons from acts committed by individuals that infringe their right to life and physical integrity, and should exercise due diligence with a view to preventing and punishing such acts, investigating them and providing reparations for the resulting harm. The State party should also step up its efforts to increase public awareness...

...

(25) The Committee notes the efforts made by the State party to increase public awareness of human rights but is concerned that these efforts have been limited.

As expressly stipulated in article 40 of the Constitution, the State party should integrate human rights education in the primary, secondary, higher and vocational education curricula and, in particular, in the training programmes of the security forces.

•          Kenya, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2005) 44 at paras. 86(6) and 86(12).

(6) The Committee welcomes the information that Kenya has now prohibited all forms of corporal punishment of children, and notes that implementation of the prohibition should be accompanied by public information and education campaigns.

...

(12) The Committee remains concerned that, despite the recent legal ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) of children (section 14 of the Children Act (2001)), the practice of FGM persists, particularly in rural areas of the country, and that there is no legal prohibition of FGM for adults (articles 3 and 7 of the Covenant).

The State party should increase its efforts to combat the practice of FGM, including through prohibition of FGM for adults, and, in particular, step up the awareness campaign launched by the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services.

•          Uzbekistan, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2005) 56 at para. 89(23).

(23) While noting with interest information provided by the delegation that a system of compensation for women who are victims of domestic violence is already in place in parts of the State party, the Committee remains concerned about the prevalence of domestic violence in Uzbekistan (Covenant, articles 3, 7 and 26; see also paragraph 19 of the Committee’s concluding observations on the initial report).

The State party should take suitable practical measures to combat this phenomenon, including through public awareness and education campaigns.

•          Greece, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2005) 60 at paras. 90(7), 90(8), 90(16) and 90(19).

(7) Notwithstanding a variety of programmes intended to deal with domestic violence, the Committee regrets the prevalence of domestic violence against women and the lack of specific provisions on domestic violence, including marital rape, in the current Criminal Code (Covenant, arts. 3 and 7).

The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to raise awareness of the problem of domestic violence and to protect the victims and include specific provisions on domestic violence in its penal legislation.

(8) The Committee is concerned about the impediments that Muslim women might face as a result of the non-application of the general law of Greece to the Muslim minority on matters such as marriage and inheritance (arts. 3 and 23).

The Committee urges the State party to increase the awareness of Muslim women of their rights and the availability of remedies and to ensure that they benefit from the provisions of Greek civil law.

...

(16) While noting that a legislative amendment to ban corporal punishment in secondary schools has been tabled in Parliament, the Committee is concerned at reports of a widespread practice of corporal punishment of children in the schools (art. 24).

The Committee recommends that the State party prohibit all forms of violence against children wherever it occurs, including corporal punishment in the schools, and undertake public information efforts with respect to appropriate protection of children from violence.

...

(19) The Committee is concerned at reports of continued discrimination against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation (arts. 17 and 26).

The State party should provide remedies against discriminatory practices on the basis of sexual orientation, as well as informational measures to address patterns of prejudice and discrimination.

•          Yemen, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2005) 65 at para. 91(12).

(12) The Committee notes with concern that domestic violence remains persistent in Yemen and that the law provides for lower sentences for husbands who have murdered their wives caught in the act of adultery than is generally provided for in cases of murder (arts. 3, 6 and 7).

The State party should actively combat domestic violence through awareness-raising campaigns as well as the enactment of appropriate penal legislation...

•          Tajikistan, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2005) 70 at para. 92(6).

(6) The Committee notes with concern that domestic violence against women remains a problem in Tajikistan (articles 3 and 7 of the Covenant).

The State party should take effective measures, including training of police officers, promotion of public awareness and, in more concrete terms, human rights training to protect women against domestic violence.

•          Slovenia, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2005) 74 at paras. 93(7) and 93(14).

(7) The Committee is concerned about the high rate of domestic violence and regrets the lack of specific legal provisions and governmental programmes to prevent, combat and eliminate domestic violence (article 3 of the Covenant).

The State party should adopt and implement appropriate laws and policies to prevent and effectively combat violence against women, especially domestic violence, and programmes to assist the victims. In order to raise public awareness, it should initiate the necessary media campaigns and educational programmes.

...

(14) The Committee is concerned about the lack of information about abuse, exploitation and maltreatment of children in the State party (arts. 23 and 24).

The State party should reinforce measures to combat abuse, exploitation and maltreatment of children, and strengthen public awareness-raising campaigns regarding children’s rights.

•          Thailand, ICCPR, A/60/40 vol. I (2005) 83 at paras. 95(12) and 95(21).

(12) Notwithstanding the pending enactment of the Prevention of Domestic Violence Bill and the measures taken by the State party, including the “white ribbons” campaign, the Committee is concerned at reports that domestic violence is prevalent and that specific legal provisions on domestic violence, including marital rape, are lacking in the State party’s legislation (arts. 3, 7, 26).

The State party should adopt the necessary policy and legal frameworks to effectively combat domestic violence. It should establish crisis-centre hotlines and victim support centres equipped with medical, psychological and legal support, including shelters. Law enforcement officials, in particular police officers, should also be provided with appropriate training to deal with cases of domestic violence, and awareness-raising efforts should be continued to widely sensitize members of the public.

...

(21) The Committee is concerned about the significant proportion of children, often stateless or of foreign nationality, in the State party who engage in labour and, as explained by the delegation, are often victims of trafficking (arts. 8 and 24).

...The State party should take action to implement policies and legislation for the eradication of child labour, inter alia through public-awareness campaigns and education of the public on the protection of the rights of children.

ICESCR

•          Sweden, ICESCR, E/2002/22 (2001) 106 at para. 742.

742. The Committee encourages the State party to provide human rights education in schools at all levels and to raise awareness about human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights, among State officials and the judiciary.

See also:

•          Trinidad and Tobago, ICESCR, E/2003/22 (2002) 45 at para. 293.

•          Colombia, ICESCR, E/2002/22 (2001) 110 at para. 800.

800. The Committee strongly recommends the implementation of the National Action Plan for Education on Human Rights, proposed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights within the framework of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004).

•          Algeria, ICESCR, E/2002/22 (2001) 116 at paras. 836 and 847.

836. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt a national strategy to combat family violence, including awareness-raising campaigns geared towards the public at large, data collection, enactment of relevant legislation, and training courses for the police forces and the judiciary.

...

847. The Committee calls upon the State party to conduct training for judges and lawyers and to disseminate the Covenant to the public at large.

•          United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, ICESCR, E/2003/22 (2002) 39 at paras. 216 and 233.

216. The Committee is concerned that human rights education provided in the State party to schoolchildren, the judiciary, prosecutors, government officials, civil servants and other actors responsible for the implementation of the Covenant does not give adequate attention to economic, social and cultural rights.

...

233. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that human rights education curricula and training programmes for schoolchildren and for the judiciary, prosecutors, government officials, civil servants and other actors responsible for the implementation of the Covenant give adequate attention to economic, social and cultural rights.

•          Trinidad and Tobago, ICESCR, E/2003/22 (2002) 45 at para. 293.

293. The Committee calls upon the State party to take all effective measures, including the enforcement of existing legislation and the extension of national awareness campaigns, to eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against women.

•          Slovakia, ICESCR, E/2003/22 (2002) 50 at para. 339.

339. The Committee encourages the State party to provide human rights education in schools at all levels and to raise awareness about human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights, among State officials and the judiciary.

See also:

•          Poland, ICESCR, E/2003/22 (2002) 54 at para. 397.

•          Georgia, ICESCR, E/2003/22 (2002) 59 at paras. 409, 428 and 435.

409. The Committee is...concerned about the lack of awareness in the State party about the provisions of the Covenant.

...

428. The Committee...recommends that human rights education in the State party be improved and that adequate human rights training be provided to the judiciary and government officials.

...

435. The Committee recommends that the State party implement its National Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women for 1998-200 and its national plan of action for combating violence against women, and that it adopt adequate legislation and policies to address and to ensure access to effective remedies concerning domestic violence, rape and sexual harassment. The Committee encourages the State party to develop programmes aimed at raising awareness of, and educating law enforcement officials, the judiciary and the general public on, these problems.

•          Estonia, ICESCR, E/2003/22 (2002) 68 at para. 487.

487. ...The Committee...commends the State party's efforts to make the outcome of its dialogue with United Nations human rights treaty bodies known to the public, including by making its reports available on the web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by translating the concluding observations of treaty bodies into Estonian.

•          Luxembourg, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 24 at para. 105.

105. The Committee encourages the State party to provide human rights education in schools at all levels and to raise awareness about human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights, among State officials and the judiciary.

•          Brazil, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 28 at paras. 136 and 160.

136. The Committee notes with concern that sexual and domestic violence is widespread and not being sufficiently denounced in Brazil.

...

160. The Committee calls upon the State party to take all effective measures, including the enforcement of existing legislation and the extension of national awareness campaigns, to eliminate all forms of violence against women. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure that in addition to the “delegacias da mulher” the police are trained to handle violence against women in all parts of the country.

•          New Zealand, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 35 at para. 199.

199. The Committee encourages the State party to take measures to increase awareness of the possibility of bringing complaints before the Employment Relations Authority or the national Human Rights Commission in cases of employment disputes.

•          Israel, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 42 at para. 288.

288. The Committee...encourages the State party to develop the system of mixed schools for Jewish and Arab pupils, in order to promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among the citizens of the country.

•          Republic of Moldova, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 49 at paras. 301 and 320.

301. The Committee regrets that national courts have so far not made reference to the Covenant in any of their rulings.

...

320. The Committee requests the State party to clarify in its second periodic report whether individuals within the State party’s territory may invoke the rights enshrined in the Covenant before the domestic courts and to provide relevant case law, if available...Moreover, the Committee recommends that the State party take measures to raise awareness of the Covenant and of the possibility of invoking its provisions before the courts, among the judiciary and the public at large.

•          Yemen, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 55 at paras. 351 and 370.

351. The Committee is concerned about the persistence of de facto discrimination, within Yemeni civil society, in relation to some marginalized and vulnerable groups, commonly referred to as akhdam, ahjur or zubud (derogatory terms for which no neutral alternatives exist).

...

370. The Committee urges the State party to undertake effective measures, such as awareness-raising campaigns and educational programmes, to combat de facto discrimination, in particular against marginalized and vulnerable groups in society commonly referred to as akhdam, ahjur or zubud.

•          Guatemala, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 59 at paras. 413 and 431.

413. The Committee is concerned about the extent of the problem of violence against women in Guatemalan society, both within and outside the family, and its implication for both the physical and mental health of women and children...

...

431. The Committee urges the State party to combat violence against women, including through the effective application of the Act on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Domestic Violence and awareness-raising campaigns designed to combat negative traditional practices and prejudices and their effects and consequences...

•          Russian Federation, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 64 at para. 504.

504. The Committee, in line with its general comment No. 14 (2000) on the right to the highest attainable standard of health (art. 12 of the Covenant), calls upon the State party to take urgent measures to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. The State party should ensure that all persons know about the disease and how to protect themselves, including through sex education in schools, and that methods of protection are available at affordable prices. Moreover, awareness-raising campaigns should aim at preventing discrimination against HIV-positive people.

•          Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, ICESCR, E/2004/22 (2003) 71 at paras. 534, 555 and 557.

534. The Committee remains concerned that children with disabilities, whenever possible, are not included in the regular school system.

...

555. The Committee recommends that the State party change the present system concerning the education of children with disabilities by allowing these children to be educated in the regular school system. Moreover, the State party should take measures to raise awareness among students, teachers and families of the special needs of these children and train teachers to assist them effectively in regular classes.

...

557. While noting with appreciation the State party’s commitment to disseminate widely the present concluding observations, the Committee encourages the State party to make them available to all institutions and public authorities dealing with the rights under the Covenant as well as to large segments of the civil society.

•          Lithuania, ICESCR, E/2005/22 (2004) 18 at paras. 74 and 96.

74. Despite the constitutional provision (third part of article 138) stipulating the primacy of international law and that the Covenant may be invoked before domestic courts, the Committee regrets the lack of information on specific decisions of domestic courts where reference has been made to the Covenant and its provisions, which indicates a lack of knowledge among the population about the Covenant and the possibility of invoking it directly before the courts.

...

96. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to raise awareness of the Covenant and of the possibility of invoking its provisions before the courts among the public at large and the judiciary.

•          Greece, ICESCR, E/2005/22 (2004) 23 at paras. 131, 150 and 152.

131. While acknowledging the State party’s efforts to promote the social integration of Greek Roma, the Committee remains deeply concerned about the persistent discrimination against Roma people in the fields of housing, health and education...

...

150. The Committee recommends that the State party promote awareness of the individual entitlements under the Covenant and of the justiciable elements of all rights contained therein as defined in the Committee’s general comments, among members of the legal professions, in particular judges and attorneys, as well as among the general public.

...

152. The Committee...further recommends that the State party continue its efforts to train police officers on international human rights standards and to raise awareness of the dimensions of discrimination against the Roma among local authorities.

•          Ecuador, ICESCR, E/2005/22 (2004) 39 at para. 327.

327. The Committee recommends that the State party improve human rights training programmes in such a way as to ensure better knowledge, awareness and application of the Covenant and other international human rights instruments, in particular among the judiciary, law enforcement officials and other actors responsible for the implementation of the Covenant.

•          Italy, ICESCR, E/2005/22 (2004) 54 at para. 454.

454. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to combat domestic violence, especially against women, and undertake information campaigns to educate the population regarding the consequences of domestic violence...

•          Chile, ICESCR, E/2005/22 (2004) 67 at paras. 539 and 556.

539. The Committee notes that the amendment of article 5 of the Constitution in 1989 extends the range of rights embodied in article 19 of the Constitution to include rights guaranteed by international treaties to which Chile is party. However, the Committee is concerned that some economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to housing, are not considered justiciable in the State party. In this regard the Committee notes the scarcity of case law in which the rights of the Covenant have been invoked before and directly applied by domestic courts.

...

556. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its efforts to give full effect to the Covenant in domestic law... .In this respect, it draws the attention of the State party to the Committee’s General Comment No. 9 (1998) on domestic application of the Covenant. The State party should ensure that judicial training take full account of the justiciability of Covenant rights and take measures to increase awareness of the possibility of invoking its provisions before the courts.

•          Zambia, ICESCR, E/2006/22 (2005) 19 at paras. 101 and 125.

101. While noting the activities undertaken by the State party such as the Programme for the Advancement of Girl’s Education aimed at encouraging girls to stay in the school system, especially in the rural areas, the Committee remains concerned that traditional attitudes continue and that discrimination against girl children is prevalent in the State party.

...

125. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts and continue to undertake educational campaigns for all sectors of society, including traditional rulers, parents and guardians, on the value of educating girl children.

•          China, ICESCR, E/2006/22 (2005) 25 at paras. 147, 178 and 189.

147. The Committee is deeply concerned about the high rate of abortion of the girl foetus.

...

178. The Committee strongly recommends that the State party undertake effective public education measures, including awareness-raising programmes designed to eliminate gender-based prejudices and traditional practices that are harmful to women and girls...

...

189. ...The Committee encourages the State party to take urgent measures to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, including by means of sex education in schools and awareness-raising campaigns to eliminate discrimination against HIV-positive persons.

•          China (Macao Special Administrative Region), ICESCR, E/2006/22 (2005) 38 at paras. 237, 247 and 256.

237. The Committee expresses its concern that women continue to be in a disadvantaged position in society in the Macao Special Administrative Region, especially with regard to employment and equal pay for work of equal value and participation in decision-making.

...

247. The Committee recommends that the Macao Special Administrative Region establish a State institution responsible for the promotion and protection of gender equality and engage in campaigns to raise awareness of gender equality, particularly in employment...

...

256. The Committee encourages the Macao Special Administrative Region to ensure that human rights education is provided in schools at all levels and to raise awareness about human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights, among State officials and the judiciary.

•          Serbia and Montenegro, ICESCR, E/2006/22 (2005) 41at paras. 272, 299 and 300.

272. The Committee expresses its deep concern about reported incidents of inter-ethnic violence and racially motivated acts against ethnic minorities such as the Roma.

...

299. The Committee calls on the State party to adopt specific anti-discrimination framework legislation and to increase awareness about international anti-discrimination standards among judges and other members of the legal profession...

300. The Committee urges the State party to investigate such incidents, to bring perpetrators to justice, and to take all necessary measures to raise awareness of the dimensions of ethnic discrimination and intolerance among local authorities and the general public.

CEDAW

•          Fiji, CEDAW, A/57/38 part I (2002) 9 at para. 55.

55. The Committee recommends an accelerated and broad-based programme of human rights education and gender training which includes dissemination of information on the Convention, with a view to changing existing stereotypical attitudes...

•          Estonia, CEDAW, A/57/38 part I (2002) 13 at paras. 85, 89, 90 and 104.

85. The Committee commends the work undertaken in awareness-raising on equality, pursued with public officials in ministries and government agencies and other social actors, and the gradually increasing role played by the media encouraged by the State party in challenging sex-role stereotypes...

...

89. While welcoming the fact that, in accordance with articles 3 and 123 of the Constitution, the Convention is integrated into domestic legislation and takes precedence over such legislation, the Committee is concerned that there is still a lack of familiarity among the judiciary, law enforcement agents and women themselves about the opportunities for the application of the Convention in domestic decision-making.

90. Acknowledging the effort already made with regard to human rights education, including human rights of women, and the transparency and participatory nature of the law making process, the Committee recommends a review of law school curricula and the development of continuing education programmes for judges and lawyers that include the application of the Convention at the domestic level. It also recommends that awareness-raising campaigns addressed to women be undertaken to allow them to avail themselves of the legal remedies that assist them...

...

104. The Committee recommends that the State party utilize temporary special measures in accordance with article 4.1 of the Convention to increase the number of women in decision-making levels in governmental bodies, and State-owned enterprises. It also recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts in offering or supporting special training programmes for current and future women leaders and conduct, on a regular basis, awareness-raising campaigns regarding the importance of women's participation in political decision-making.

•          Trinidad and Tobago, CEDAW, A/57/38 part I (2002) 19 at para. 150.

150. The Committee recommends the introduction of strategies to increase the number of women in decision-making bodies at all levels and in all areas. To this end, the Committee recommends that the State party utilize temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention to increase the number of women in decision-making levels in government, governmental bodies, public administration and State-owned enterprises. It also recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to organize special training programmes for women and to conduct on a regular basis, awareness-raising campaigns in this regard.

•          Uruguay, CEDAW, A/57/38 part I (2002) 23 at paras. 206, 207 and 214.

206. The Committee is concerned that there is limited awareness, including among legal and law enforcement personnel, of the provisions of the Convention and the procedures available under its Optional Protocol.

207. The Committee recommends that educational programmes on the Convention, the Optional Protocol and women's rights be introduced, in particular for, the judiciary, law enforcement officials and lawyers...

...

214. The Committee requests the Government to disseminate these concluding comments widely in Uruguay and to promote public discussion of them, so as to bring to the attention of politicians, government administrators, non-governmental women's organizations and the general public the action that must be taken to achieve de jure and de facto equality of men and women. It also requests the Government to continue to ensure wide dissemination, particularly among human rights and women's organizations, of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, the Committee's general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the results of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century".

•          Sri Lanka, CEDAW, A/57/38 part I (2002) 31 at para. 289.

289. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen measures to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at both women and men of the general public and at the media. It also calls upon the State party to undertake an assessment of the impact of its measures in order to identify shortcomings and to adjust and improve these measures accordingly.

