CCPR/C/FIN/CO/6 C. Principal matters of concern and recommendations 4. The Committee regrets that the State Party maintains its reservations, in particular to article 14, paragraph 7, and article 20, paragraph 1, of the Covenant, which are, in the opinion of the Committee, without basis in the light of the Committee’s interpretation of the said articles (art. 2). The State party should constantly review its reservations to the Covenant and consider withdrawing them in whole or in part. 5. While noting that the State party has incorporated the Covenant into its domestic legal order, the Committee is concerned that provisions of the Covenant have been invoked in only a few cases before national courts, since the consideration of the State party’s previous report (art. 2). The State party should take appropriate measures to raise awareness of the Covenant among judges, lawyers and prosecutors in order to ensure that its provisions are taken into account before national courts. It should also include in its next periodic report examples of the application of the Covenant by the domestic courts. 6. While appreciating the ongoing reform of the State party’s non-discrimination legislation, the Committee remains concerned about the persistent gender-based wage gap and the dismissal of women due to pregnancy and childbirth (arts. 3 and 26). The State party should pursue and strengthen its measures to ensure, by means of legislation and policy, women’s de facto equality with men in the labour market. The State party should clarify whether there is any provision for sanctions against the practice of dismissing women in cases of pregnancy and childbirth. 7. While noting the efforts undertaken by the State party to combat violence against women, including the Action Plan to reduce violence against women 2010-2015, the Committee remains concerned about reports of gender-based violence, particularly rape, which is often not reported by victims and thus not investigated, prosecuted or punished by the authorities. The Committee regrets that the availability of services, including the number of shelters, is insufficient and inadequate to protect women victims of violence (arts 3, 7 and 26). The State party should intensify its efforts and take all necessary measures, including legislative reforms, to effectively prevent and combat all forms of violence against women, particularly sexual violence. The State party should ensure that services, including a sufficient number of shelters, are made available to protect women victims of violence and provide them with adequate financial resources. The State party should also educate society on the prevalence of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, and improve coordination among the bodies responsible for preventing and punishing domestic violence, so as to ensure that such acts are investigated, and perpetrators prosecuted and, if convicted, punished with appropriate sanctions. 8. The Committee is concerned that the State party’s current legislation on combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is not comprehensive, and therefore fails to protect against discrimination on all the grounds enumerated in the Covenant. It is also concerned about reports of acts of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (arts. 2 and 26). The State party should increase its efforts in the field of combating and eliminating discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, inter alia, by implementing comprehensive legislative reform that guarantees equal protection from discrimination on all grounds. 2