A/HRC/55/35 Region, which addresses human rights issues of Roma and includes support for the Roma community mediators network. 38. In its concluding observations on Croatia, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern, inter alia, over the extreme poverty and substandard living conditions faced by Roma, the low attendance rates in secondary schools and high dropout rates among Roma children, the persistence of segregated education of Roma children, particularly in Međimurje County, and the lower percentage of Roma covered by the compulsory health insurance scheme. The Committee recommended that Croatia intensify efforts to end extreme poverty among Roma, end the de facto segregation in schools and strengthen efforts to ensure access by Roma children to quality and inclusive education, and increase efforts to ensure that Roma, particularly Roma women, had access to adequate health care, particularly in regard to sexual and reproductive health.42 39. In its concluding observations on Italy, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination reiterated its concerns about the persistent and widespread structural discrimination against the Roma, Sinti and Camminanti communities, who continued to face social exclusion and marginalization. The Committee urged Italy to ensure the effective implementation of the National Strategy for the Inclusion of Roma, Sinti and Camminanti 2021–2030, to adopt appropriate and effective measures to end segregation in housing, and to prevent forced evictions of Roma, Sinti and Camminanti communities.43 G. Hate speech against minorities 40. Upon request from member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Human Rights Council held, on 11 July 2023, an urgent debate “to discuss the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred as manifested by recurrent desecration of the Holy Qur’an in some European and other countries”. 44 The High Commissioner stated that such inflammatory acts were “manifestations of utter disrespect”, “offensive, irresponsible and wrong”.45 The High Commissioner also stressed that political and religious leaders had a particularly crucial role to play in speaking out clearly, firmly and immediately against disrespect and intolerance, and should also make it clear that violence cannot be justified by prior provocation, whether real or perceived. He recalled that restrictions of the right to freedom of expression must remain an exception. Hate speech against individuals or groups should be actively countered by all responsible authorities, figures of influence and the private sector through dialogue, education, awareness-raising, and interfaith and inter-community engagement, as well as other public policy tools.46 41. Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 53/1, the High Commissioner presented, on 5 October 2023, an oral update on the various drivers, root causes and human rights impacts of religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. He stressed that those acts had had a deeply personal impact on millions of individuals and communities, cutting to the core of their identity and values. 47 The High Commissioner also cautioned that efforts by States to fight religious hatred in their laws and policies must be tailored with care, employing proportionate measures that were applied equally. He stressed that the Rabat Plan of Action on the prohibition of advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence,48 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 GE.23-26212 CERD/C/HRV/CO/9-14, paras. 21 and 22. CERD/C/ITA/CO/21, paras. 14 and 15. See https://hrcmeetings.ohchr.org/PresidencyBureau/BureauRegionalGroupsCorrespondence/ Correspondence/Request%20from%20the%20OIC%20for%20an%20urgent%20debate.pdf. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2023/07/turk-calls-states-combatweaponization-religious-differences. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2023/07/high-commissioner-human-rights-tells-urgent-debatehuman-rights-council-speech-and. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2023/10/religious-hatred-turk-urges-renewedsocial-contract-based-trust-and. See A/HRC/22/17/Add.4, appendix; and https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/outcomedocuments/rabat-plan-action. 9