•          Russian Federation, CEDAW, A/57/38 part I (2002) 40 (2002) at paras. 374, 376 and 390.

374. The Committee urges the State party to incorporate in the Constitution a specific right of non-discrimination on the ground of sex, and a definition of discrimination, in conformity with article 1 of the Convention. It calls on the State party to introduce effective enforcement procedures and take necessary measures, including public awareness-raising campaigns to ensure effective implementation of women’s right to equality.

...

376. The Committee recommends that specific legislation and effective enforcement procedures be adopted to combat and eliminate discrimination and respond to violence against women. All such legislation and enforcement procedures be accompanied by access to legal aid and a vigorous awareness-raising campaign to inform women of their rights.

...

390. The Committee urges the State party to place a high priority on measures to address violence against women in the family and society, and adopt laws, policies and programmes in accordance with its general recommendation 19 and the United Nations Declaration on Violence against Women. The Committee recommends that the State party increase its programmes on violence against women, in particular awareness-raising campaigns. It also urges the State party to provide training for law enforcement personnel at all levels, lawyers and judges, health-care professionals and social workers with respect to violence against women in the household and society.

•          Suriname, CEDAW, A/57/38 part II (2002) 82 at paras. 36, 39, 40, 47 and 48.

36. The Committee commends the State party for its support of a human-rights-based approach to development in which human rights education is key. It commends the State party on the creation of the Human Rights Education Project aimed at raising awareness about the importance of human rights instruments and the necessity of implementing them.

...

39. The Committee is concerned that the Convention has not been incorporated into domestic legislation and that no domestic remedies have been introduced into domestic legislation to enforce the Constitutional provision on discrimination based on sex.

40. ...The Committee...recommends that the State party introduce programmes to create awareness about the Convention, the Constitution and such remedies...

...

47. The Committee is concerned about the deep-rooted stereotypical attitudes that undermine the human rights of women and girls and the State party’s apparent acceptance of the limited participation of women in public and political life as a result of these attitudes.

48. The Committee calls upon the State party to take urgent measures aimed at changing stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including through awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at both women and men and at the media...

•          Belgium, CEDAW, A/57/38 part II (2002) 95 at para. 142.

142. The Committee...urges the State party to take proactive measures to raise awareness about the Convention.

See also:

•          Denmark, CEDAW, A/57/38 part II (2002) 120 at para. 322.

•          Tunisia, CEDAW, A/57/38 part II (2002) 102 at para. 195.

195. ...The Committee calls upon the Government to create public awareness on violence against women as an infringement of human rights that has grave social costs for the whole community.

•          Zambia, CEDAW, A/57/38 part II (2002) 107 at paras. 236, 237, 239, 241, 252 and 253.

236. The Committee is concerned that existing constitutional and other legal rights of women to redress for discrimination are not being properly implemented or enforced.

237. ...The Committee requests the State party to develop training programmes on women’s human rights for judges and law enforcement officers and to disseminate information to the public, especially women.

...

239. The Committee... recommends the establishment of counselling services for the victims and public awareness campaigns in order to adopt and implement a zero tolerance policy with regard to all forms of violence against women and girls...

...

241. The Committee...recommends that the State party introduce temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, to strengthen its efforts to promote women to positions of power, supported by special training programmes and awareness-raising campaigns aimed at underlining the importance of women’s participation in decision-making at all levels.

...

252. The Committee is concerned that polygamy is widely accepted and not effectively combated by the State party.

253. The Committee recommends that the State party take comprehensive and effective measures, including the training for judicial and law enforcement officials and public awareness-raising campaigns, in order to eliminate the practise of polygamy.

See also:

•          Uganda, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 164 at para. 136.

•          Ukraine, CEDAW, A/57/38 part II (2002) 114 at paras. 277, 278, 286, 291 and 292.

277. The Committee is concerned that there is still a lack of familiarity with the Convention and the opportunities for its application, including among the judiciary, law enforcement personnel and women themselves.

278. The Committee recommends the introduction of education and training programmes on the Convention, in particular for judges, lawyers and law enforcement personnel. It recommends that awareness-raising campaigns targeted at women be undertaken so that women can avail themselves of legal remedies for violations of the rights under the Convention...

...

286. ...The Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts in offering or supporting training programmes for current and future women leaders and carry out awareness-raising campaigns regarding the importance of women’s participation in political decision-making.

...

291. ...[T]he Committee is concerned about the prevalence of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence.

292. ...The Committee invites the State party to undertake awareness-raising measures, including a campaign of zero tolerance, to make such violence socially and morally unacceptable.

See also:

•          Armenia, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 150 at para.43.

•          Czech Republic, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 157 at paras. 93 and 94.

•          Greece, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 184 at paras. 275 and 276.

•          Hungary, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 189 at para. 322.

•          Denmark, CEDAW, A/57/38 part II (2002) 120 at paras. 333 and 334.

333. The Committee is concerned about persistence of stereotypical attitudes towards women, which threaten to undermine their rights and make them vulnerable to violence, including domestic violence.

334. The Committee calls upon the State party to take additional measures to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including through awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at both women and men and at the media. It also calls upon the State party to undertake an assessment of the impact of its measures in order to identify shortcomings and to adjust and improve these measures accordingly.

•          Czech Republic, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 157 at paras. 87 and 88.

87. The Committee is concerned that women have seldom used laws to challenge acts of discrimination and that there is a lack of court decisions in which women have obtained redress for such acts. The Committee is also concerned that there is still a lack of familiarity with both the Convention itself and the opportunities for its application and enforcement, as well as with legislative reforms aimed at eliminating discrimination against women, including among the judiciary, law enforcement personnel and women themselves.

88. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that Czech law provides adequate and accessible enforcement procedures and legal remedies for violations of women’s rights. The Committee recommends the strengthening of education and training programmes in particular for judges, lawyers and law enforcement personnel on the Convention and on the legislative reforms aimed at eliminating discrimination against women. It urges the State party to ensure that Czech law provides adequate enforcement procedures and legal remedies for violation of women’s rights. It recommends that awareness-raising campaigns targeted at women be undertaken so that women can avail themselves of procedures and remedies for violations of the rights under the Convention...

•          Uganda, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 164 at paras. 130-134, 157 and 158.

130. The Committee...recommends that the State party introduce public education and legal literacy campaigns relating to the Convention and the Constitution to raise awareness of the State party’s international and national commitments on the elimination of discrimination against women.

131. The Committee is concerned that, although laws and customs which contravene the constitutional guarantees on equality are considered to be void, mechanisms to enforce the constitutional provisions on non-discrimination are not widely known and are inaccessible to women.

132. The Committee recommends the adoption of an accessible complaints procedure to enforce constitutional guarantees. It also calls for the introduction of legal literacy campaigns to make women aware of their rights under the Constitution and the means to enforce them...

133. Noting the State party’s efforts in this context, the Committee is concerned at the persistence of patriarchal patterns of behaviour in the State party and at the existence of stereotypes relating to the role of women in the home and society, and expectations of women’s subordination to men.

134. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen existing efforts to address stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men that perpetuate direct and indirect discrimination against women. These should include educational measures, at all levels, beginning at an early age, the revision of school text books and curricula and awareness-raising and public education campaigns directed at women and men designed with the involvement of the media and civil society, including non-governmental organizations, to address traditional stereotypes regarding the role of women. The Committee also calls upon the State party to undertake an assessment of the impact of these measures in order to identify shortcomings, and improve these measures accordingly.

...

157. While recognizing the progress that has been made in the implementation of the Convention in the State party, the Committee is concerned that, without comprehensive, systematic strategies and support mechanisms, the programme for implementation may not be sustainable in the long term.

158. The Committee recommends that the State party introduce a comprehensive programme of gender mainstreaming in all government ministries and a comprehensive awareness campaign, including for civil servants with regard to the Convention.

•          Guatemala, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 171 at paras. 186-189, 196 and 197.

186. The Committee expresses concern that, while the human rights of women are explicitly recognized in a number of laws, there does not appear to be wide awareness among women of their rights under these laws or the means by which those laws can be enforced...

187. ...The Committee...calls upon the State party to take steps to raise awareness among women of their legal rights and the means by which those rights can be enforced.

188. ...[T]he Committee...expresses concern at the persistence of stereotypes concerning the role of women in the family and society. It notes that those stereotypes are particularly strong within the indigenous population. The Committee is also concerned that, notwithstanding the various efforts being made to achieve equality between women and men through legislative reform, the execution of gender-sensitive programmes, the training of officials and the creation of national machineries, the persistence of such stereotypes will impede the advancement of women in Guatemala, in particular among indigenous women, and the enjoyment of their human rights.

189. The Committee urges the State party to make the raising of awareness among the general public of the rights of women a priority in its strategy for the advancement of women by building upon existing media campaigns and introducing new awareness-raising and education campaigns on various women’s human rights issues. Such campaigns must target men as well as women at all levels of society in particular among the indigenous population.

...

196. ...The Committee is...concerned that the minimum age at which a girl can legally contract matrimony - 14 years - is too low and can impact negatively on their health and impede their education.

197. ...The Committee urges the State party to develop awareness campaigns on the negative implications of early marriage on the health and education of girls.

See also:

•          Yemen, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 200 at paras. 394 and 395.

•          Peru, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 212 at paras. 488 and 489.

•          Barbados, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 177 at paras. 225 and 226.

225. The Committee is... concerned about the lack of information provided about procedures available to women to enforce their rights under the Convention, challenge discrimination and obtain redress.

226. The Committee... calls on the State party to introduce procedures that will allow the enforcement of the prohibition on discrimination based on sex and to introduce effective measures, including public awareness-raising campaigns about the Convention, the Constitution and remedies to implement women’s right to equality...

•          Greece, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 184 at paras. 293 and 294.

293. The Committee expresses concern at the discrimination against minority women living in Greece, particularly Roma women, including with respect to access to education, who suffer from double discrimination based on both their sex and ethnic background, in society at large and within their communities.

294. The Committee urges the Government to take effective measures to eliminate discrimination against minority women. It urges the State party to respect and promote the human rights of women and to take effective and proactive measures, including awareness-raising programmes, to sensitize public opinion at large, and particularly the police, on the issue of minority women...

•          Hungary, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 189 at paras. 314, 319, 320, 325 and 326.

314. The Committee...calls on the State party to introduce procedures that will allow effective enforcement of the prohibition on discrimination based on sex and introduce measures, including awareness-raising campaigns about the Convention, the Constitution and remedies to uphold women’s right to equality, including for, inter alia, the judiciary and parliamentarians...

...

319. The Committee is concerned about the persistence of entrenched traditional stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society at large.

320. The Committee urges the State party to design and implement comprehensive programmes in the educational system, including human rights education and gender training, which includes dissemination of information on the Convention, with a view to changing existing stereotypical attitudes, including advancing the notion of parenting as a social responsibility of both mothers and fathers. It recommends awareness-raising campaigns directed at both women and men as required by article 5 of the Convention...

...

325. While noting that there has been an increase of three seats occupied by women in Parliament since the latest elections, in May 2002, and that the Speaker of Parliament is a woman and three women are ministers in the Government, the Committee is concerned about the overall low representation of women in high-level elected and appointed bodies and in the diplomatic service.

326. The Committee urges the State party to take measures to increase the representation of women in elected and appointed bodies through, inter alia, the implementation of temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, in order to realize women’s right to participation in all areas of public and political life and, particularly, at high levels of decision-making. The Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts to offer or support programmes for current and future women leaders and to carry out awareness-raising campaigns targeting both women and men regarding the importance of women’s equal participation in political decision-making as a sine qua non of democracy...

•          Yemen, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 200 at paras. 388, 389, 399, 402 and 403.

388. The Committee notes with concern that the persistence of patriarchal stereotypes and discriminatory traditional cultural and social norms, particularly those relating to the role and responsibilities of women, impedes progress in the implementation of the Convention and the full enjoyment of women’s human rights.

389. The Committee urges the State party to take measures to change stereotypical attitudes and negative cultural norms about the responsibilities and roles of women and men and to design and implement awareness-raising programmes directed at all levels of society.

...

399. ...With regard to the practice of female genital mutilation, the Committee calls on the State party to enhance its activities to eradicate this harmful, traditional practice, especially through awareness-raising campaigns...

...

402. While welcoming the State party’s plans to ensure women’s participation in the upcoming electoral registration process, the Committee is concerned about the low rate of registration of women as voters and their low representation on electoral lists and in political decision-making bodies.

403. The Committee requests the State party to take measures to increase the political representation of women as voters and as candidates at all levels... The Committee also suggests that the State party offer support and training programmes to women leaders and candidates to future elections and carry out awareness-raising programmes on the importance of women’s participation in political decision-making aimed at both women and men and throughout the society.

•          Mexico, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 205 at paras. 429 and 430.

429. The Committee expresses its concern at the fact that no instances are mentioned in which the Convention has been invoked before the courts and the lack of a compilation of judicial decisions in this regard.

430. The Committee calls on the State party to undertake dissemination, education and awareness-raising campaigns on the provisions of the Convention aimed at society as a whole, particularly officials responsible for the administration and protection of justice and especially Mexican women, in order to make them aware of their rights in the judicial arena at the national and state levels.

•          Peru, CEDAW, A/57/38 part III (2002) 212 at paras. 480 and 481.

480. The Committee is concerned that, although progress is observed in the composition of Congress and in local government, as a result of the provisions adopted, the participation of women in Congress, in the judicial area and at the country’s senior levels of politics and administration still seems inadequate.

481. The Committee recommends that strategies should be adopted to increase the number of women involved in decision-making at all levels, through the adoption of temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, and that the State party should strengthen its activities to promote women to posts of responsibility in both the public and private sectors, with special training programmes and publicity campaigns on the importance of women’s participation in development planning and decision-making.

•          Albania, CEDAW, A/58/38 part I (2003) 13 at paras. 55, 64, 65 and 73.

55. ...The Committee commends the efforts of the State party to have the Convention translated into Albanian and disseminated.

...

64. The Committee is concerned that there is a lack of familiarity with the Convention and the opportunities for its application and enforcement, including among the judiciary, law enforcement personnel, non-governmental human rights and women’s organizations and women themselves.

65. The Committee recommends the introduction of education and training programmes on the Convention, in particular for parliamentarians, the judiciary and law enforcement personnel. It recommends that awareness-raising campaigns targeted at women be undertaken so that women can avail themselves of procedures and remedies for violations of their rights under the Convention.

...

73. In the light of its general recommendation 19, the Committee urges the State party to place high priority on comprehensive measures to address violence against women in the family and in society, and to recognize that such violence, including domestic violence, constitutes a violation of the human rights of women under the Convention...The Committee invites the State party to undertake awareness-raising measures through the media and public education programmes to make such violence socially and morally unacceptable.

•          Switzerland, CEDAW, A/58/38 part I (2003) 20 at paras. 103, 107, 114 and 115.

103. The Committee acknowledges the work systematically undertaken by women’s non-governmental organizations in raising awareness and mobilizing public opinion with regard to equality issues and appreciates the common efforts and cooperation between the State party and civil society in advancing the cause of equality in conformity with the National Plan of Action. The Committee commends the State party for its interaction with civil society in the preparation of the report and for the extensive publicity given to the report in Switzerland.

...

107. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure effective enforcement of the rights enshrined in the Convention and provide women with appropriate remedies in the courts for violations of the rights protected by the Convention. It also recommends awareness-raising campaigns about the Convention aimed at parliamentarians, the judiciary and legal professionals...

...

114. The Committee is concerned about the persistence of entrenched, traditional stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society at large which are reflected in women’s educational choices, their situation in the labour market and low participation in political and public life.

115. The Committee urges the State party to design and implement comprehensive programmes in the educational system, including human rights education and gender training, and to disseminate information on the Convention, with a view to changing existing stereotypical attitudes on women and men’s roles, including advancing the notion of parenting as a social responsibility of both mothers and fathers. It recommends that awareness-raising campaigns be addressed to both women and men and that the media be encouraged to project a positive image of women and of the equal status and responsibilities of women and men in the private and public spheres.

•          Congo, CEDAW, A/58/38 part I (2003) 29 at paras. 165 and 167.

165. The Committee urges the State party to increase its efforts to address stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men that perpetuate direct and indirect discrimination against women and girls. These should include educational measures at all levels, beginning at an early age; the revision of school textbooks and curricula; and awareness-raising campaigns directed at both women and men - designed, where relevant, with the involvement of the media and civil society, including non-governmental organizations - to address stereotypes regarding the role of women and men with a view to combating discrimination against women. The Committee also calls upon the State party to periodically review the measures taken in order to identify shortcomings and to adjust and improve those measures accordingly...

...

167. ...The Committee...recommends the establishment of counselling services for victims of violence and sexual harassment; the implementation of public awareness campaigns through the media and public education programmes; and the adoption of a zero-tolerance policy on all forms of violence against women.

•          El Salvador, CEDAW, A/58/38 part I (2003) 41 at paras. 248, 251 and 252.

248. The Committee welcomes the inclusion of gender issues at all levels of the educational system, as well as the incorporation of teaching materials in such programmes and activities.

...

251. The Committee is concerned at the weakening of efforts to provide training in, raise awareness of and disseminate the Convention.

252. The Committee recommends that the State party implement broad-based dissemination, training and awareness-raising programmes to familiarize the whole population with the Convention. Such programmes should be aimed at society in general, and Salvadoran women and the judiciary in particular.

•          Luxembourg, CEDAW, A/58/38 part I (2003) 47 at paras. 305 and 309.

305. The Committee urges the State party to place emphasis on the Convention as a legally binding human rights instrument and to view the Platform for Action as a programmatic policy framework in its efforts to achieve the goals of equality. It also urges the State party to take proactive measures to raise awareness about the Convention, in particular among parliamentarians, the judiciary and the legal profession.

...

309. The Committee calls upon the State party to take additional measures to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including through awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at both women and men and at the media. It also calls upon the State party to assess the impact of such measures in order to identify shortcomings and to adjust and improve such measures accordingly.

•          Norway, CEDAW, A/58/38 part I (2003) 61 paras. 410 and 414.

410. The Committee recommends that the State party amend section 2 of the Human Rights Act (1999) to include the Convention and its Optional Protocol, which will ensure that the provisions of the Convention prevail over any conflicting statutes and that its provisions can be invoked in domestic courts. It also recommends campaigns to raise awareness of the Convention, aimed, inter alia, at parliamentarians, the judiciary and the legal profession...

...

414. The Committee urges the State party to take effective measures to eliminate discrimination against migrant, refugee and minority women and to further strengthen its efforts to combat xenophobia and racism. It also urges the State party to be proactive in its measures to prevent discrimination against these women, both within their communities and in society at large, and to increase their awareness of the availability of social services and legal remedies...

•          Costa Rica, CEDAW, A/58/38 part II (2003) 86 at paras. 52, 53, 56, 57, 68 and 69.

52. Although the Constitution proclaims the equality of all persons before the law and prohibits discrimination, the Committee notes with concern that the Convention is not directly invoked in legal proceedings and that social resistance and sociocultural patterns still exist that impede the practical implementation of these legal norms.

53. The Committee recommends that the State party launch at the national level a broad programme of dissemination of the Convention and its implications for protection of the rights of women, and that it conduct legal education and training activities for women, lawyers, officials in charge of law enforcement and judges and magistrates, with a view to ensuring that the provisions of the Convention are known and are made use of in judicial processes.

...

56. The Committee takes note of the Government’s efforts to combat sexual exploitation and forced prostitution through the promulgation of Act 7899 on the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and the establishment of the Special Prosecutor for Sexual Offences and of the Sexual Exploitation Unit in the Ministry of Public Security. Nevertheless, the Committee notes with concern that at political and judicial decision-making levels, and in Costa Rican society at large, there does not appear to exist an awareness of the social and cultural implications of the offence of traffic in persons and sexual exploitation of women and girls.

