A/HRC/10/38
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noting various measures taken by the State party, including the Programme for Roma Integration
into Lithuanian society (2000-2004 and 2008-2010) and the Lithuanian Rural Development
Programme for 2007-2013, the Committee urged Lithuania to intensify its efforts to eliminate
discrimination against vulnerable groups of women, including those belonging to ethnic
minorities such as the Roma (CEDAW/C/LTV/CO/4). It also acknowledged the measures taken
by Slovakia under the Decade of Romani Inclusion 2005-2015, but expressed its concern that
Romani women and girls remained vulnerable and marginalized, and urged Slovakia to take
effective measures to eliminate the multiple forms of discrimination against Romani women and
girls. The Committee was also concerned at information received with regard to Romani women
reporting to have been sterilized without prior and informed consent, and recommended that
Slovakia take all necessary measures to ensure that the complaints are duly acknowledged and
that victims are granted effective remedies (CEDAW/C/SVK/CO/4). With regard to the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Committee noted that ethnic and
minority women were underrepresented in all areas of the labour market, particularly in senior
and decision-making positions (CEDAW/C/UK/CO/6).
Committee on the Rights of the Child
14. At its forty-eighth session, held from 19 May to 6 June 2008, in its concluding
observations to the report of Bulgaria (CRC/C/BGR/CO/2), the Committee on the Rights of the
Child, while commending efforts made, such as the National Action Plan on the Decade of Roma
Inclusion and Health Strategy for Disadvantaged Persons from the Ethnic Minorities, highlighted
several shortcomings, including the particularly limited and inequitable access to adequate
health-care services for Romani children, the relatively high infant mortality rate and the
common practice of segregating Romani patients in hospital facilities. The recommendations of
the Committee also covered areas such as promoting tolerance, addressing negative attitudes,
removing discrimination and working actively with Romani communities for the full enjoyment
of their rights. It requested the Government of Eritrea to provide, in its next report, information
on the fulfilment of the rights of children belonging to minority groups, and recommended that
the issue of access to health care for children of minority groups be prioritized. It also expressed
concern at the lack of adequate institutional structures to ensure birth registration of all children,
especially minorities (CRC/C/ERI/CO/3). Furthermore, the Committee discussed and made
recommendations on the situation of children of minority groups in relation to adoption and
education opportunities in Georgia (CRC/C/GEO/CO/3) and Serbia (CRC/C/SRB/CO/1).
15. Under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, in relation to the report of the United States of
America, the Committee expressed concern over cases of recruitment into the armed forces
through campaigns targeted at children belonging to ethnic and racial minorities and other
vulnerable socio-economic groups (CRC/C/OPAC/USA/CO/1).
16. At its forty-ninth session, held from 15 September to 3 October 2008, in its concluding
observations to the report of Bhutan (CRC/C/BTN/CO/2), the Committee expressed concern
about the ability of children belonging to minority groups, in particular of Nepalese ethnic
origin, to enjoy their own culture, profess and practice their own religion and use their own
language, and recommended that the State party recognize these rights. In relation to the report
submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Committee noted
various measures taken by the State party, including plans to consolidate and strengthen equality