A/HRC/17/40 solutions. Destruction of property and racist attacks also occur in this context. Such evictions of Roma were reported for instance in the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal and Slovakia.23 The Special Rapporteur has also expressed concern in this regard with respect to cases in Bulgaria 24, Greece25 and Serbia. 26 Roma who have a nomadic lifestyle are also affected in this context. They are often forced to move from one place to another because of a lack of, and strict legislation on, “camp sites”, which endangers their traditional lifestyle. 16. The Special Rapporteur is also concerned about the significant barriers that racial discrimination represents for their access to health care and services. Indeed, discriminatory practices such as health services refusing to treat Roma, the refusal to send emergency services into Roma communities, verbal abuse, and segregation of Roma in hospital facilities reportedly remain common practices.27 The Special Rapporteur regrets that the practice of forced sterilization of Roma women has been reported in countries such as the Czech Republic in 2006 and 200728, Hungary in 200629 and Slovakia in 2009 and 2010.30 He calls for its immediate cessation where it still occurs and for the ensured enactment of preventive measures. 2. Challenges in the areas of civil and political rights 17. While the socio-economic marginalization and exclusion of Roma is one of the most frequent manifestations of the racism and racial discrimination they face, Roma are also victims of discrimination in the enjoyment of their civil and political rights. Indeed, a number of Roma are discriminated against in their access to citizenship and as a result are unable to exercise the full range of rights afforded by citizenship. Such concerns were emphasized by the then Special Rapporteur during his country visits to Italy (A/HRC/4/19/Add.4, para. 38) and the Russian Federation (A/HRC/4/19/Add.3, para. 53). Discrimination in access to justice is also a concern for a number of Roma, including in the criminal justice system where discriminatory attitudes by prosecutors, excessive delays in dealing with cases brought by Roma and racial profiling by the police were reported. Such concerns were raised for instance in Greece (A/HRC/10/11/Add.3, para. 65) and Hungary (A/HRC/4/9/Add.2, para. 48). 18. Roma are still widely excluded from the public and political life of many countries, where they remain underrepresented or not represented at all in States’ public administration and institutions, or in political parties. A number of factors hamper their effective participation in the conduct of public affairs, including the persistence of negative stereotypes assuming that Roma have no interest in politics or do not have the capacity to engage, as well as the fear of political actors that the inclusion of Roma issues in political debate or political parties’ programmes would engender a reaction of the majority of the population that may damage their political prospects. Legal and practical obstacles such as discriminatory regulations regarding voter registration, their poor educational levels and lack of political experience further contribute to the political exclusion of Roma. The lack of identification documents is also an important problem affecting some Roma that hampers the enjoyment of other rights and underlines the fragility of their legal status in a 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Ibid., p. 61. A/HRC/14/43/Add.1, paras. 31-46. A/HRC/11/36/Add.1 and Corr.1, paras. 16-24. A/HRC/14/43/Add.1, paras. 111-116. Koller, ed., Poverty and Social Exclusion (note 7), p. 227. CEDAW/C/CZE/CO/3, para. 23; CERD/C/CZE/CO/7, para. 14. CEDAW/C/HUN/CO/6, para. 8; Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, communication No. 4/2004, Ms. A.S. v. Hungary, Views adopted on 14 August 2006. CAT/C/SVK/CO/2, para. 14; CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, para. 18. 7