57. The Committee requests the State party to strengthen actions aimed at combatting traffic in persons and sexual exploitation of women and girls, and to encourage awareness in all sectors of Costa Rican society, particularly the judicial and public security authorities, educators and parents, with a view to the implementation of measures to prevent sexual exploitation of children, adolescents and adults...

...

68. The Committee notes with satisfaction the comprehensive health-care programmes for women and the progress achieved, as well as the establishment of the Inter-Institutional Commission on Sexual and Reproductive Health, the 1994 Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights Counselling Services and the new comprehensive health-care model. Nevertheless, the Committee expresses its concern at the limited dissemination of women’s comprehensive health-care rights and the absence of a national sexual education and family planning information and/or education programme to permit the creation of awareness among women and men of their rights and responsibilities in relation to the reproductive process. It is also concerned that, despite the steps taken and the adoption of the Adolescent Mothers’ Protection Act, there is continued increase in teenage pregnancies and apparent lack of awareness among men, teenage or adult, of their responsibility as fathers.

69. The Committee requests the State party to strengthen its health-care programmes, including those for sexual and reproductive health, and to launch as soon as possible a national programme to provide women and men with timely and reliable information on the available contraceptive methods and those capable of allowing them to exercise their right of free and informed choice of the number and spacing of the children they wish to have, as well as to reinforce the measures for preventing sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, including the availability of condoms. It also requests the State party to continue strengthening support programmes for pregnant teenagers and mothers and sex education programmes aimed at preventing pregnancies among the teenage population.

•          Brazil, CEDAW, A/58/38 part II (2003) 93 at paras. 100, 101, 106 and 107.

100. The Committee notes with concern that, while international treaties to which Brazil is a party have become part of domestic law, there is disagreement in the judiciary as to the legal doctrine regarding the status of such international treaties and their direct applicability.

101. The Committee recommends that awareness-raising and sensitization of the judiciary and other law enforcement authorities be undertaken to alter the predominant view of the status of international treaties in the hierarchy of Brazilian law.

...

106. The Committee is concerned that, despite a Federal Supreme Court ruling in 1991, the judiciary sometimes continues to apply the defence of honour in cases of men accused of assaulting or murdering women. The Committee is concerned that such decisions lead to serious violations of human rights and have negative consequences for society, strengthening discriminatory attitudes towards women.

107. The Committee recommends that the State party implement training and awareness-raising programmes to familiarize judges, prosecutors and other members of the legal profession with the Convention and its Optional Protocol. It also recommends that the State party implement sensitization activities addressed to the general public on the human rights of women.

•          Morocco, CEDAW, A/58/38 part II (2003) 101 at paras. 157, 166 and 167.

157. The Committee commends the State party for the establishment of the Ministry of Human Rights, which creates a positive environment for the protection and promotion of human rights. It welcomes the publication of the Convention in the official gazette in 2001 and the efforts made to integrate human rights principles in textbooks and curricula.

...

166. The Committee expresses its concern that traditional discriminatory practices and strong stereotypical attitudes persist about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society, negatively affecting women’s enjoyment of their rights and impeding the full implementation of the Convention.

167. The Committee urges the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes to foster a better understanding of equality between women and men at all levels of society with a view to changing stereotypical attitudes and negative cultural norms about the responsibilities and roles of women and men in the family and society...

•          Slovenia, CEDAW, A/58/38 part II (2003) 109 at paras. 210, 211, 218 and 219.

...

210. While welcoming the efforts made to encourage women’s participation in political and public life, including provisions in the Act on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men and the proposed draft constitutional amendment to encourage equal opportunities between women and men with regard to standing as candidates in elections, and noting the high level of women’s educational achievement, the Committee is concerned about the low representation of women in elected and appointed bodies, including the National Assembly, executive bodies of the Government and local government bodies.

211. The Committee urges the State party to adopt the proposed draft constitutional amendment to encourage equal opportunities between women and men, and to strengthen and implement measures to increase the representation of women in elected and appointed bodies...The Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts in offering or supporting training programmes for current and future women leaders and carry out awareness-raising campaigns regarding the importance of women’s equal participation in political decision-making.

...

218. While noting that the State party’s efforts to promote gender equality appear to be oriented primarily towards the framework of European Union provisions, the Committee is concerned that the Convention has not been given central importance as a legally binding human rights instrument and basis for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the advancement of women.

219. The Committee urges the State party to base its efforts to achieve gender equality on the wide scope of the Convention, as a legally binding human rights instrument. It therefore urges the State party to take proactive measures to raise awareness about the Convention, in particular among parliamentarians, the judiciary and the legal profession.

•          France, CEDAW, A/58/38 part II (2003) 116 at paras. 255, 256, 265, 266 and 276.

255. The Committee is concerned that, although according to article 55 of the Constitution the Convention has precedence over domestic law, there are no Court decisions that refer to the Convention.

256. The Committee recommends that the State party implement measures to create awareness of the Convention and the Optional Protocol to the Convention among the judiciary, prosecutors and lawyers.

...

265. The Committee is concerned that traditional customary practices, including polygamy, continue to exist in the French overseas territories, in contravention to the provisions of the Convention.

266. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen the implementation of the Convention in the French overseas territories. It also urges the State party to disseminate information on the Convention and the Optional Protocol to the Convention in the French overseas territories.

...

276. The Committee urges the State party to take effective measures to eliminate discrimination against immigrant, refugee and minority women, both in society at large and within their communities. It urges the State party to respect and promote the human rights of women over discriminatory cultural practices, and take effective and proactive measures, including awareness-raising programmes to sensitize the community to combat patriarchal attitudes and stereotyping of roles and to eliminate discrimination against women in immigrant and minority communities...

•          Ecuador, CEDAW, A/58/38 part II (2003) 122 at paras. 327 and 328.

327. Despite the reform of the Electoral Law, the Committee is concerned at the low percentage of political participation of women...

328. The Committee recommends that the State party should adopt strategies to increase the number of women taking part in decision-making positions at all levels, including the introduction of temporary special measures, in conformity with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, to strengthen its efforts to promote women to positions of power in both the public and private sectors, supported by special training programmes and campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of women’s participation in the country’s political life.

•          Japan, CEDAW, A/58/38 part II (2003) 130 at paras. 358, 360, 367 and 368.

358. The Committee recommends that a definition of discrimination against women, encompassing both direct and indirect discrimination in line with article 1 of the Convention, be included in domestic legislation. It also recommends campaigns to raise awareness about the Convention, in particular the meaning and scope of indirect discrimination, aimed, inter alia, at parliamentarians, the judiciary and the legal profession in general.

...

360. The Committee recommends that the State party design and implement comprehensive programmes in the educational system, including human rights education and gender equality training, and disseminate information on the Convention and the Government’s commitment to gender equality, with a view to changing existing stereotypical attitudes on women’s and men’s roles...It recommends that awareness-raising campaigns be intensified and that the media be encouraged to project a positive image of women and of the equal status and responsibilities of women and men in the private and public spheres.

...

367. While welcoming the guidelines for the expansion of recruitment and promotion of women in national advisory councils and the setting of a numerical goal of 30 per cent for leadership positions in all sectors of society by the year 2020, the Committee is concerned about the low representation of women in high-level elected bodies including in the Diet, local assemblies, the judiciary and the diplomatic service, and as mayors, prosecutors and police.

368. The Committee recommends that the State party take further measures to increase the representation of women in political and public life through, inter alia, the implementation of temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, in order to realize women’s right to participation in all areas of public life, particularly at high levels of policy- and decision-making. The Committee urges the State party to support training programmes for future women leaders and carry out awareness-raising campaigns regarding the importance of women’s representation in decision-making for achieving gender equality.

•          New Zealand, CEDAW, A/58/38 part II (2003) 138 at paras. 415 and 416.

415. The Committee expresses concern at the prevalence of gender-based violence, including rape and sexual and domestic violence within the family...

416. ...In the light of its general recommendation 19, the Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that all violence against women is prosecuted and punished...It further recommends that the number of shelters for women victims of violence be increased and that public officials, especially law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health-care providers and social workers, are fully sensitized to all forms of violence against women. The Committee calls upon the State party to create public awareness of violence against women as an infringement of women’s human rights that has grave social costs for the whole community.

•          Kuwait, CEDAW, A/59/38 part I (2004) 15 at paras. 63, 71 and 75.

63. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the primacy, direct applicability and enforceability of the Convention within the national legal framework of Kuwait. The Committee recommends that the State party launch a comprehensive programme of dissemination, education and training on the Convention, in particular for government officials and legislators, as well as judicial officers, including law enforcement officials and the judiciary, and for civil society and the public at large with a view to ensuring that the provisions of the Convention are known and implemented in Kuwait.

...

71. The Committee urges the State party to design, implement and strengthen comprehensive awareness-raising measures to foster a better understanding of equality between women and men, at all levels of society, with a view to eradicating traditional stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society. It also recommends that the State party encourage the media to promote cultural changes with regard to the roles and responsibilities attributed to women and men, as required by article 5 of the Convention.

...

75. ...The Committee...recommends that the State party take measures to increase the representation of women in all areas of public life, including at the decision-making level, and in law enforcement, the judiciary and the diplomatic corps, through the use of temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, and general recommendation 25, as well as general recommendation 23. The Committee encourages the State party to undertake and support awareness-raising programmes on the importance of women’s representation, in particular at decision-making levels, in all areas of public life.

•          Bhutan, CEDAW, A/59/38 (2004) 21 at paras. 108 and 120.

108. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and in the light of general recommendations 23 and 25, to increase the number of women at national and local decision-making levels in government, governmental bodies and public administration, provide targeted training programmes for women, and conduct, on a regular basis, awareness-raising campaigns to encourage women to participate in public life in decision-making positions.

...

120. The Committee calls upon the State party to increase the access of women and adolescent girls to affordable health-care services, including reproductive health care, and to increase access to affordable means of family planning for women and men. It also calls upon the State party to step up its efforts to implement awareness-raising campaigns targeting women and men on the importance of family planning and related aspects of women’s health and reproductive rights.

•          Kyrgyzstan, CEDAW, A/59/38 part I (2004) 28 at paras. 153, 154, 161, 162, 166 and 168-170.

153. The Committee is concerned that the judiciary, law enforcement personnel and women in general are not familiar with the Convention or with existing laws to promote gender equality, including the law on social and legal protection against violence in the family, and the procedures for their application and enforcement.

154. The Committee urges the State party to introduce education and training programmes on the Convention and on existing laws to promote gender equality, in particular for the judiciary, law enforcement personnel and parliamentarians. It recommends that awareness-raising campaigns targeted at women be undertaken to enhance women’s awareness of their rights and to ensure that women can avail themselves of procedures and remedies for violations of their rights under the Convention and those laws.

...

161. Despite the enactment of the law on social and legal protection against violence in the family and efforts to combat domestic violence, the Committee is concerned at the continuing hidden nature of domestic violence and the inadequate performance of the police in dealing with the reporting from the victims...

162. The Committee recommends that an extensive, public awareness-raising campaign against violence in the family be launched nationwide and that strengthened training programmes for the police and the judiciary be provided so as to ensure that the rights of victims of domestic violence are properly protected...

...

166. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen and implement measures to increase the representation of women in elected and appointed bodies through, inter alia, the implementation of temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and general recommendation 25, in order to realize women’s right to equal participation in all areas of public life, particularly at high levels of decision-making...The Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts in carrying out awareness-raising campaigns regarding the importance of women’s equal participation in political and public decision-making and in the diplomatic service.

...

168. The Committee urges the State party to monitor carefully the persistence of discriminatory cultural practices and stereotypes and intensify its efforts to eliminate them. It urges the State party to encourage men to share family responsibilities, to direct its awareness-raising programmes to both women and men, and to take action to change stereotypical attitudes and perceptions as to men’s and women’s roles and responsibilities. It recommends that the State party encourage the media to promote a positive image of women and of the equal status and responsibilities of women and men in both the private and public spheres.

169. The Committee is concerned at the continuing existence of bride abduction and polygamy, despite the legal prohibition of these practices.

170. The Committee recommends...that the State party take comprehensive and effective measures, including the training of the judiciary and law enforcement officials and public awareness-raising campaigns, to eliminate these practices.

•          Nepal, CEDAW, A/59/38 part I (2004) 34 at paras. 194 and 209.

194. The Committee commends the State party’s partnership with civil society on women’s issues and its cooperation with civil society in disseminating information on the Convention, including the concluding comments that followed the consideration of the initial report. It welcomes the fact that these concluding comments were translated into Nepali to foster a better understanding of the human rights of women.

...

209. The Committee recommends action without delay by the State party to enforce its marriage laws, particularly as they relate to the prohibition of child marriage and polygamy, in the light of general recommendation 21 on equality in marriage and family relations, and urges the State party to take steps to abolish other harmful and discriminatory traditional practices, such as dowry deuki, jhuma, kumari pratha, and badi. The Committee also recommends that the State party take comprehensive and effective measures, including the training of the judiciary and law enforcement officials and public awareness-raising campaigns aimed at eliminating these practices...

•          Ethiopia, CEDAW, A/59/38 part I (2004) 42 at paras. 242, 251, 252, 254-256, 263 and 264.

242. The Committee urges the State party to enforce the supremacy of the Constitution over regional laws and encourages it to proceed, as a matter of urgency, with the full implementation of the provisions of the Convention throughout the country...The Committee also calls on the State party to launch, at the national level, a comprehensive programme of dissemination of the Convention, targeting women and men, in order to enhance awareness about and promote and protect the rights of women.

...

251. The Committee is concerned about the continuing persistence of entrenched traditional discriminatory practices, including the 80 per cent of girls and women who undergo female genital mutilation and inheritance of a widow with all her property, and strong stereotypical attitudes in respect of the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society, which negatively affect women’s enjoyment of their human rights.

252. The Committee urges the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes targeting women and men in order to foster a better understanding of equality between women and men at all levels of society, with a view to changing negative social and cultural patterns of conduct and stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society and to eliminate female genital mutilation and widowhood practices. The Committee also calls upon the State party to periodically review the measures taken in order to better assess their impact...

...

254. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to achieve free and timely registration of all births and undertake awareness-raising measures, throughout the country, particularly in rural areas, on the importance of registering births and the negative effects of early marriage on women’s enjoyment of human rights, especially the rights to health and education.

255. The Committee is concerned that no specific legislation has been enacted to combat violence against women, including domestic violence...

256. The Committee urges the State party to expedite the adoption and implementation of a national strategy to combat violence against women...The Committee also recommends that the State party step up its efforts, through public awareness and education campaigns targeting the general public, with a particular focus on the judiciary, the police and medical personnel, to bring about attitudinal and behavioural changes to make such violence socially and morally unacceptable.

...

263. The Committee, while noting the slight increase in women’s political participation, is concerned that the representation of women in decision-making positions in the various areas and levels of political and public life is still low.

264. The Committee requests the State party, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, to take effective measures, such as implementation of targeted training programmes and awareness-raising campaigns, to encourage women to participate in public life and to highlight the importance to the society as a whole of women’s full and equal participation in the development and decision-making processes, in accordance with general recommendation 23 on women in public and political life.

•          Nigeria, CEDAW, A/59/38 part I (2004) 49 at paras. 296 and 298.

296. The Committee...urges the State party to step up its efforts at awareness-raising with regard to the Convention in order to create an enabling environment for legal reform and legal literacy.

...

298. The Committee urges the State party to place high priority on putting in place comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women in the family and in society and to recognize that such violence constitutes a violation of the human rights of women under the Convention, and in the light of general recommendation 19 on violence against women...The Committee invites the State party to take awareness-raising measures through the media and public education programmes to make such violence socially and morally unacceptable.

•          Belarus, CEDAW, A/59/38 part I (2004) 55 at paras. 341, 342 and 348.

341. The Committee is concerned that there is insufficient awareness of the Convention and the procedures for its application and enforcement, as well as of women’s human rights in general, including among the judiciary, law enforcement personnel and women themselves.

342. The Committee urges the State party to introduce education and training programmes on the Convention, in particular for parliamentarians, the judiciary, the police and other law enforcement personnel. It recommends that awareness-raising campaigns targeted at women be undertaken to enhance women’s awareness of their human rights and to ensure that women can avail themselves of procedures and remedies for violations of their rights under the Convention.

...

348. The Committee urges the State party to place high priority on implementing comprehensive measures to address violence against women in the family and in society, in accordance with its general recommendation 19...The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure that public officials, especially the police and other law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health-care providers and social workers, are fully sensitized to all forms of violence against women. The Committee invites the State party to take awareness-raising measures to prevent and combat violence against women through the media and public education programmes...

•          Germany, CEDAW, A/59/38 part I (2004) 62 at paras. 385, 390, 391, 394, 395 and 401.

385. The Committee recommends that policies be strengthened and programmes implemented, including awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at women and men, and specifically at media and advertising agencies, to help ensure the elimination of stereotypes associated with traditional roles in the family and the workplace, and in society at large. It also recommends that the media be encouraged to project a positive image of women and that concerted efforts be made to change men’s and society’s perception of women as sex objects.

...

390. The Committee is concerned that the Convention has not received the same degree of visibility and importance as regional legal instruments, particularly European Union directives, and is therefore not cited regularly as the legal basis for measures, including legislation, for the elimination of discrimination against women and the advancement of women in the State party.

391. The Committee urges the State party to place greater emphasis on the Convention as a legally binding human rights instrument in its efforts to achieve the goal of gender equality. It also urges the State party to take proactive measures to enhance awareness of the Convention, in particular among parliamentarians, the judiciary and the legal profession at both the Federal level and the level of the Länder.

...

394. The Committee is concerned about the situation of migrant and minority women, including Sinti and Roma women, who suffer from multiple forms of discrimination based on sex, ethnic or religious background and race, and at the vulnerability of some of these women to trafficking and sexual exploitation...

395. The Committee urges the State party to take effective measures to eliminate discrimination against migrant and minority women, both in society at large and within their communities, and to respect and promote their human rights, through effective and proactive measures, including awareness-raising programmes...

...

401. ...The Committee...recommends the implementation of educational and information programmes on the human rights issues involved in the exploitation of prostitution.

•          Latvia, CEDAW, A/59/38 part II (2004) 103 at paras. 47 and 48.

47. Although international human rights treaties are directly applicable, the Committee is concerned that neither women in general, nor the judiciary or law enforcement personnel in particular are sufficiently familiar with the Convention and the opportunities for its application by domestic courts.

48. The Committee calls upon the State party to take additional measures to disseminate information about the Convention and implement programmes for judges and lawyers that include the application of the Convention at the domestic level. It also recommends that sustained awareness-raising campaigns targeting women and non-governmental organizations working on women’s issues be undertaken to encourage and equip women to avail themselves of procedures and remedies for violations of their rights under the Convention.

•          Malta, CEDAW, A/59/38 part II (2004) 111 at paras. 98 and 106.

98. ...In order to ensure wide understanding and implementation of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party consider making the text of the Convention available in both Maltese and English. It also recommends that the State party continue to organize information and awareness-raising campaigns on a regular basis on the content of and obligations resulting from the Convention and the general recommendations of the Committee, with particular focus on the role of legislators, policy makers, senior public officials, the judiciary, and the legal profession, in the implementation of the Convention. It also recommends that the impact of such campaigns be evaluated at regular intervals.

...

