A/HRC/54/31/Add.1 81. In terms of education, the Special Rapporteur was informed that the majority of the population in Greenland have Greenlandic as their mother tongue and do not use Danish. The strengthening of education in Inuit languages is crucial as it supports the intergenerational transmission of Inuit knowledge, culture, hunting and food practices. J. Housing 82. Housing shortages and the lack of affordable rental homes, especially in Nuuk, are exacerbating social inequalities and affecting, in particular, already marginalized individuals. A significant number of homeless persons have suffered abuse and neglect as children. The current housing situation risks undermining the measures planned to combat and break the cycle of abuse against women and children. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that a large number of settlements do not have access to water and sanitation, which is particularly challenging for persons with disabilities. 83. The Special Rapporteur also notes as positive the announcement, in January 2023, of a new government strategy on homeless persons and recommends a holistic approach in its implementation, taking into account interlinkages with social services, health, education and employment, and that adequate resources be assigned to it, as well as indicators defined in order to evaluate its effectiveness. K. Persons with disabilities 84. One of the key issues raised during the Special Rapporteur’s visit to Greenland was the situation of persons with disabilities. Surveys indicate that nearly one fifth of the population identifies as having a disability. 85. In 2017, the Spokesperson for Persons with Disabilities in Greenland (Tilioq) was established and, in 2020, new legislation on support for persons with disabilities was adopted. A draft disability action plan is currently being developed. 86. However, major challenges remain in order for persons with disabilities to be able to enjoy their rights, including multiple forms of discrimination, lack of access to education and the absence of legal protection against discrimination. Disability remains a taboo issue. In the past, many Inuit with disabilities were sent to Denmark due to the lack of facilities and resources in Greenland; this still occurs to a certain extent and has reduced the visibility and knowledge about disabilities among the general public. Persons with disabilities face higher levels of poverty, homelessness and unemployment and are at increased risk of being victims of violence. Persons with psychosocial disabilities are particularly marginalized and lack support. 87. The Special Rapporteur visited two facilities for persons with disabilities, a rehabilitation centre and a residential institution for children and young persons in Sisimiut. He was particularly impressed by the high quality of the facilities and the integration of Inuit culture into individual therapies. However, there is a lack of qualified staff who speak Greenlandic and lengthy municipal bureaucracy impedes the effective operation of these facilities. 88. During the visit, the Special Rapporteur was concerned to learn about instances of persons with disabilities who were unable to receive education, who faced sexual violence in institutions and about instances in which young persons with disabilities had been sent to institutions for older persons due to the lack of other options. 89. One specifically disconcerting case involved a young woman in a residential home for persons with disabilities. She was subject to sexual assaults, which had led to her becoming pregnant; allegedly neither staff at the institution nor her relatives discovered that fact until she went into labour. The Special Rapporteur calls on monitoring mechanisms to be set up and implemented in order to ensure the safety and rights of persons in residential care institutions. GE.23-13414 15