A/52/498
English
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various forms of racial discrimination, including the Law on Names of Bulgarian
Citizens, which ensured the possibility of the use of non-Slavic names. The
Committee expressed concern about the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural
rights of the Roma, whose vulnerability had increased in the context of the
current economic crisis. The Committee also expressed its concerned that
Bulgaria prohibited the foundation and registration of political parties formed
on, inter alia, ethnic or religious bases. The Committee recommended that
Bulgaria pay greater attention to the protection of the Roma's civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights; that any de facto segregation of
minorities be prevented; and that comprehensive human rights training be
provided to all segments of the population with a view to combating negative
attitudes and prejudices towards minorities.
D.
Committee on the Rights of the Child
27. In its concluding observations on the report of Paraguay (CRC/C/15/Add.75),
the Committee expressed concern that adequate measures had not yet been taken to
fully guarantee in practice the right of indigenous students to education in
their native language, Guarani, and recommended that the authorities guarantee
the full implementation of the right of children to education in their own
language.
28. In its concluding observations on the report of Algeria (CRC/C/15/Add.76),
the Committee regretted the absence of information on the teaching programmes
for nomadic children, who should be able to benefit from the provisions of
article 30 on the rights of minority children. It recommended that specific
measures be taken to ensure that children belonging to minorities might, in
particular, benefit from the right to enjoy their own culture in accordance with
article 30.
V.
SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES AND WORKING
GROUPS OF THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
29. In a number of cases, special rapporteurs and special representatives
appointed by the Commission on Human Rights or by the Secretary-General,
respectively, have addressed the rights of persons belonging to national or
ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. The working groups of the
Commission on Human Rights also address situations involving minorities.
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the State of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
(Serbia and Montenegro)
30. The former Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the
territory of former Yugoslavia, Ms. Elisabeth Rehn, in her special report on
minorities (E/CN.4/1997/8), noted that Governments of the territory of former
Yugoslavia continued to be accused of marginalizing and repressing minority
populations, and that the participation of minorities in public affairs
throughout the region was limited (para. 2). Her report concentrated on two
countries dominated by people of one national group - the Federal Republic of
/...