106. The Committee strongly recommends the organization of awareness-raising campaigns, on the basis of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations, at regular intervals to foster a better understanding at all levels of society of the equal status and joint responsibilities of women and men in the family and in family care. These campaigns should be targeted at teachers in all educational establishments at all levels, marriage counsellors, the police force, social and health workers and church authorities, and the impact of such campaigns should be evaluated. It also recommends that the media be encouraged to project positive images of women and men in non-traditional activities...

•          Angola, CEDAW, A/59/38 part II (2004) 118 at paras. 140, 141, 147, 153 and 155 .

140. ...The Committee...notes with concern that the provisions of the Convention have not yet been widely disseminated nor are they widely known by judges, lawyers and prosecutors. The Committee is further concerned about the lack of proper understanding of and respect for women’s human rights and that women themselves are not made aware of their rights, and thus lack the capacity to claim them.

141. The Committee...calls on the State party to ensure that the Convention and related domestic legislation are made an integral part of legal education and the training of judicial officers, including judges, lawyers and prosecutors, so as to establish firmly in the country a legal culture supportive of women’s equality and non-discrimination. It also calls on the State party to disseminate the Convention widely to the general public so as to create awareness of women’s human rights. It invites the State party to take special measures to enhance women’s awareness of their rights and legal literacy so that they can claim all their rights.

...

147. The Committee urges the State party to view culture as a dynamic aspect of the country’s social fabric and life, and subject, therefore, to change. It urges the State party to introduce measures without delay to modify or eliminate cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women, in conformity with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention, and ensure that women’s rights to non-discrimination and equality set forth in the provisions of the Convention prevail. It urges the State party to undertake such efforts in collaboration with civil society organizations, women’s groups and community leaders, as well as teachers and the media. It invites the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement comprehensive education and awareness-raising programmes targeting women and men at all levels of society, with a view to creating an enabling and supportive environment to transform and change discriminatory stereotypes and allowing women to exercise their human rights.

...

153. The Committee urges the State party to place high priority on putting comprehensive measures in place to address all forms of violence against women and girls, recognizing that such violence constitutes a violation of the human rights of women under the Convention and further elaborated in the Committee’s general recommendation 19 on violence against women...The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its public awareness-raising efforts on violence against women and implement training for public officials, especially police and law enforcement personnel, the judiciary and health and social workers and community leaders, in order to ensure that they are sensitized to the unacceptability of all forms of violence against women and adequately support victims of such violence...

...

155. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake measures to increase the number of women in decision-making positions in all spheres, in accordance with its general recommendation 23 on women in political and public life, including in the National Assembly, in political parties, the judiciary and the civil service, including the foreign service...It also calls on the State party to implement awareness-raising campaigns to highlight the importance to society as a whole of women’s full and equal participation in leadership positions at all levels of decision-making for the development of the country, especially at a time of rebuilding and reconstruction after the long war.

•          Equatorial Guinea, CEDAW, A/59/38 part II (2004) 126 at paras. 191-198 and 202.

191. ...The Committee is...concerned that most women lack the necessary information and resources to gain access to the civil courts and are still subject to the jurisdiction of traditional courts that apply customary law.

192. ...The Committee...urges the State party to put in place measures to ensure women’s access to the civil courts, including raising awareness on available legal remedies and the provision of legal aid.

193. ...The Committee notes that education is a key to the advancement of women and that the low level of education of women and girls remains one of the most serious impediments to their full enjoyment of human rights.

194. The Committee urges the State party to raise awareness of the importance of education as a fundamental human right and as a basis for the empowerment of women and to take steps to overcome traditional attitudes that constitute obstacles to girls’ education...

195. The Committee is concerned about the persistence of deep-rooted adverse cultural norms, customs and traditions, including forced and early marriage, widowhood practices, levirate and the use of the dowry, as well as the prevalence of stereotypes that discriminate against women and constitute serious obstacles to women’s enjoyment of their human rights. The Committee is concerned about the State party’s limited efforts to directly address such discriminatory cultural practices and stereotypes and its position that women themselves are primarily responsible for changing their position of disadvantage.

196. The Committee urges the introduction without delay of measures to modify or eliminate customs and cultural and traditional practices that discriminate against women so as to promote women’s full enjoyment of their human rights in conformity with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. The Committee encourages the State party to undertake such efforts in collaboration with civil society organizations, women’s non-governmental organizations and community leaders and to increase its efforts to design and implement comprehensive education and awareness-raising programmes targeting women and men at all levels of society, with a view to changing discriminatory social and cultural patterns of conduct about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society, and to creating an enabling and supportive environment for women to exercise their human rights...

197. While welcoming the abolition, by presidential decree, of imprisonment of women for non-repayment of dowries following separation or divorce from their husbands, the Committee remains concerned about lack of knowledge and implementation of the decree.

198. The Committee recommends that the State party put in place measures to raise awareness about the decree prohibiting imprisonment of women for non-repayment of dowries.

...

202. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to increase the number of women in decision-making positions in all spheres...To that end, the Committee urges the State party to implement and strengthen training and awareness-raising programmes to highlight the importance of women’s participation in decision-making at all levels and to create enabling, encouraging and supportive conditions for such participation.

•          Bangladesh, CEDAW, A/59/38 part II (2004) 134 at paras. 246, 248, 251 and 252.

246. The Committee urges the State party to undertake measures to design and implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes to change stereotypical attitudes and norms about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society and take measures to eliminate polygamy. It also calls upon the State party to periodically review the measures taken and assess their impact in order to identify shortcomings and make necessary changes to improve them.

...

248. The Committee urges the State party to adopt without delay a uniform Family Code that fully complies with the provisions of the Convention and general recommendation 21 on equality in marriage and family relations, as a way to protect the rights of all Bangladeshi women in matters related to marriage, divorce, custody, alimony and property inheritance. It recommends that the State party step up its efforts to provide awareness-raising and training, including on the importance of a uniform Family Code and the State party’s obligations under the Convention, to community leaders.

...

251. While welcoming the lifting of the ban on overseas employment of women domestic workers which had been imposed in 1998, the Committee is concerned about the vulnerability of Bangladeshi women migrant workers whose rights are not adequately protected by the State party.

252. ...The Committee...urges the State party to strengthen its information activities so as to ensure that potential women migrants are fully aware of their rights, as well as of the potential risks of such employment.

•          Spain, CEDAW, A/59/38 part II (2004) 149 at paras. 332, 333 and 335.

332. Notwithstanding the State party’s efforts to widely disseminate information on the Convention, the Committee remains concerned about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deeply rooted stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society, which are considered by the Committee to be a root cause of gender-based violence and women’s disadvantaged situation in a number of areas, including in the labour market.

333. The Committee calls upon the State party to take additional measures to eliminate stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including through awareness-raising and educational campaigns directed at both women and men and at the media, and carefully monitor the impact of such measures. It calls upon the State party to redouble its efforts to disseminate information on the Convention, the Optional Protocol and the Government’s commitment to gender equality. It recommends that the State party make targeted efforts at advancing the understanding of parenting as a social responsibility of both mothers and fathers. It recommends that the media be further encouraged to project a positive image of women and of the equal status and responsibilities of women and men in the private and public spheres...

...

335. The Committee calls upon the State party to intensify its efforts to address the issue of violence against women, including domestic violence, as an infringement of their human rights...It recommends that the State party ensure that public officials, especially law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health-care providers and social workers, are fully sensitized to all forms of violence against women. The Committee also invites the State party to undertake sustained awareness-raising measures through the media and public education programmes to reinforce the notion that such violence is socially and morally unacceptable, and constitutes discrimination against women.

•          Argentina, CEDAW, A/59/38 part II (2004) 155 at para. 379.

379. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that a comprehensive approach is taken to address violence against women and girls, taking into account its general recommendation 19 on violence against women...The Committee...recommends that the State party launch a national public-awareness campaign on violence, against women and the social and moral unacceptability of such violence especially in the current difficult time the country is experiencing, and increase its efforts to provide gender-sensitive training on violence against women as a violation of women’s human rights for public officials, particularly law enforcement personnel, the judiciary and health-service providers.

•          Samoa, CEDAW, A/60/38 part I (2005) 9 at paras. 52, 53, 60 and 61.

52. The Committee is concerned about the continuing low representation of women in public life and decision-making, including women’s limited access to family chiefly titles (matai) and their resulting low representation in the Parliament. It is concerned that sociocultural stereotypes and traditions continue to prevent women from seeking public, and especially elective, office.

53. The Committee encourages the State party to take sustained and proactive measures to increase the representation of women in elected and appointed bodies in all areas of political and public life...It calls upon the State party to carry out awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of women’s participation in public and political life and in decision-making positions, with a view to eliminating customs and practices that discriminate against women, in accordance with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention...

...

60. The Committee is concerned about the persistence of discriminatory provisions in family law, especially in regard to marriage, as well as the persistence of traditions that discriminate against women and girls...

61. The Committee urges the State party to give high priority to the planned revision of the law governing marriage, its dissolution and family relations so as to ensure compliance with article 16 of the Convention and in line with the Committee’s general recommendation 23 on marriage and family relations. The Committee also recommends that the State party undertake awareness-raising measures to address cultural patterns of conduct that are discriminatory against women and girls in these areas.

•          Lao People’s Democratic Republic, CEDAW, A/60/38 part I (2005) 16 at paras. 98 and 99.

98. The Committee is concerned about the prevalence of traditional gender-role stereotyping, which leads to disparities in leadership and decision-making in all spheres, including in the family, in the community and in public life.

99. The Committee recommends that a concerted nationwide campaign be undertaken to eliminate the pervasive traditional gender role stereotyping and to promote public awareness on issues of gender equality in all spheres of life.

•          Algeria CEDAW, A/60/38 part I (2005) 23 at paras. 149, 150, 153 and 154.

149. The Committee is concerned about the high incidence of violence against women, including domestic violence, and about the continuing lack of specific legislation to address and eliminate violence against women.

150. In the light of its general recommendation 19, the Committee urges the State party to give high priority to the formulation and adoption of legislation on violence against women, including domestic violence, which is a form of discrimination against women and a violation of their human rights. The Committee recommends that the State party implement measures to prevent all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, through education and awareness raising for law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health providers, social workers and the general public...

...

153. The Committee expresses concern that discriminatory practices and strong stereotypical attitudes persist about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society, hence negatively affecting women’s enjoyment of their rights and impeding the full implementation of the Convention.

154. The Committee urges the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes to foster a better understanding of and support for equality between women and men at all levels of society. Such efforts should aim to change stereotypical attitudes and traditional norms about the responsibilities and roles of women and men in the family and society and to strengthen societal support for equality between women and men.

•          Croatia, CEDAW, A/60/38 part I (2005) 30 at paras. 198 and 199.

198. While recognizing the State party’s efforts to address violence against women, the Committee is concerned about the high incidence of domestic violence, the limited number of shelters available for women victims of violence and the lack of clear procedures, or protocols, for law enforcement and health-care personnel who respond to cases of domestic violence...

199. The Committee urges the State party to place high priority on the implementation of the Law on Protection from Family Violence and to make it widely known to public officials and society at large, as well as promptly to complete and implement its national strategy for protection from domestic violence which is under preparation...It also calls on the State party to ensure that public officials, especially law enforcement personnel, the judiciary, health-care providers and social workers, are fully familiar with applicable legal provisions, and are sensitized to all forms of violence against women and adequately respond to them.

•          Gabon, CEDAW, A/60/38 part I (2005) 37 at paras. 229, 230, 233 and 236.

229. While noting that women’s access to justice and redress for alleged violations of their rights is provided for by law, the Committee is concerned that their ability to exercise this right in practice and to bring cases of discrimination before the courts may be inhibited by economic or cultural obstacles.

230. The Committee urges the State party to remove impediments and ensure access to affordable, effective and expeditious means of redress for women, including through awareness-raising about the availability of remedies against discrimination, and the provision of legal aid. The Committee also encourages the State party to monitor the effectiveness of such efforts.

...

233. The Committee is concerned about the lack of specific legislation to eliminate violence against women, including domestic violence.

...

236. In accordance with its general recommendation 19, the Committee urges the State party to give high priority to putting in place comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls, recognizing that such violence is a form of discrimination against women and constitutes a violation of their human rights under the Convention...The Committee recommends that the State party also implement educational and awareness-raising measures aimed at law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health providers, social workers, community leaders and the general public, in order to ensure that they are sensitized to the unacceptability of all forms of violence against women...

•          Paraguay, CEDAW, A/60/38 part I (2005) 44 at paras. 280, 285, 286, 291 and 292.

280. The Committee urges the State party to take a comprehensive approach to violence against women and girls...The Committee invites the State party to intensify its efforts to increase awareness among public officials, especially law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health-care providers and social workers and to reinforce the notion that such violence is socially and morally unacceptable and constitutes discrimination against women and violates their human rights...

...

285. While taking note of the amendments to the Labour Code in regard to domestic workers, the Committee remains concerned about the lack of enforcement of the Code in the public and private sectors...The Committee is particularly concerned about the high number of girls performing domestic work without remuneration.

286. The Committee urges the State party to put in place effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure the enforcement of existing legislation, particularly as it applies to domestic workers...It also encourages the State party to implement awareness-raising campaigns through the media and public education programmes on the situation of girls performing domestic work...

...

291. The Committee is concerned about the poor conditions of indigenous women, including monolingual Guaraní women, reflected in their high illiteracy rates, which surpass the national average, low school enrolment rates, poor access to health care and significant levels of poverty, which lead them to migrate to urban centres where they are even more vulnerable to multiple forms of discrimination.

292. The Committee urges the State party to ensure that all policies and programmes explicitly address the high illiteracy rates and the needs of indigenous women, including monolingual Guaraní women, and to actively seek their participation in the formulation and implementation of sectoral policies and programmes...The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its programmes of dissemination, education and training on the Convention and its Optional Protocol for indigenous women, including monolingual Guaraní women.

•          Italy, CEDAW, A/60/38 part I (2005) 51 at paras. 322 and 323.

322. The Committee remains concerned about the persistence and pervasiveness of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society. These stereotypes undermine women’s social status, present a significant impediment to the implementation of the Convention and are a root cause of women’s disadvantaged position in a number of areas, including in the labour market and in political and public life. The Committee is also deeply concerned about the portrayal of women in the media and in advertising as sex objects and in stereotypical roles.

323. The Committee calls upon the State party to adopt a large-scale, comprehensive and coordinated programme to combat the widespread acceptance of stereotypical roles of men and women, including awareness-raising and educational campaigns aimed at women and men, to help ensure the elimination of stereotypes associated with men’s and women’s traditional roles in the family and in society at large, in accordance with articles 2(f) and 5(a) of the Convention. It recommends that the State party make every effort to disseminate information on the Convention among both private and public actors to increase awareness and understanding of the meaning and content of the substantive equality of women. It also recommends that the media and advertising agencies be specifically targeted and encouraged to project an image of women as equal partners in all spheres of life and that concerted efforts be made to change the perception of women as sex objects and primarily responsible for child-rearing.

•          Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, CEDAW, A/60/38 part II (2005) 101 at paras. 38, 53, 54, 57 and 58.

38. The Committee...recommends that the State party carry out awareness-raising campaigns on the Convention, in particular the meaning and scope of indirect discrimination, aimed, inter alia, at legislators, the judiciary and the legal profession.

...

53. The Committee notes with concern the persistence of traditional and stereotyped assumptions and attitudes in respect of the roles and responsibilities of women and men, which are discriminatory against women and have a pronounced impact, particularly in the areas of education and employment as well as in other areas of their lives. For example, the Committee is concerned at the stereotyping of women, which perceives them exclusively as caregivers and homemakers and assigns them in areas such as education and employment to spheres suitable to their “characteristics”. The Committee is concerned that such expectations of women have serious consequences, preventing them from accessing rights and entitlements on an equal basis with men and creating a dependency on men, husbands and family for housing, food entitlements and other services. It is also concerned that in times of economic crisis, as in the current situation of the country, women’s prescribed roles and lesser entitlement intensifies their hardship and amounts to multiple discrimination.

54. The Committee urges the State party to increase its efforts to address stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men, including the hidden patterns that perpetuate direct and indirect discrimination against women and girls in the areas of education and employment and in all other areas of their lives, in accordance with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. Those efforts should include educational measures at all levels, beginning at an early age; the revision of school textbooks and curricula; and awareness-raising campaigns directed at both women and men to address stereotypes regarding the roles of women and men.

...

57. The Committee is concerned about the practice of encouraging conciliation among spouses that apply for divorce, with the aim of protecting family unity, which could be detrimental to women who are victims of domestic violence and other forms of abuse.

58. ...The Committee recommends gender-sensitive training for legislators, the judiciary and public officials, particularly for law enforcement personnel and health service providers. It also recommends the establishment of counselling services for victims of violence and the implementation of awareness-raising campaigns and public education programmes.

•          Lebanon, CEDAW, A/60/38 part II (2005) 109 at paras. 105 and 106.

105. The Committee is strongly concerned about the pervasiveness of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted traditional and cultural stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family, in the workplace and in society, thus constituting serious obstacles to women’s enjoyment of their human rights and impeding the full implementation of the Convention.

106. The Committee urges the State party to increase its efforts to design and implement comprehensive awareness-raising programmes to foster a better understanding of and support for equality between women and men at all levels of society. Such efforts should aim at modifying stereotypical attitudes and traditional norms about the responsibilities and roles of women and men in the family, the workplace and in society, as required under articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention, and to strengthen societal support for equality between women and men.

•          Benin, CEDAW, A/60/38 part II (2005) 116 at paras. 145-150, 153 and 154.

145. While the Committee notes with satisfaction that, following ratification, international treaties prevail over national laws, it remains concerned about the status of implementation of the Convention...

146. The Committee...recommends the implementation of campaigns to raise awareness about the Convention and the State party’s obligations under the Convention, including the meaning and scope of substantive equality between women and men. Such efforts should be aimed at the general public and especially at public officials, the judiciary and the legal profession...

147. While welcoming the adoption of the Personal and Family Code in 2004, aimed at eliminating discrimination against women and abolishing many discriminatory provisions of the customary law of Dahomey, including polygamy, levirate marriage and discrimination in inheritance rights and the age of marriage, the Committee remains concerned about the application of customary practices and the consequences thereof. It is also concerned about the prevalence of structural patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes that may undermine the effectiveness of the Code and prevent compliance with its provisions. The Committee expresses similar concerns regarding the effectiveness of the law on female genital mutilation...

148. The Committee calls upon the State party to develop and implement comprehensive educational measures and awareness-raising campaigns on the provisions of the Personal and Family Code and on other laws designed to eliminate discrimination against women, so as to achieve full compliance with their provisions...The Committee recommends that those efforts be undertaken in combination with educational programmes designed to raise awareness and challenge discriminatory harmful customs, traditions, practices and stereotypical attitudes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women in the family and society, as required under articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. The Committee encourages the State party to undertake these efforts in collaboration with civil society and women’s and human rights organizations, and to target women and men in all segments of society, including public officials at all levels of government, community and traditional leaders, employers and the general public.

149. The Committee is concerned about the absence of policies and programmes, including legislation, to address violence against women and the economic exploitation and ill-treatment of young girls employed as domestic servants. The Committee is particularly concerned about the perception prevalent in the State party that violence against women, particularly domestic violence, is a private matter, and about the reluctance of women to report incidents of violence committed against them...

150. The Committee urges the State party to accord priority attention to the adoption of comprehensive measures to combat violence against women and girls, in accordance with its general recommendation 19 on violence against women...The Committee recommends that training be undertaken for the judiciary and public officials, particularly law enforcement personnel, and for health-service providers, so as to ensure that they are sensitized to all forms of violence against women and can adequately respond to it. It also recommends the implementation of awareness-raising campaigns, through the media and public education programmes, and working towards a zero-tolerance policy on all forms of violence against women...

...

153. The Committee is concerned about the low level of representation of women in public and political life and in decision-making positions, including at the international level. It notes with concern the absence of proactive measures to increase women’s participation in political and public life...

154. The Committee draws the State party’s attention to general recommendation 23 on the participation of women in public life and urges full implementation of the measures recommended therein...The Committee encourages the State party to implement and strengthen training and awareness-raising programmes to highlight the link between the application of temporary special measures and the achievement of substantive equality between women and men, as well as the importance of women’s participation in decision-making at all levels, including at the international level, and to create enabling, encouraging and supportive conditions for such participation.

•          Gambia, CEDAW, A/60/38 part II (2005) 122 at paras. 191-194, 209 and 210.

191. The Committee expresses concern about the persistence of strong patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in society, which are discriminatory against women. The Committee is concerned that the persistence of such discriminatory cultural practices and traditional attitudes perpetuates women’s subordination in the family and society and produces serious obstacles to women’s enjoyment of their human rights. The Committee regrets that no systematic action has been taken by the State party to modify or eliminate negative harmful cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women.

192. The Committee urges the State party to view culture as a dynamic aspect of the country’s social fabric and life, and subject, therefore, to change. It urges the State party to introduce measures without delay to modify or eliminate negative harmful cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women, in conformity with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. It urges the State party to undertake such efforts in collaboration with civil society organizations, women’s groups and community leaders, as well as teachers and the media. It invites the State party to design and implement comprehensive education and awareness-raising programmes targeting women and men at all levels of society, with a view to creating an enabling environment for the transformation of discriminatory stereotypes and allowing women to exercise their rights under the Convention.

193. The Committee expresses concern about the lack of legislation, policies and programmes to address violence against women, including domestic violence...The Committee is further concerned about the lack of social awareness on the issue of violence against women and girls in the country.

194. The Committee requests the State party to adopt comprehensive measures to address violence against women and girls in accordance with its general recommendation 19...The Committee recommends the implementation of training for law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health providers, social workers and the general public so as to ensure that they are sensitized to all forms of violence against women and can adequately respond to it. It also recommends the implementation of awareness-raising campaigns, through the media and public education programmes, and working towards a zero-tolerance policy on all forms of violence against women.

...

209. While welcoming the adoption of the Children’s Act, which includes provisions against child marriage and child betrothal, the Committee expresses concern about the high incidence of early marriage in the country.

210. The Committee urges the State party to ensure the implementation of the Children’s Act and to undertake awareness-raising measures throughout the country on the negative effects of early marriage on women’s enjoyment of their human rights, especially the rights to health and education.

•          Israel, CEDAW, A/60/38 part II (2005) 129 at paras. 239, 240, 261 and 262.

239. The Committee is concerned...about the lack of mechanisms to monitor and ensure the compatibility of domestic laws with the State party’s obligations under the Convention.

240. ...The Committee recommends that the State party implement training and awareness-raising programmes to familiarize judges, prosecutors and other members of the legal profession with the provisions of the Convention.

...

261. The Committee is concerned by the State party’s assertion that it is not in a position to implement the law prohibiting polygamy and enforce the minimum age of marriage owing to respect for the privacy rights of persons engaging in such practices. The Committee is further concerned that petitions for the under-age marriage of girls are regularly granted.

262. The Committee urges the State party to take active measures to enforce the prohibition of polygamy and enforce adherence to the minimum age of marriage. The Committee recommends that the State party take comprehensive and effective measures, including public awareness-raising campaigns, aimed at eliminating the practices of polygamy and early-age marriage.

•          Guyana, CEDAW, A/60/38 part II (2005) 136 at paras. 291, 292 and 299-302.

291. While welcoming laws to eliminate discrimination against women, including the Equal Rights Act of 1990 and the Prevention of Discrimination Act of 1997, the Committee is concerned about the lack of systematic enforcement of existing legislation, of mechanisms to monitor and ensure compliance, and of effective remedies in case of breach. The Committee is also concerned about the insufficient availability of legal aid to women, in particular women living in rural areas and hinterlands; their lack of awareness about legislation aimed at eliminating discrimination against women; and continuing reluctance, or inability of women to seek legal redress in cases of discrimination.

292. The Committee urges...the State party to ensure full compliance by public authorities and institutions with legislation aimed at prevention of discrimination against women, increase the availability of legal aid to women in all parts of the country and sensitize the judiciary and law enforcement personnel to gender equality issues. The Committee urges the State party to take special measures to enhance women’s awareness of their rights and legal literacy so that they can better avail themselves of available remedies and mechanisms of redress against violations of their rights under the Convention.

...

299. The Committee is concerned that the purpose of temporary special measures, as called for under article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, may not be widely understood in the State party and that such measures, which aim at accelerating de facto equality as well as programmes and policies targeted specifically at women, may be considered as discriminating against men.

300. The Committee recommends that the State party, in its policies and programmes, clearly distinguish between general social and economic policies that also benefit women and temporary special measures under article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention that are necessary to accelerate the achievement of de facto equality for women in various areas, as clarified by the Committee in general recommendation 25. It also recommends that the State party implement information and awareness-raising campaigns on a regular basis on the content of, and obligations resulting from, the Convention and the general recommendations of the Committee, with particular focus on the role of legislators, policymakers, senior public officials, the judiciary and the legal profession. The Committee urges the State party to design, implement and strengthen awareness-raising measures to foster a better understanding of equality between women and men at all levels of society.

301. While noting the Domestic Violence Act of 1996, the Committee expresses concern about the insufficient measures to ensure its effective implementation; lack of an effective monitoring mechanism; and insufficient support measures for victims of domestic violence, such as shelters and legal, medical and psychological support. The Committee is also concerned that victims are reluctant to report cases of abuse for fear of being stigmatized...

302. ...The Committee requests the State party to strengthen its efforts to train the police and ensure that public officials, especially law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health-care providers and social workers, are fully sensitized to all forms of violence against women and adequately equipped to support victims of such violence. The Committee also calls on the State party to take measures, through the media and public education programmes, towards changing social, cultural and traditional attitudes that remain permissive of all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence against young girls...

•          Burkina Faso, CEDAW, A/60/38 part II (2005) 144 at para. 338.

338. In accordance with its general recommendation 19, the Committee urges the State party to give high priority to putting in place comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls, recognizing that such violence is a form of discrimination against women and constitutes a violation of their human rights under the Convention...The Committee recommends that the State party also implement educational and awareness-raising measures aimed at law enforcement officials, the judiciary, health providers, social workers, community leaders and the general public, in order to ensure that they understand that all forms of violence against women are unacceptable...

•          Ireland, CEDAW, A/60/38 part II (2005) 151 at paras. 381-383, 386 and 387.

381. The Committee recommends...campaigns to raise awareness of the Convention, including its interpretation by the Committee through its general recommendations, aimed, inter alia, at parliamentarians, government officials, the judiciary and the legal profession.

382. The Committee is concerned at the persistence of traditional stereotypical views of the social roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society at large, which are reflected in article 41.2 of the Constitution and its male-oriented language, as recognized by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution, in women’s educational choices and employment patterns, and in women’s low participation in political and public life.

383. The Committee recommends that the State party take additional measures to eliminate traditional stereotypical attitudes, including through sensitization and training of all educational actors and sustained awareness-raising campaigns directed at both women and men...Considering the important role of the media in regard to cultural change, the Committee furthermore recommends that the State party encourage the media to project a positive image of women and of the equal status and responsibilities of women and men in the private and public spheres.

...

386. While acknowledging the efforts made to address violence against women, including legislative measures, the provision of refuges and rape crisis centres, and research and awareness-raising initiatives, the Committee is concerned about the prevalence of violence against women and girls, low prosecution and conviction rates of perpetrators, high withdrawal rates of complaints and inadequate funding of organizations that provide support services to victims...

387. The Committee urges the State party to take all necessary measures to combat violence against women in conformity with the Committee’s general recommendation 19, to prevent violence, punish offenders and provide services for victims...The Committee recommends that sustained training and awareness-raising initiatives be carried out for public officials, the judiciary, health professionals and members of the public...

CAT

•          Denmark, CAT, A/57/44 (2002) 37 at para. 74.

74. The Committee recommends that:

...

(f) The State party widely disseminate the Committee's conclusions and recommendations, in all appropriate languages, in the country.

•          Cyprus, CAT, A/58/44 (2002) 21 at para. 36.

36. The Committee recommends that the State party widely disseminate the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations, in all appropriate languages, in the country.

See also:

•          Spain, CAT, A/58/44 (2002) 29 at para. 70.

•          Estonia, CAT, A/58/44 (2002) 26 at paras. 48 and 52.

48. The Committee notes the following positive developments:

...

(f) The publication of the reports of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the responses by the State party, which will enable a general debate among all interested parties;

(g) The commitment of the State party to continue its practice of publishing the concluding observations of the United Nations treaty bodies, as well as the reports submitted by Estonia to those bodies, on the web site of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs;

...

52. The Committee...recommends that the State party widely disseminate in the country any reports submitted by Estonia to the Committee, the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee, as well as the summary records of the review, in appropriate languages, including Estonian and Russian, through official web sites, the media and non-governmental organizations.

See also:

•          Azerbaijan, CAT, A/58/44 (2003) 36 at para. 89.

•          Belgium, CAT, A/58/44 (2003) 49 at para. 132.

•          Spain, CAT, A/58/44 (2002) 29 at para. 58.

58. The Committee...notes with satisfaction:

...

(b) The adoption of measures to protect the rights of detainees, such as the preparation of the Standards Handbook for Judicial Police Proceedings and its distribution to members of the State security and police forces and to judges and prosecutors. The Handbook lays down rules governing acts by officials, particularly in cases which entail specific restrictions on rights and freedoms;

(c) The efforts made to provide training programmes for officials of the State security and police forces;

...

•          Cambodia, CAT, A/58/44 (2003) 40 at para. 99.

99. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(j) Reinforce human rights education and promotion activities in general, and regarding the prohibition of torture in particular, for law enforcement officials and medical personnel, and introduce training in these subjects in official education programmes;

...

(n) Ensure the wide distribution of these conclusions and recommendations throughout Cambodia, in all the major languages.

•          Iceland, CAT, A/58/44 (2003) 43 at para. 106.

106. The Committee welcomes the fact that its previous conclusions and recommendations were translated into Icelandic language and widely disseminated.

•          Slovenia, CAT, A/58/44 (2003) 44 at para. 116.

116. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(g) Widely disseminate the reports submitted by Slovenia to the Committee and the conclusions and recommendations, in appropriate languages, through official web sites, the media and non-governmental organizations.

•          Turkey, CAT, A/58/44 (2003) 46 at para. 123.

123. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(j) Include the prevention of torture in the Human Rights Education Programme of Turkey (1998-2007) and ensure that all the new developments in legislation are made widely known to all public authorities;

(k) Intensify training of medical personnel with regard to the obligations set out in the Convention, in particular in the detection of signs of torture or ill-treatment and the preparation of forensic reports in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol;

...

•          Republic of Moldova, CAT, A/58/44 (2003) 53 at paras. 137 and 139.

137. The Committee welcomes the following positive aspects:

...

(b) The fact that the State party has agreed to publicize the reports and responses resulting from the visits of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). Furthermore, the State party has established a specialized Standing Coordinating Committee in regard to the matters dealt with by CPT;

...

139. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(k) Provide an information sheet in the appropriate languages in all police stations to inform all detainees of all their rights immediately after their arrest;

...

(m) Reinforce human rights education and promotion activities regarding the prohibition of torture, particularly for law enforcement and medical personnel, and introduce training in these subjects in official education programmes;

...

•          Chile, CAT, A/59/44 (2004) 28 at paras. 56 and 57.

56. The Committee expresses concern about the following:

(a) Allegations of continued ill-treatment of persons, in some cases amounting to torture, by carabineros (uniformed police), policía de investigaciones (civil police forces) and the gendarmería (prison guards), and reports of failure to conduct thorough and independent investigations into such complaints;

...

(g) The limited mandate of the National Commission on Political Imprisonment and Torture aimed at identifying victims of torture during the military regime and the conditions for obtaining reparation...

...

57. The Committee recommends that the State party should:

...

(i) Develop training programmes on the provisions of the Convention for judges and prosecutors as well as other law enforcement officials, including programmes on the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, for military officials, police, and other law enforcement personnel and others who may be involved in the custody, interrogation or treatment of persons at risk of torture; ensure that training programmes for medical specialists specifically deal with the identification and documentation of torture;

...

(k) Extend the term and mandate of the National Commission on Political Imprisonment and Torture to enable victims of all forms of torture, including victims of sexual violence, to file complaints. To this end:

(i) Initiate measures to better publicize the work of the Commission, utilizing all media, and clarifying the definition of torture by including a non-exhaustive list specifying various forms of torture, including sexual violence, on the forms victims must complete;

...

            •          Croatia, CAT, A/59/44 (2004) 38 at paras. 77 and 78.

77. The Committee is concerned about the following:

...

(d) In connection with asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants:

(i) The poor conditions of detention of those held in the Jezevo Reception Centre for Foreigners, including poor hygienic conditions and limited access to recreational activities;

(ii) The alleged cases of violence against those held in the Jezevo Reception Centre for Foreigners and the lack of prompt and impartial investigations into this matter;

(iii) The deprivation of their liberty for prolonged periods of time;

...

78. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(d) Make judges, prosecutors and lawyers fully aware of Croatia’s international obligations in the field of human rights, particularly those enshrined in the Convention;

...

(i) Provide an information sheet in the appropriate languages to inform asylum-seekers of the asylum procedures immediately after they are apprehended or arrive in the territory of the State party;

...

(o) Continue with its efforts to strengthen human rights education and training activities on the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment for law enforcement officials, medical personnel, public officials and other persons who may be involved in the custody, interrogation or treatment of any individual subjected to any form of arrest, detention or imprisonment;

...

•          Switzerland, CAT, A/60/44 (2005) 28 at para. 63.

63. The Committee notes the following positive aspects:

...

(e) The publication of the reports of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on its third and fourth visits to Switzerland and the response of the Government thereto, as well as the work being carried out by the State party’s authorities to implement recommendations contained therein, such as those concerning removals by air of foreign nationals and integration into the general police training programme of information concerning the risk of positional asphyxia during these deportations;

...

•          Albania, CAT, A/60/44 (2005) 34 at paras. 82-84.

82. ...[T]he Committee would like to commend:

...

(c) The publication of the reports of the four first visits of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Albania (CPT/Inf (2003)11) and of the response of the Government thereto (CPT/Inf (2003)12) as well as the assurance of the Government that it will soon authorize the publication of the report of the 2003 visit;

...

83. The Committee expresses concern:

...

(i) At the lack of implementation of the fundamental legal safeguards for persons detained by the police, including guaranteeing the right to inform a relative, access to a lawyer and a doctor of their own choice, the provision of information about their rights and, for juveniles, the presence of their legal guardians during interrogation;

...

84. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(i) Implement the fundamental legal safeguards for persons detained by the police, guaranteeing their rights to inform a relative, to have access to a lawyer and a doctor of their own choice and to be provided with information about their rights and, for juveniles, to have their legal guardians present during interrogation;

...

(q) Take all necessary measures to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of the Convention and of the adopted legislation, disseminate the relevant legislation to detainees and law enforcement personnel and provide adequate training to the latter;

...

CRC

•          Mauritania, CRC, CRC/C/111 (2001) 8 at paras. 46 and 47.

46. While noting that some efforts have been undertaken by the State party in order to disseminate the Convention in Mauritania, the Committee expresses its concern that they targeted only very specific groups and not the general population. Further, it notes with concern that the Convention is not available in the national languages spoken in the State party.

47. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Translate informative material into the national languages, such as Pulaar, Suninké and Wolof, and disseminate it effectively;

(b) Develop more creative methods to promote the Convention, including through audiovisual aids such as picture books and posters, in particular at local level;

(c) Provide further adequate and systematic training and/or sensitization of professional groups working with and for children, such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement personnel, teachers, school administrators and health personnel;

(d) Fully integrate the Convention into the curricula at all levels of the educational system; and

(e) Seek technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF, UNESCO and OHCHR.

•          Kenya, CRC, CRC/C/111 (2001) 21 at paras. 97 and 98.

97. The Committee notes that the State party established a Standing Committee on Human Rights (SCHR) in 1996 to investigate alleged human rights violations, to advise the Government on all human rights matters and to increase public awareness about the issue. The Committee is concerned that insufficient resources (financial and human) have been allocated for the effective functioning of the SCHR. The Committee notes with concern that the SCHR has no specific responsibilities with regard to children and that the SCHR is not easily accessible to children.

98. The Committee encourages the State party to allocate adequate financial and human resources to the Standing Committee on Human Rights (SCHR) to ensure its effective functioning. The Committee further suggests that the State party should consider reviewing the status of the Committee and establishing an independent national human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles (General Assembly resolution 48/134) which would be competent to monitor and evaluate progress in the implementation of the Convention at the national level and, if appropriate, at the local level and to receive and investigate complaints of violations of child rights in a child-friendly manner, and to address them effectively. Meanwhile, the State party should take effective measures to ensure that the SCHR is easily accessible and child-sensitive in dealing with complaints of violations of the rights of children and in providing remedies for such violations in all regions of the country. The Committee further suggests that the State party initiate an awareness raising campaign about the SCHR and to facilitate its effective use by children...

•          Cameroon, CRC, CRC/C/111 (2001) 71 at paras. 346, 347, 355 and 356.

346. While aware of the measures undertaken to promote widespread awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention (e.g. through radio programmes, seminars and workshops), the Committee is of the opinion that these measures need to be strengthened and systematized. In this respect, the Committee is concerned at the lack of a systematic plan to introduce training and awareness among professional groups working for and with children.

347. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to disseminate the principles and provisions of the Convention as a measure to sensitize society about children's rights through social mobilization;

(b) Translate the Convention into the major written national languages to achieve its widespread dissemination;

(c) Systematically involve community leaders in its programmes in order to fight against customs and traditions which impede the implementation of the Convention, and adopt creative communication measures for illiterate people;

(d) Provide systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, in particular parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, municipal and local workers, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers, health personnel, including psychologists, and social workers;

(e) Strengthen the focus on children's rights in the educational and advocacy role of the National Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms;

(f) Introduce human rights education, including the rights of the child, into the school curricula;

(g) Seek technical assistance from, inter alia, OHCHR and UNICEF.

...

355. While noting that the much appreciated Children's Parliament serves as a forum for children to express their views, the Committee is concerned that respect for the views of the child remains limited within the family, in schools, in the courts and before administrative authorities and in the society at large owing to traditional attitudes.

356. The Committee encourages the State party to pursue its efforts to:

...

(b) Provide educational information to, inter alia, parents, teachers, government administrative officials, the judiciary, traditional leaders and society at large on children's right to participate and to have their views taken into consideration;

...

See also:

•          Gabon, CRC, CRC/C/114 (2002) 47 at paras. 194, 195, 203 and 204.

•          Burkina Faso, CRC, CRC/C/121 (2002) at paras. 446 and 447, 453 and 454.

•          Cape Verde, CRC, CRC/C/111 (2001) 135 at para. 624.

624. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Strengthen its efforts to end discrimination against women through, inter alia, the use of information campaigns and programmes promoting the advancement of women.

•          Greece, CRC, CRC/C/114 (2002) 25 at paras. 119 and 120.

119. Acknowledging the State party’s efforts in this regard, the Committee is concerned that knowledge and understanding of the Convention among children, professionals working with children, distinct ethnic, religious, linguistic or cultural groups and among the public in general is still insufficient. The Committee is concerned, in addition, that the Convention has not been translated into the languages of some sectors of the population, such as the Roma language.

120. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to provide training for professionals - such as teachers, health professionals including psychological care specialists, social workers, law enforcement officials, judges, lawyers and national ministerial and local government officials with responsibility for children’s rights - children, parents and the population in general, and distinct ethnic, religious, linguistic or cultural groups, on the Convention and its principles and provisions and other relevant human rights instruments in a systematic and ongoing manner;

(b) Adopt measures to ensure that training and/or information campaigns reach, among others, populations in rural communities and illiterate persons;

(c) Ensure that translated versions of the Convention are disseminated, as needed, in the languages spoken within the State party by the distinct groups referred to under paragraph 120 (a) of these concluding observations.

•          Mozambique, CRC, CRC/C/114 (2002) 65 at paras. 270 and 271.

270. While noting recent efforts, including the translation of certain articles of the Convention into some local languages, the Committee is concerned that the provisions of the Convention are insufficiently known and understood in the State party.

271. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Continue efforts to translate the whole of the Convention into the most widely spoken national languages and that these translations be used for, inter alia, radio and theatre presentations accessible to persons who are illiterate;

(b) Strengthen and increase efforts to provide child rights training for professionals - such as teachers, health professionals including psychological care specialists, social workers, law enforcement officials, national ministerial and local government officials with responsibility for children’s rights - children and the population in general on the Convention and its principles and provisions;

(c) Adopt measures to ensure that such an information campaign reaches, inter alia, rural communities and illiterate persons.

•          Malawi, CRC, CRC/C/114 (2002) 104 at paras. 391, 392, 395, 396 and 409.

391. The Committee welcomes the existence of an ombudsman with a mandate to receive complaints from children. In addition, the Committee notes that the State party established a Human Rights Commission in 1998 and that a Child Rights Unit has been created in 1999 within this institution. The Committee is concerned, however, at the confusion relating to the role of this Unit...as it is responsible for both coordination and monitoring of children’s rights and policies. The Committee is also concerned that insufficient resources have been allocated to allow the Child Rights Unit to function effectively.

392. The Committee suggests that the State party review the status, role and functions of the Human Rights Commission and its Child Rights Unit in order to establish an independent national human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles (General Assembly resolution 48/134), which should be competent to monitor and evaluate progress in the implementation of the Convention at the national and, if appropriate, at the local levels and to receive and investigate complaints of violations of child rights in a child-sensitive manner, and address them effectively. The Committee also recommends that the State party allocate adequate financial and human resources to the Human Rights Commission and its Child Rights Unit to ensure its effective functioning. The Committee further suggests that the State party conduct an awareness-raising campaign about the Human Rights Commission and its Child Rights Unit to facilitate its effective use by children. Finally, the Committee suggests that the State party seek technical assistance from OHCHR, and UNICEF, among others.

...

395. The Committee notes with appreciation the initiatives of the State party to promote awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention, and welcomes the translation of the Convention into some of the country’s major national languages. The Committee also welcomes the involvement of children and youth in the dissemination of the Convention (e.g. the Young Voices Movement). However, the Committee is concerned that professional groups, children, parents and the general public are still not sufficiently aware of the Convention and the rights-based approach enshrined therein. In addition, the Committee is concerned that the Convention is not sufficiently disseminated at the local level and among illiterate people.

396. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to ensure that the principles and provisions of the Convention are widely known and understood by adults and children alike, in particular in rural areas. In this regard, the Committee recommends the reinforcement of adequate and systematic training and/or sensitization of professional groups working with and for children, such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement personnel, teachers, school administrators, health personnel, including psychologists and social workers, personnel of childcare institutions, and traditional or community leaders, including village chiefs. The Committee recommends that the State party also use creative tools for the dissemination of the Convention, notably with regard to illiterate people, and continue its efforts to translate the Convention into all the major national languages. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party incorporate human rights, especially the Convention on the Rights of the Child, into the school curricula at all levels. The Committee suggests that the State party seek technical assistance from, among others, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNESCO and UNICEF.

...

409. The Committee recommends that the State party develop a systematic approach to increasing public awareness of the participatory rights of children in the best interests of the child, particularly at the local levels and in traditional communities, with the involvement of community and village leaders, and ensure that the views of the child are heard and taken into consideration in accordance with their age and maturity in families, communities, schools, care institutions, and the judicial and administrative systems. In that regard, the Committee recommends that the State party launch campaigns to change the traditional attitude and values which do not allow children to express their views.

•          Bahrain, CRC, CRC/C/114 (2002) 122 at paras. 468, 469, 493 and 494.

468. The Committee is concerned that the Convention has not been published in its entirety, in particular, that articles 11, 21, 22, 38 and 41-54 have been deleted in the published text. The Committee acknowledges information with respect to efforts, including in the media, to raise awareness of the Convention, but it is concerned that the State party is not undertaking adequate awareness-raising and training activities in a systematic and targeted manner.

469. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Ensure that the Convention is published in its entirety, and that it is disseminated as such;

(b) Undertake an ongoing programme for the dissemination of information on the Convention and its implementation among children and parents, civil society and all sectors and levels of government, including initiatives to reach those vulnerable groups who are illiterate or without formal education;

(c) Develop systematic and ongoing training programmes on human rights, including children's rights, for all professional groups working for and with children (e.g. judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, local government officials, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers and health personnel); and

(d) Seek assistance from, among others, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNICEF.

...

493. The Committee welcomes the detailed information provided in the report on the aims of education. And noting the proposal adopted by the National Committee in this regard, the Committee is concerned that human rights education, including the Convention, is not currently part of the curricula.

494. The Committee recommends that the State party, taking into account the Committee's general comment No. 1 on the aims of education:

(a) Include human rights education, including children's rights, in the curricula, particularly with respect to the development and respect for human rights, tolerance, and equality of the sexes and religious and ethnic minorities; and

(b) Seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF and UNESCO.

•          Andorra, CRC, CRC/C/114 (2002) 134 at para. 521.

521. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Renew its efforts to disseminate the Convention, both to children and to the broader public, including through appropriate material specifically for children translated in the various languages spoken in the Principality of Andorra, including the languages spoken by migrant children;

(b) Encourage the study on the evaluation of dissemination activities;

(c) Undertake systematic education and training programmes on the provisions of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, teachers, health personnel, including psychologists, and social workers.

•          Guinea-Bissau, CRC, CRC/C/118 (2002) 12 at para. 48.

48. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to disseminate the principles and provisions of the Convention, as a means of sensitizing society to children's rights;

(b) Involve local communities in its programmes in order to prevent and combat customs and traditions that impede the implementation of the Convention, and ensure that dissemination efforts reach, inter alia, parents, persons who are illiterate and children themselves;

(c) Undertake systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, in particular parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, municipal and local workers, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers, health personnel, including psychologists and paediatricians, and social workers;

(d) Consider introducing human rights education, including on the rights of the child, into the curricular and extracurricular activities of all schools;

(e) Seek technical assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF.

•          Belgium, CRC, CRC/C/118 (2002) 29 at paras. 116 and 117.

116. The Committee is concerned that the aims of education outlined in article 29 of the Convention, including the development and respect of human rights, tolerance and equality of the sexes and religious and ethnic minorities is not explicitly part of the curricula throughout the State party.

117. The Committee recommends that the State party, taking into account the Committee's General Comment No. 1 on the aims of education, include human rights education, including children's rights, in the curricula of all primary and secondary schools, particularly with respect to the development and respect of human rights, tolerance and equality of the sexes and religious and ethnic minorities.

•          Switzerland, CRC, CRC/C/118 (2002) 78 at para. 324.

324. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen and continue its programme for the dissemination of information on the Convention and its implementation among children and parents, civil society, and all sectors and levels of Government, including initiatives to reach vulnerable groups, especially migrant and asylum-seeking children;

(b) Translate the Convention into Romansh;

(c) Develop and disseminate systematic and ongoing training programmes on human rights, including children's rights, for all professional groups working for and with children (e.g. federal and cantonal parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, local government officials, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers and health personnel).

•          Argentina, CRC, CRC/C/121 (2002) 8 at paras. 57, 58, 63, 64 and 82.

57. The Committee notes that the right of all children to participate in schools, as well as outside in all matters concerning them, needs to be further strengthened.

58. In light of article 12, the Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(c) Undertake campaigns to make children, parents, professionals working with and for children and the public at large aware that children have the right to be heard and to have their views taken seriously.

...

63. The Committee notes with concern that there is no explicit prohibition of corporal punishment under law and that it is still widely practised in the home and in some institutions.

64. The Committee recommends that the State party expressly prohibit corporal punishment in the home and all institutions and carry out public education campaigns to promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment.

...

82. In light of articles 28 and 29 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(d) Strengthen and expand education in human and children’s rights;

...

•          United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, CRC, CRC/C/121 (2002) 23 at paras. 131 and 132.

131. ...[T]he Committee is deeply concerned that one or two children die every week as a result of violence and neglect in the home. It is also concerned at the prevalence of violence, including sexual violence, throughout the State party against children within families, in schools, in institutions, in the care system and in detention. It also notes with deep concern the growing levels of child neglect. The Committee is alarmed at the lack of a coordinated strategy to limit the extent of these phenomena...

132. In line with its previous recommendations ([CRC/C/15/add.34], para. 31) and in light of articles 3, 6, 12, 19 and 37 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(d) Carry out large-scale public education campaigns and programmes, including through the schools, aimed at reducing child deaths and child abuse with information on the role of statutory and other services in protecting children;

...

•          Seychelles, CRC, CRC/C/121 (2002) 41 at paras. 176 and 177.

176. While noting the initiatives of the State party to promote awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention, the Committee is concerned that professional groups, children, parents and the public at large are still not sufficiently aware of the Convention and the rights-based approach enshrined therein.

177. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to ensure that the principles and provisions of the Convention are widely known and understood by adults and children alike. In this regard, the Committee encourages the State party:

(a) To ensure that the Convention is translated in its entirety into all three official languages;

(b) To undertake a systematic education and training programme on the principles and provisions of the Convention for children, parents and all professional groups working for and with children, in particular judges, lawyers, members of the Family Tribunal, law enforcement officials, staff of the Youth Residential Treatment Centre, teachers, health-care personnel, social workers, staff in orphanages, parliamentarians and religious leaders.

•          Ukraine, CRC, CRC/C/121 (2002) 70 at para. 354.

354. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(e) Improve the quality of education in the whole country in order to achieve the goals mentioned in article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s General Comment No. 1 on the aims of education, and ensure that human rights education, including children’s rights, is included in the school curricula.

•          Burkina Faso, CRC, CRC/C/121 (2002) 103 at paras. 451 and 482.

451. In line with its previous recommendations ([CRC/C/15/Add. 19], para. 14), the Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(c) Ensure effective law enforcement, undertake studies and launch comprehensive public information campaigns to prevent and combat all forms of discrimination, where needed within the framework of international cooperation.

...

482. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Take measures to prevent and combat the sale and trafficking of children, including an awareness-raising campaign and educational programmes, particularly for parents;

...

•          Poland, CRC, CRC/C/121 (2002) 120 at para. 524.

524. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Provide educational information to, among others, parents, teachers, government administrative officials, the judiciary, the Roman Catholic Church and other religious groups, and society at large, on children’s right to have their views taken into account and to participate in matters affecting them.

•          Israel, CRC, CRC/C/121 (2002) 131 at paras. 572, 573 and 589.

572. The Committee welcomes the efforts by the State party to disseminate the Convention and notes the delegation’s acknowledgement of the need to disseminate the Convention more widely throughout the State party.

573. The Committee encourages the State party:

(a) To strengthen, expand and make ongoing its programme for the dissemination of information on the Convention and its implementation in all official languages among children and parents, civil society and all sectors and levels of government, including initiatives to reach those vulnerable groups who are illiterate or without formal education;

(b) To develop systematic and ongoing training programmes on human rights, including children’s rights, for all professional groups working for and with children (e.g. judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, local government officials, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers and health personnel).

...

589. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Carry out public education campaigns about the negative consequences of ill-treatment of children and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment;

...

•          Estonia, CRC, CRC/C/124 (2003) 9 at paras. 52 and 53.

52. The Committee notes the information on the Tartu and Tallin support centres, as well as the recent studies on child sex abuse and bullying in schools...However, it remains concerned that there is still insufficient information on and awareness of the ill-treatment and abuse of children within the family, in schools and in institutions, as well as of domestic violence and its impact on children. Moreover, it is concerned that current efforts in this regard may have limited impact because of the lack of a comprehensive strategy and the inadequate allocation of resources.

53. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(c) Continue to carry out public education campaigns on the negative consequences of ill-treatment of children and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment;

...

(h) Train teachers, law enforcement officials, care and social workers, judges and health professionals in the identification, reporting and management of cases of ill-treatment;

...

•          Republic of Korea, CRC, CRC/124 (2003) 24 at paras. 95, 96, 116, 117, 128 and 129.

95. The Committee welcomes...the establishment of the National Commission on Human Rights. Nevertheless, it is concerned that the Commission has no specialization in children’s rights.

96. The Committee recommends that the State party, in accordance with the Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (“The Paris Principles”) (General Assembly resolution 48/134, annex) and the Committee’s general comment No. 2 on national human rights institutions:

...

(b) Ensure that the National Commission on Human Rights is accessible to children, in particular by raising awareness of its power to receive, investigate and address complaints by children in a child-sensitive manner.

...

116. ...The fact that the Ministry of Education guidelines leave the decision on whether to use corporal punishment in schools to the individual school administrators suggests that some forms of corporal punishment are acceptable and therefore undermines educational measures to promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline.

117. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Carry out public education campaigns about the negative consequences of ill-treatment of children in order to change attitudes towards corporal punishment, and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline in schools and at home as an alternative to such punishment.

...

128. The Committee is extremely concerned that societal discrimination against children is widespread and prevents these children from enjoying their right to “a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active participation”...

129. The Committee recommends that the State party, in accordance with the recommendations arising from the Committee’s day of general discussion, held in 1997, on children with disabilities, and the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96, annex):

(a) Take effective measures to combat the culture of discrimination against children with disabilities, including through awareness-raising and education campaigns aimed at parents, children, teachers and the general public;

...

•          Italy, CRC, CRC/124 (2003) 36 at paras. 162, 189 and 194.

162. In accordance with article 2 and other related articles of the Convention and in line with its previous recommendations ([CRC/C/15/Add.41], paras. 17 and 18), the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Take all appropriate measures, such as comprehensive public education campaigns, to prevent and combat negative societal attitudes, and implement the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (A/56/18, paras. 298 and 320);

...

189. The Committee recommends that the State party develop, on the basis of the recent study, a comprehensive strategy containing specific and well-targeted goals aimed at preventing and eliminating child labour through, inter alia, awareness-raising activities and detection of the factors involved.

...

194. ...[T]he Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Take all necessary measures, including through awareness-raising campaigns and adequate training of the personnel involved, to prevent and eliminate discrimination against children of foreign origin and Roma children;

...

•          Romania, CRC, CRC/124 (2003) 49 at paras. 240, 241, 262 and 263.

240. The Committee notes the recent efforts of NGOs related to prevention of child abuse and neglect, as well as the statement made by the Head of State to the special session of the General Assembly on children referring to envisaged special measures to prevent child abuse. Nevertheless, the Committee reiterates its previous concern [CRC/C/15/Add.16] at the apparent limited effectiveness of measures to raise awareness about the harmful consequences of neglect and abuse, including sexual abuse, in the family, schools and institutions, as well as to tackle these problems...

241. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Promote alternative methods of discipline;

...

(g) Reinforce its efforts to prevent and combat domestic violence and abuse, including through awareness-raising campaigns designed to change public attitudes.

...

262. The Committee welcomes the implementation of strategies aimed at improving Roma children’s rights to health-care services and inclusion in education (e.g. through the use of health and education mediators and supportive tuition in the Roma language)...However, it remains concerned at the negative attitudes and prejudices of the general public, in the political discourse and in media representations as well as at incidents of police brutality and discriminatory behaviour on the part of some teachers and doctors.

263. In accordance with articles 2 and 30 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Initiate campaigns, at all levels and in all regions, aimed at addressing the negative attitudes towards the Roma in society at large, in particular among authorities such as the police and professionals providing health care, education and other social services;

...

(c) Develop curriculum resources for all schools, including in relation to Roma history and culture, in order to promote understanding, tolerance and respect for the Roma in Romanian society.

•          Czech Republic, CRC, CRC/C/124 (2003) 78 at paras. 356, 357 and 362.

356. The Committee welcomes the amendment to the Civil Procedure Code, including the information by the State party referring to the regulation of the respect for the child’s views in the Act on Social and Legal Protection of Children and by amendment to the Act on the Family. The Committee is concerned that children’s participation in other areas, such as school and institutions, is not regulated by legislation or sufficiently observed in practice. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned that awareness of these provisions is quite low, thus contributing to weak observance.

357. The Committee recommends that the State party introduce a comprehensive legal provision establishing the right of the child to participate that would be applicable to courts, administrative bodies, institutions, schools, childcare institutions and families in matters affecting children, and guarantee the right to appeal the decisions, in accordance with article 12 of the Convention. Awareness-raising and educational programmes on the implementation of these principles should be reinforced in order to change traditional perceptions of children as objects rather than subjects of rights.

...

362. The Committee recommends that the State party take action to address ill-treatment and abuse committed against children in the family, in schools, in the streets, in institutions and in places of detention through, inter alia:

...

(d) Adopting and implementing effectively adequate multidisciplinary measures and policies, including public campaigns, to prevent and address cases of child abuse and neglect and contribute to changing attitudes;

(e) Implementing training programmes to promote respect for children belonging to minority groups, in particular Roma children, and monitoring the treatment of children in both basic and special schools in order to ensure the protection of the physical and psychological integrity of all children while in the care of school officials;

...

(g) Making use of legislative and administrative measures, as well as public education initiatives, to end the use of corporal punishment and ensure that this is adhered to;

...

•          Iceland, CRC, CRC/124 (2003) 109 at paras. 482 and 483.

482. Owing to the growing number of people of foreign origin in Iceland, the Committee welcomes efforts by the State party to address their needs (e.g. through the adoption of the 2003 law on foreigners, the appointment of a special representative in the State police, publications on cultural tolerance for health professionals, and the establishment of an intercultural centre in Reykjavik). Nevertheless, it is concerned that further efforts need to be taken to proactively address issues of racism that may arise with the growing numbers of immigrants in Iceland.

483. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Develop comprehensive and coordinated policies to address the developing phenomenon of immigration, including public information campaigns to promote tolerance, as well as monitor and collect data on racially motivated acts;

...

•          Cyprus, CRC, CRC/C/132 (2003) 21 at paras. 107 and 108.

107. The Committee notes that the initial report and supplementary information provided to the Committee were published by the Department of Social Welfare Services in 1999 and notes the initiatives undertaken to make the Convention widely known, such as the “Children’s Week” and radio and TV programmes and publications prepared by the National Institution for the Protection of Human Rights. The Committee welcomes the information contained in the written replies to the list of issues related to efforts undertaken to make the provisions of the Convention widely known and understood among the police, social welfare services, teachers and mental health professionals in cooperation with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

108. The Committee encourages the State party to continue and strengthen its efforts to provide adequate and systematic training and sensitization on children’s rights for professional groups working with and for children, with particular attention to law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges. It urges the State party to continue to develop methods to promote the Convention, in particular at the local level, and to further support such activities carried out by NGOs.

•          Zambia, CRC, CRC/C/132 (2003) 32 at paras. 168 and 169.

168. The Committee notes with appreciation the initiatives of the State party to promote awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention, and welcomes the translation of the Convention into the country’s seven major national languages and the establishment of the National Committee for Human Rights Education. However, the Committee is concerned that professional groups, children, parents and the general public are still not sufficiently aware of the Convention and the rights-based approach enshrined therein. In addition, the Committee is concerned that the Convention is not sufficiently disseminated at the local level and among illiterate people.

169. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to ensure that the principles and provisions of the Convention are widely known and understood by adults and children alike, in particular in rural areas. In this regard, the Committee recommends the reinforcement of adequate and systematic training and/or sensitization of professional groups working with and for children, such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement personnel, teachers, school administrators, health personnel, including psychologists and social workers, and personnel of childcare institutions. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to use creative tools for the dissemination of the Convention, notably with regard to illiterate people. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party incorporate human rights, especially the Convention on the Rights of the Child, into the school curricula at all levels. The Committee suggests that the State party seek technical assistance from, among others, OHCHR, UNESCO and UNICEF.

•          Solomon Islands, CRC, CRC/C/132 (2003) 58 at paras. 300, 301, 321 and 322.

300. The Committee, noting that at least 87 languages and dialects are spoken in the country, welcomes the initiatives taken by the State party to disseminate the Convention and recommends further cooperation with UNICEF and OHCHR in disseminating international human rights treaties and in providing training programmes to raise awareness of the Convention. The Committee is concerned that due to the civil strife the dissemination and training on the rights set forth in the Convention effectively came to a halt.

301. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its awareness-raising efforts and encourages it to undertake systematic education and training on the rights contained in the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, in particular parliamentarians, judges/magistrates, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers, health personnel, social workers and local leaders, as well as children and their parents;

(b) Develop creative methods to promote the Convention, including through audio-visual aids such as picture books and posters, in particular at local level, and through the mass media, with technical assistance from, for example, OHCHR and UNICEF.

...

321. The Committee is encouraged by the introduction of the Community-based Rehabilitation Programme. However, it is concerned that:

...

(d) The terminology used by the State party to describe individuals with disabilities is inappropriate.

322. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(c) Undertake an awareness-raising campaign to sensitize the public about the rights and special needs of children with disabilities and introduce the appropriate terminology when addressing this issue, and include churches and local leaders in this activity;

...

•          Jamaica, CRC, CRC/C/132 (2003) 86 at para. 445.

445. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Take action to implement all policies and legislation relevant to child labour, inter alia through campaigns and education for the public on protection of the rights of children;

...

•          Morocco, CRC, CRC/C/132 (2003) 100 at para. 480.

480. In accordance with article 2 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party continue and strengthen its measures, including enacting or rescinding civil and criminal legislation where necessary, to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the grounds of sex and birth in all fields of civil, economic, political, social and cultural life. The Committee further recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures, such as comprehensive public education campaigns, to prevent and combat negative societal attitudes in this regard, particularly within the family, and train members of the legal profession, especially the judiciary, to be gender-sensitive. Religious leaders should be mobilized to support such efforts.

•          Canada, CRC, CRC/C/133 (2003) 14 at para. 72.

72. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to strengthen its legislative efforts to fully integrate the right to non-discrimination (article 2 of the Convention) in all relevant legislation concerning children, and that this right be effectively applied in all political, judicial and administrative decisions and in projects, programmes and services that have an impact on all children, in particular children belonging to minority and other vulnerable groups such as children with disabilities and Aboriginal children. The Committee further recommends that the State party continue to carry out comprehensive public education campaigns and undertake all necessary proactive measures to prevent and combat negative societal attitudes and practices...

•          New Zealand, CRC, CRC/C/133 (2003) 27 at paras. 141 and 142.

141. The Committee is deeply concerned that despite a review of legislation, the State party has still not amended section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961, which allows parents to use reasonable force to discipline their children. While welcoming the Government’s public education campaign to promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline within the home, the Committee emphasizes that the Convention requires the protection of children from all forms of violence, which includes corporal punishment in the family and which should be accompanied by awareness-raising campaigns on the law and on children’s right to protection.

142. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Strengthen public education campaigns and activities aimed at promoting positive, non-violent forms of discipline and respect for children’s right to human dignity and physical integrity, while raising awareness about the negative consequences of corporal punishment.

•          Pakistan, CRC, CRC/C/133 (2003) 37 at paras. 207 and 209.

207. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(d) Undertake public education campaigns to promote a culture of non-violence.

...

209. The Committee recommends that the State party, as a matter of urgency:

...

(c) Undertake well-targeted public awareness campaigns on the negative impact of corporal punishment on children, and provide teachers and parents with training on non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment.

•          Madagascar, CRC, CRC/C/133 (2003) 56 at paras. 272, 273, 281and 282.

272. The Committee is aware of the measures undertaken to promote widespread awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention and welcomes the production of the Guide to the Protection of Children, but it is of the opinion that these measures are not sufficient and need to be strengthened by providing the necessary resources. In this respect, the Committee is concerned at the lack of a systematic plan to introduce training and awareness among professional groups working for and with children and in the society at large.

273. In line with its previous recommendations ([CRC/C/15/ Add. 26], para. 17), the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts towards and systematize the dissemination of the principles and provisions of the Convention as a measure to sensitize society about children’s rights through social mobilization;

(b) Involve systematically parliamentarians and community and religious leaders in its programmes in order to fight against customs and traditions that impede the implementation of the Convention, and adopt creative means of communications for illiterate people and for people living in remote areas;

(c) Undertake systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all professional groups working for and with children, in particular parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officials, civil servants, municipal and local workers, personnel working in institutions and places of detention for children, teachers, health personnel, including psychologists, and social workers;

(d) Further promote human rights education, including in the rights of the child, in the curricula of primary and secondary schools, as well as in the curricula for teacher training;

(e) Seek technical assistance from, among others, OHCHR, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UNICEF.

...

281. The Committee notes that the murder or rejection of children thought to be “born on an unlucky day” is beginning to disappear, but remains deeply concerned that such murders still occur and at the rejection or abandonment of twins in the Mananjary region.

282. In light of article 6 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to stop these practices, including through awareness-raising in the society at large, which should involve traditional leaders. In addition, The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to ensure that the institutionalization of twins is a measure of last resort.

•          Brunei Darussalam, CRC, CRC/C/133 (2003) 73 at paras. 363 and 364.

363. The Committee notes the existence of a premarital course for every couple prior to their marriage.

364. The Committee recommends that the State party uses this premarital course to include teaching about the principles and provisions of the Convention.

•          Singapore, CRC, CRC/C/133 (2003) 84 at para. 388.

388. The Committee notes with appreciation the State party’s development and dissemination of awareness-raising materials, including child-friendly pamphlets and brochures, on the rights of children for both parents and children.

•          Bangladesh, CRC, CRC/C/133 (2003) 93 at paras. 461, 463 and 464.

461. ...The Committee...recommends that the State party undertake an education campaign for boys and men on gender issues and sex discrimination.

...

463. The Committee notes that the principle of the best interests of the child has been given increased importance and the State party’s efforts to raise awareness of this general principle, inter alia, through media campaigns, but remains concerned that the best interests of the child are not fully taken into consideration in policy-making and implementation and other administrative and judicial decisions.

464. The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to ensure that the principle of the best interests of the child is integrated into all legislation, as well as in judicial and administrative decisions and in projects, programmes and services which have an impact on children. The Committee also encourages the State party to take all necessary measures to ensure that traditional practices and customary law do not impede the implementation of this general principle, notably through raising awareness among community leaders and within society at large.

•          Georgia, CRC, CRC/C/133 (2003) 111 at paras. 576 and 577.

576. The Committee notes that the human rights treaty bodies which considered the reports of Georgia have consistently expressed concern at the practice of trafficking in persons, in particular women, and at the lack of protection of women, including young children, from, inter alia, sexual exploitation and trafficking.

577. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Undertake measures to reduce and prevent the occurrence of sexual exploitation and trafficking, including by sensitizing professionals and the general public to the problems of sexual abuse of children and trafficking, through education including media campaigns;

...

(d) Train law enforcement officials, social workers and prosecutors on how to receive, monitor, investigate and prosecute reported cases of sexual abuse, in a child-sensitive manner;

...

•          New Zealand, CRC (Optional Protocol - Armed Conflict), CRC/C/133 (2003) 126 at para. 598.

598. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all relevant professional groups, in particular military personnel. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party make the provisions of the Optional Protocol widely known to children, through, inter alia, school curricula.

•          Indonesia, CRC, CRC/C/137 (2004) 8 at paras. 45, 47 and 70.

45. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its measures regarding the dissemination of and the training on the Convention of all relevant professionals and implement them in an ongoing and systematic manner;

(b) Take specific measures to make the Convention available to and known by all children, especially those belonging to ethnic minorities.

...

47. The Committee recommends that the State party review the age limits affecting children set by different legislation in order to ensure that they conform to the principles and provisions of the Convention. The Committee also specifically recommends that the State party:

...

(c) Undertake awareness-raising campaigns on the harm and danger resulting from early marriage.

...

70. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Develop programmes and policies to prevent the placement of children in institutions, inter alia by providing support and guidance to the most vulnerable families and by conducting awareness-raising campaigns;

...

•          Guyana, CRC, CRC/C/137 (2004) 26 at para. 153.

153. The Committee recommends that the State party pay particular attention to child abuse and neglect in and outside the family by, inter alia:

...

(d) Developing awareness-raising campaigns with the involvement of children in order to prevent and combat child abuse.

•          Armenia, CRC, CRC/C/137 (2004) 36 at paras. 201, 217, 221, 230 and 242.

201. The Committee encourages the State party to ensure the effective enforcement of protective laws, to undertake studies and launch comprehensive public information campaigns to prevent and combat all forms of discrimination, and to sensitize society to the situation and needs of children within the society and particularly within the family...

...

217. The Committee encourages the State party to adopt specific legislation and take other measures to prevent violence against children in all circumstances, including corporal punishment...The Committee recommends that the State party launch awareness-raising campaigns on the negative consequences of ill-treatment of children and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment, especially in the family, schools and other institutions and ensure that all people working with children, including law enforcement officials, judges and health professionals, undergo training in how to identify, report and manage cases of ill-treatment.

...

221. Reiterating its previous recommendations, and in light of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96) and the recommendations adopted by the Committee at its day of general discussion on the rights of children with disabilities (CRC/C/69, paras. 310-339), the Committee encourages the State party to make greater efforts to implement alternatives to the institutionalization of children with disabilities, including community-based rehabilitation programmes...The Committee also reiterates its recommendation that awareness-raising campaigns focusing on prevention, inclusive education, family care and the promotion of the rights of children with disabilities be undertaken, and that adequate training be made available to persons working with these children.

...

230. The Committee welcomes that a special curriculum for teaching human rights as the foundations of democracy and civil society has been introduced in primary education and that teachers have received training on how to teach this subject.

...

242. ...The Committee recommends that the State party carry out awareness-raising campaigns to sensitize and mobilize the general public on the child’s right to physical and mental integrity and safety from sexual exploitation...

•          Germany, CRC, CRC/C/137 (2004) 51 at para. 298.

298. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Undertake a study on the extent and nature of female genital mutilation practised in the State party or abroad on girls who live in Germany;

(b) Organize an information and awareness-raising campaign, taking into account the results of the study, to prevent this practise;

...

•          The Netherlands (Netherlands and Aruba), CRC, CRC/C/137 (2004) 63 at para. 361.

361. In keeping with the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96 of 20 December 1993), the Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to integrate children with disabilities into mainstream education and everyday life by:

...

(d) Undertaking awareness-raising campaigns to address prejudicial attitudes to children with disabilities, and promoting their full integration into society.

•          India, CRC, CRC/C/137 (2004) 75 at paras. 388, 405, 406, 411, 412, 432, 433 and 436-439.

388. In light of its previous recommendations (CRC/C/15/Add.115, para. 11), the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Scrutinize carefully existing legislative and other measures, including religious and personal laws, both at the federal and state levels, with a view to ensuring that the provisions and principles of the Convention are implemented throughout the State party;

(b) Ensure the implementation of its legislation and its wide dissemination.

...

405. The Committee is deeply concerned at persistent and significant social discrimination against children belonging to Scheduled Castes and Tribes and other tribal groups, reflected, inter alia, by the many violations of the 1989 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the low number of such violations dealt with by the courts, and the fact that a majority of the states have failed to set up the special courts provided for under this Act.

406. The Committee recommends that the State party, in accordance with article 17 of its Constitution and article 2 of the Convention, take all necessary steps to abolish the discriminatory practice of “untouchability”, prevent caste- and tribe-motivated abuse, and prosecute State and private actors who are responsible for such practices or abuses...The Committee encourages the State party to continue its efforts to carry out comprehensive public education campaigns to prevent and combat caste-based discrimination with a view to changing social attitudes, by involving, inter alia, religious leaders.

...

411. The Committee notes the 2003 amendment to the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, but remains deeply concerned that the sex ratio in the age group 0-6 years has worsened over the past decade.

412. In addition to its recommendations regarding gender discrimination, the Committee strongly recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Further develop massive awareness campaigns, involving parents, communities, law enforcement officers, etc., and take the necessary measures, including imposing sanctions to end the practice of selective abortions and female infanticide; and

...

432. The Committee welcomes the adoption of the National AIDS Prevention and Control Policy, 2001, aiming at achieving no new infections by 2007. It also welcomes the decision to provide antiretroviral drugs to children and adults free of charge, but remains concerned at the rising number of children infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. It further expresses its concern at the discrimination experienced by these children in society and in the educational system.

433. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(c) Strengthen its efforts to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among adolescents, particularly those belonging to vulnerable groups, and among the population at large, notably in order to reduce discrimination against children infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS;

...

436. The Committee is deeply concerned at the existence of harmful traditional practices such as incidents relating to dowries and to devadasis.

437. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Take legislative and awareness-raising measures to prohibit and eradicate all kinds of traditional practices harmful to the health, survival and development of children, boys as well as girls; and

(c) Reinforce its sensitization programmes, with the involvement of community leaders, practitioners and the general public, to change traditional attitudes and discourage harmful practices, in particular in rural areas.

438. The Committee is concerned at the very high percentage of early and forced marriages of girls, which can have a negative impact on their health, education and social development.

439. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Strengthen educational and awareness programmes, in cooperation with NGOs and community leaders, with a view to preventing early and forced marriage; and

...

•          Slovenia, CRC, CRC/C/137 (2004) 104 at paras. 583 and 584.

583. While noting with appreciation that human rights education is included in the curriculum in Slovene schools, the Committee notes that this subject is not included at university level for future teachers.

584. The Committee encourages the State party to introduce human rights education, particularly on the rights of the child, in the curricula for teacher training at university level and to strengthen efforts to promote within the school environment the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes and friendship among all peoples and ethnic and religious groups.

•          Japan, CRC, CRC/C/137 (2004) 116 at paras. 626 and 627.

626. The Committee is concerned that legislation discriminates against children born out of wedlock and that societal discrimination persists against girls, children with disabilities, Amerasian, Korean, Buraku and Ainu children and other minority groups, and children of migrant workers.

627. The Committee recommends that the State party amend its legislation in order to eliminate any discrimination against children born out of wedlock, in particular, with regard to inheritance and citizenship rights and birth registration, as well as discriminatory terminology such as “illegitimate” from legislation and regulations. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake all necessary proactive measures to combat societal discrimination and ensure access to basic services, in particular, for girls, children with disabilities, Amerasians, Koreans, Buraka, Ainu and other minorities, children of migrant workers and refugee and asylum-seeking children, through, inter alia, public education and awareness campaigns.

•          El Salvador, CRC, CRC/C/140 (2004) 8 at paras. 63 and 64.

63. The Committee is concerned that Salvadoran society is still characterized by high levels of violence, and notes with particular concern the high number of cases of sexual assault against minors.

64. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen policies and programmes at all levels to prevent violence against children, inter alia, through the education system and public awareness-raising campaigns.

•          Panama, CRC, CRC/C/140 (2004) 23 at paras. 150 and 157.

150. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Develop preventive measures that target those soliciting and providing sexual services, including materials on the legislation concerning the sexual abuse and exploitation of minors, and education programmes, including programmes in schools on healthy lifestyles;

...

(d) Train law enforcement officials, social workers and prosecutors on how to receive, monitor, investigate and prosecute complaints in a child-sensitive manner.

...

157. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to ensure that indigenous children enjoy all their rights without discrimination, including equal access to culturally appropriate services including health, education, social services, housing, potable water and sanitation. The Committee also recommends that the State party, with the full participation of indigenous communities and children, develop public awareness campaigns, including through the mass media, to combat negative attitudes and misperceptions about indigenous children...

•          Liberia, CRC, CRC/C/140 (2004) 67 at paras. 323, 324 and 353.

323. The Committee recognizes the particular importance of an understanding of children’s rights in the current post-conflict reconstruction in the State party, and remains concerned that dissemination and understanding of the Convention is still very limited.

324. In the light of article 42, the Committee recommends that the State party make additional efforts in the dissemination of the Convention, provide training on its provisions for professionals, inter alia, law officials, teachers and health workers, and provide teaching on its provisions to the adult population. The State party should ensure that such training focuses on, and contributes to, practical implementation of the Convention’s provisions and principles. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party make every effort to develop a culture of knowledge and respect for human rights in all sectors of the population.

...

353. The Committee recommends that the State party amend the Revised Administrative Law Governing the Hinterland by raising the age of marriage to similar ages defined in the New Domestic Relations Law in order to prevent early marriages... The Committee also recommends that the State party develop sensitization programmes, involving community and religious leaders and society at large, including children themselves, to curb the practice of early marriages.

•          Brazil, CRC, CRC/C/143 (2004) 10 at paras. 55, 75, 76, 96 and 97.

55. The Committee urges the State party to take adequate measures to ensure the implementation of existing laws and policies guaranteeing the principle of non-discrimination and full compliance with article 2 of the Convention, and to adopt a comprehensive strategy to eliminate discrimination on any grounds and against all vulnerable groups, including all necessary special measures to address the rather persistent inequalities that exist against some ethnic groups such as Brazilian of African descent in the State party. The Committee further recommends that the State party continue to carry out comprehensive public education campaigns and undertake all necessary proactive measures to prevent and combat negative societal attitudes and practices.

...

75. The Committee notes that the 1988 federal Constitution establishes protection for the rights of persons with special needs, and welcomes the establishment of the National Council for the Rights of Persons with Special Needs (CONADE) and the National Coordination for the Integration of Persons with Special Needs (CORDE). Nevertheless, it remains concerned at the very poor living conditions of children with disabilities, their lack of integration in schools and society and at prevailing societal discriminatory attitudes towards them.

76. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(f) Undertake awareness-raising campaigns to sensitize the public, and parents in particular, about the rights and special needs of children with disabilities, including those with mental health concerns;

...

96. The Committee welcomes the fact that social organization, customs, languages, creeds and traditions are recognized to indigenous communities in the Constitution of 1988. However, as noted by the State party, the Indian Statute promotes for an integration which is not in accordance with the principle of respect for diversity of cultures. The Committee also welcomes the fact that, according to law 10.406/02, indigenous people are no longer considered “relatively incapable citizens”. It also welcomes the efforts made by the State party to stimulate bilingual education. However, the Committee is deeply concerned by the low standard of living of indigenous children, low educational opportunities and quality of health services, and malnutrition.

97. The Committee urges the State party to pursue measures to effectively address the gap in life opportunities of indigenous children. Training and awareness-raising activities should be provided to break social prejudice, in order to revert the historical logic of colonization, which jeopardizes any chance of attaining genuinely equal treatment.

•          Botswana, CRC, CRC/C/143 (2004) 25 at paras. 139 and 140.

139. The Committee notes with concern that there is an increasing number of children without adequate parental support due to various reasons, inter alia, the lack of child support by fathers.

140. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(c) Take measures to improve the enforcement of child support by fathers, in particular of children born out of wedlock, inter alia, by providing mothers with information about the legal provisions in this regard and with the necessary legal or otherassistance free of charge for mothers who cannot afford it, not only for initiating legal actions but also for enforcing court decisions.

•          Croatia, CRC, CRC/C/143 (2004) 36 at paras. 202, 203 and 238.

202. While noting the State party’s efforts to protect children from harmful information, the Committee remains concerned about pornographic and other harmful material in printed and electronic media that is easily available and accessible to children. It is also concerned at the lack of adequate measures to encourage the mass media to disseminate information that would promote a spirit of understanding of differences.

203. The Committee recommends that the State party pursue its efforts to protect children from information and material injurious to their well-being. It also urges the State party to disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to the child, in line and with the spirit of articles 17 and 29 of the Convention. To that end, the State party should provide children with access to diversity of cultural, national and international sources, taking into particular account the linguistic and other needs of children who belong to a minority group.

...

238. The Committee reiterates its recommendation that the State party should take effective measures to encourage the protection of the rights of children belonging to minority groups and eliminate the impunity enjoyed by those who harass these groups. It also recommends that the State party undertake special measures to stimulate a process of reconciliation and confidence-building, including wide-ranging educational and awareness-raising campaigns.

•          Antigua and Barbuda, CRC, CRC/C/143 (2004) 93 at para. 500.

500. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary measures to prevent child abuse and neglect by, inter alia:

(a) Carrying out public education campaigns that raise awareness of the consequences of ill-treatment of children and alternative measures of disciplining children, addressing sociocultural barriers that inhibit victims from seeking assistance;

...

•          Sweden, CRC, CRC/C/146 (2005) 8 at paras. 49 and 50.

49. The Committee is concerned about the degree of violence accessible to children on the Internet and shown on television early in the evenings. The Committee is further concerned about the insufficient protection of children against child pornography and violent computer games.

50. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures, including by enforcing appropriate legislation, providing parental education and awareness-raising of children, to effectively protect children against violence on the Internet, television and computer games, and against the display of child pornography and encourage international cooperation in this respect.

•          Albania, CRC, CRC/C/146 (2005) 19 at para. 126.

126. The Committee urges the State party to expressly prohibit by law all corporal punishment in the family. The State party is further encouraged to undertake awareness-raising campaigns and education programmes on non-violent forms of discipline, and to conduct research into the prevalence of corporal punishment of children in the family.

•          Austria, CRC, CRC/C/146 (2005) 47 at paras. 256, 262, 265 and 266.

256. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary measures, such as awareness-raising and educational campaigns, to improve the understanding of and respect for the child’s right to privacy among parents and other professionals working for and with children.

...

262. The Committee recommends that the State party continue its public education and awareness-raising campaigns on non-violent forms of discipline and child-rearing...

...

265. While welcoming the legal measures to prohibit and prosecute cases of female genital mutilation, the Committee is concerned that this practice involving girls and young women in the context of immigrant communities still occurs in Austria and abroad where certain children are taken to perform the procedure and brought back.

266. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to prevent and eliminate this practice by conducting well-targeted and appropriate educational campaigns in the context of religious communities and by considering the possibility of making punishable by law the acts of those involved in the performance of female genital mutilation outside Austria.

•          Austria, CRC, (Optional Protocol - Armed Conflict), CRC/C/146 (2005) 57 at para. 290.

290. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to develop ongoing and systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all relevant professional groups, in particular military personnel. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party make the provisions of the Optional Protocol widely known to children, through, inter alia, school curricula.

•          Belize, CRC, CRC/C/146 (2005) 59 at paras. 340-343.

340. While noting the State party’s efforts to combat violence against children and child abuse, including through the Families and Children (Child Abuse) (Reporting) Regulations, the Committee remains gravely concerned at the generally violent environment in which Belizean children are living and at the growing number of cases of murders, abductions, violence in the streets, domestic violence and sexual abuse of minors, especially girls.

341. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures:

...

(b) To introduce awareness-raising campaigns, with the involvement of children themselves, in order to prevent all forms of violence against children and to combat child abuse, including sexual child abuse, and to change public attitudes and prevailing cultural practices in this respect;

...

342. The Committee expresses grave concern about the situation of children with disabilities and regrets that de facto discrimination against them still exists...

343. The Committee urges the State party, taking into account the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96 of 20 December 1993, annex) and the recommendations adopted by the Committee at its day of general discussion on “The rights of children with disabilities” (see CRC/C/69, paras. 310-339):

...

(e) To disseminate information concerning the rights and potential of children with disabilities and to raise public awareness of disability;

...

•          Islamic Republic of Iran, CRC, CRC/C/146 (2005) 88 at paras. 468 and 469.

468. The Committee regrets that little progress has been made concerning respect for the views of the child in judicial decisions, including concerning custody, divorce, administrative decisions, in the family, at school and society at large, owing to the traditional societal attitudes towards children, and that the State party has insufficiently informed the public about the right of children to participate in all matters affecting them. The Committee is concerned that the child’s view is only represented through the father or paternal grandfather or other appointed guardian and not directly by the child.

469. In the light of article 12 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party promote the right of children to express their views fully in all matters affecting them at school, within the family, in the courts and administrative bodies and in society in general. In this regard, the Committee recommends that the State party adopt and implement appropriate legislation, and undertake awareness-raising campaigns and educational programmes on the implementation of the principle of “respect for the views of the child”. The Committee also recommends that the State party seek assistance from, among others, UNICEF in this regard.

•          Togo, CRC, CRC/C/146 (2005) 104 at paras. 569 and 570.

569. The Committee welcomes the promulgation of Act No. 98-106 prohibiting female genital mutilation. However, the Committee is deeply concerned at its persistence along with other practices harmful to the health of children, particularly the girl child, including forced and early marriages, dowry disputes, initiation rites such as scarification, and rites regarding girls training in voodoo priesthood.

570. While noting the measures taken to combat harmful traditional practices, the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Evaluate the campaign against female genital mutilation undertaken in 1998 in collaboration with the Division for the Advancement of Women and UNICEF;

...

(c) Using the media, raise awareness within the family and extended family and among traditional and religious leaders of the harmful impact of female genital mutilation and other harmful traditional practices on the psychological and physical health and welfare of the girl child as well as her future family;

...

•          Bolivia, CRC, CRC/C/146 (2005) 121 at paras. 620-623, 625, 648 and 649.

620. The Committee notes that the Code for Children and Adolescents stipulates that the principle of the best interests of the child, contained in article 3 of the Convention, is a primary consideration in all measures concerning children. However, the Committee is concerned that this principle is not given adequate attention in national legislation and policies and that awareness of its significance is low among the population.

621. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to raise awareness of the meaning and practical application of the principle of the best interests of the child and ensure that article 3 of the Convention is duly reflected in its legislation and administrative measures.

622. The Committee welcomes the efforts of the State party to promote and implement the right of children to express their views and actively participate at various levels of society. However, it remains concerned at the persistence of traditional attitudes in the State party which, among other things, limit children’s right to participation and to express their views. It notes with concern the limited possibilities available to children to participate in and express their views in decision-making procedures affecting them, particularly in schools and communities.

623. In light of article 12 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to promote within the family, schools, and other institutions respect for the views of children, especially girls, and facilitate their participation in all matters affecting them;

(b) Strengthen national awareness-raising campaigns to change traditional attitudes that limit children’s right to participation;

...

625. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to ensure that children are registered at birth and organize, through special measures and in accordance with the law, the registration of children who were not registered at birth, giving special attention to indigenous children, including by providing for such registration free of charge. The Committee also recommends that the State party undertake efforts to raise awareness of the importance of birth registration for children for the full enjoyment of their rights.

...

648. The Committee notes the absence of a national educational plan for human rights education in the State party.

649. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt and implement a national educational plan for human rights education, taking into account the Committee’s general comment No. 1 (2001) on the aims of education.

•          Nigeria, CRC, CRC/C/146 (2005) 135 at paras. 708 and 709.

708. The Committee is deeply concerned about:

(a) Traditional and discriminatory attitudes and behaviour towards women and children, contributing to violence, abuse, including sexual abuse, neglect, killing, torture and extortion;

(b) Generally high level of acceptance of domestic violence among law enforcement officials and court personnel; and

(c) Lack of adequate measures taken by the State party to prevent and combat violence, abuse and neglect against women and children.

709. The Committee urges the State party to strengthen considerably its efforts to prevent and combat violence in society, including violence against women and children, in the context of the family, as well as in schools and other environments. In this regard, the Committee recommends the State party to take the following specific actions:

(a) Carry out public education campaigns about the negative consequences of violence and ill-treatment of children and promote positive, non-violent forms of conflict resolution and discipline, especially within the family and in the educational system and in institutions;

...

(e) Train parents, teachers, law enforcement officials, care workers, judges and health professionals in identification, reporting and management of ill-treatment cases, using a multidisciplinary approach;

...

•          Saint Lucia, CRC, CRC/C/150 (2005) 10 at paras. 57, 58 and 60.

57. The Committee is encouraged by parenting programmes which reflect respect for the views of the child, but remains concerned that these practices are not fully incorporated into societal practices.

58. The Committee urges the State party to:

(a) Promote and facilitate respect for children’s views and ensure their participation in all matters affecting them in all spheres of society, particularly in the family, schools and judicial system, in accordance with article 12 of the Convention;

(b) Continue to strengthen its advocacy and its educational efforts to make the public aware of the importance of the consideration of the views of the child, in particular parents, teachers and government and administrative officials.

...

60. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(b) Conduct awareness-raising campaigns to inform the public in general about the negative impact of corporal punishment on children and actively involve children and the media in the process;

...

•          Philippines, CRC, CRC/C/150 (2005) 24 at paras. 138, 146, 158, 159 and 190.

138. The Committee recommends to the State party that it introduce awareness-raising campaigns aimed at changing public attitudes and sensitizing parents, maternity clinics and hospitals, midwives and traditional birth attendants, in order to achieve better birth registration coverage in the country... The Committee also recommends to the State party that it launch an information campaign, particularly at the local level, on the child’s right to identity at birth and on growing up in a family.

...

146. The Committee recommends to the State party that it conduct a comprehensive study to assess the nature and extent of corporal punishment in different settings, including the home environment. Furthermore, the Committee recommends that the State party sensitize and educate parents, guardians and professionals working with and for children by carrying out public education campaigns about the harmful impact of violent forms of “discipline” and promote positive, non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment.

...

158. Welcoming the State party’s efforts to eliminate discrimination against children with disabilities and to promote their integration into society with equal opportunities, inter alia, by implementing the Programme on Community-based Rehabilitation, the Committee is concerned about the de facto discrimination faced by children with disabilities and their invisible role in society... Furthermore, deeply rooted misbeliefs and prevailing prejudices against children with disabilities in Philippine society give cause for concern.

159. In the light of the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (General Assembly resolution 48/96) and the recommendations adopted by the Committee on its day of general discussion on the rights of children with disabilities (see CRC/C/69), the Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to:

...

(e) Strengthen its efforts to raise awareness on children with disabilities, including their rights, special needs and potential, in order to change negative attitudes, misbeliefs and prevailing prejudices against children with disabilities by initiating and supporting public information campaigns;

...

190. The Committee urges the State party to:

...

(f) Launch awareness-raising campaigns for children, parents and other caregivers, in order to prevent trafficking, sexual exploitation and pornography involving children, and sensitize officials working with and for victims of trafficking.

•          Bosnia and Herzegovina, CRC, CRC/C/150 (2005) 49 at para. 278.

278. The Committee recommends that the State party take effective measures to protect the full enjoyment of the rights of children belonging to ethnic minority groups and undertake special measures to stimulate a process of reconciliation and confidence-building, including wide-ranging educative and awareness-raising campaigns.

•          Nepal, CRC, CRC/C/150 (2005) 66 at paras. 336, 338 and 374.

336. While noting that the Children’s Act prohibits any cruel treatment of children by parents, guardians or teachers, the Committee is alarmed by the prevalence of child abuse and domestic violence in the State party... The Committee is concerned that insufficient awareness exists in the State party, of violence against women and children as a crime punishable by law, including among law enforcement officials.

338. The Committee recommends the State party to take the necessary measures to prevent child abuse and neglect, by, inter alia:

...

(c) Carrying out public education campaigns that raise awareness of the consequences of ill-treatment of children and the alternative measures of discipline for children, addressing sociocultural barriers that inhibit victims from seeking assistance;

...

374. The Committee recommends the State party to strengthen the enforcement of the existing legislation and policies to eradicate the practice of bonded labour by children... The Committee further recommends the State party to take action to fully implement all policies and legislation relevant to child labour, inter alia, through public awareness campaigns and education for the public on the protection of the rights of children.

•          Mongolia, CRC, CRC/C/150 (2005) 113 at paras. 534, 536, 552, 553, 556, 557 and 576.

534. Welcoming the efforts that have been made to disseminate information about the principles and provision of the Convention, inter alia through the National Forums of Mongolian Children in 1998 and 2001, thematic years dedicated to children’s issues and regular training activities, the Committee expresses its concern that these measures have not been effective to the extent desirable. The Convention is not disseminated at all levels of society and there are regional disparities, in particular regarding rural areas and among minorities.

...

536. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Develop more creative and child-friendly methods to promote the Convention, in particular at the local level and among minorities, and through the media;

(b) Include the Convention, its principles and provisions in the school curricula;

(c) Continue to strengthen its efforts to provide adequate and systematic training and/or sensitization on children’s rights for professional groups working with and for children, such as judges, lawyers, law enforcement and health personnel, teachers, school and institution administrators and social workers as well as journalists;

(d) Continue to seek technical assistance from, among others, UNICEF, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

...

552. While acknowledging that the State party is aware of the grave magnitude and negative repercussions of abuse and violence against children and that it has taken measures to prevent it, the Committee remains concerned at the persistence of this problem...

553. In the light of the recommendations adopted by the Committee on its days of general discussion on violence against children within the family and in schools (see CRC/C/111) and on State violence against children (see CRC/C/100), the Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(d) Raise awareness among the public of the problem of domestic violence, with a view to changing public attitudes and traditions that inhibit victims, particularly women and girls, from reporting it, and strengthen its cooperation with non-governmental organizations, such as the National Centre Against Violence, working in this field;

...

556. The Committee expresses its grave concern about the situation of children with disabilities and regrets that discrimination against them exists...

557. The Committee urges the State party, taking into account the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and the recommendations adopted by the Committee on its day of general discussion on the rights of children with disabilities (see CRC/C/69):

...

(f) To raise awareness, owing to the deeply rooted prevailing prejudices against children with disabilities in Mongolian society, of children with disabilities, including their rights, special needs and potential, in order to change negative public attitudes.

...

576. The Committee recommends that the State party take immediate and effective measures:

...

(d) To influence public attitudes on child labour by undertaking awareness-raising campaigns, particularly for children, parents and other caregivers, on various kinds of negative consequences resulting from the exploitation of child labour, including child domestic labour and rural labour;

...

•          Nicaragua, CRC, CRC/C/150 (2005) 132 at paras. 640 and 641.

640. ...[T]he Committee is concerned that the presence of HIV/AIDS is particularly high in frontier and harbour zones and that the potential of its spread represents a high, latent risk, despite the fact that official data show a low number of cases.

641. The Committee recommends that the State party:

...

(e) Strengthen its efforts by conducting campaigns and programmes to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among adolescents, particularly among those belonging to vulnerable groups as well as the population at large, so as to reduce discrimination against children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS;

...

•          Costa Rica, CRC, CRC/C/150 (2005) 149 at paras. 690, 691, 696, 697, 726 and 727.

690. The Committee notes with appreciation the State party’s many and various efforts to implement and promote the child’s rights to express his/her views and to participate in decision-making processes and other activities regarding his/her position. But it also notes the State party’s concern that cultural problems are a factor which impedes the implementation of these rights in the family.

691. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake further and targeted measures to promote the child’s rights to express his/her views freely within the family context and in institutions such as shelters and other institutions for children... [T]he Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary steps to promote awareness among children and adolescents of their participatory rights in the family, at school, within other institutions and in society in general through educational programmes on the implementation of these principles, and strengthen their opportunity to participate.

...

696. The Committee notes the media involvement in the dissemination of information on the Convention inter alia via a weekly educational programme. But it is concerned at the incidence of sensationalized coverage of problems children may encounter or cause. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of information regarding the legal and other provisions which protect children from harmful information.

697. The Committee recommends the State party to call on the media to promote and strengthen its role in the dissemination of information on the Convention, address the incidence of sensationalist news regarding children, for example by duly regulating the activities of mass media and the Internet with a view to preventing the dissemination of harmful information and by promoting the training of professionals working for mass media on the adequate treatment of child issues, in conformity with the provisions of the Convention and on the guidelines on reporting on children adopted by the International Federation of Journalists.

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726. With respect to indigenous communities, the Committee takes note of the State party’s efforts to increase the number of schools providing bilingual education. It is however concerned at the insufficient number of indigenous teachers and schools, and at the fact that education does not fully take into account indigenous culture.

727. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to increase the number of indigenous schools and adequately trained indigenous teachers, and ensure the right of indigenous children to learn to read and write in their own language through methods adapted to their own culture. The Committee recommends that the State party provide relevant information to indigenous children and their communities on, inter alia, birth registration procedures, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, child abuse and neglect, child labour and sexual exploitation in order to raise awareness of their rights...

•          Yemen, CRC, CRC/C/150 (2005) 161 at paras. 762 and 763.

762. The Committee is deeply concerned at the persistence of discriminatory social attitudes against girls. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned at the disparities in the enjoyment of rights and at the social discrimination experienced by children belonging to the most vulnerable groups, inter alia, children who are also addressed as Akhdam children, children born out of wedlock, children with disabilities, street children and children living in rural areas.

763. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to ensure that all children within its jurisdiction enjoy all the rights set out in the Convention without discrimination, particularly with regard to girl children, in accordance with article 2;

...

(c) Take all appropriate measures, such as comprehensive public education campaigns, to prevent and combat negative societal attitudes in this regard, particularly within the family;

(d) Train school teachers, media and members of the legal profession, particularly the judiciary, to be gender-sensitive; and

(e) Mobilize religious leaders to support such efforts.

•          Norway, CRC (Optional Protocol - Sale of Children, Prostitution, Pornography), CRC/C/150 (2005) 177 at paras. 820, 821 and 838.

820. The Committee expresses its concern at the lack of efforts to raise awareness among the public about the provisions of the Optional Protocol. It also notes with concern that it has been difficult to estimate the need for specific training courses due to a general lack of research-based information on the areas covered by the Optional Protocol.

821. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to raise awareness among its population, including children and parents, about the provisions of the Optional Protocol.

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838. The Committee recommends that the State party continue to strengthen systematic education and training on the provisions of the Convention for all relevant professional groups. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party make the provisions of the Optional Protocol widely known, particularly to children, through, inter alia, school curricula.