CERD/C/GTM/CO/11
page 5
that may affect them with a view to securing their consent to such
measures.
20.
The Committee is concerned by the high illit eracy rate that exists within the
indigenous population, especially in rural areas, where 65 per cent of indigenous women are
illiterate. The Committee is also concerned at the low primary school attendance among the
indigenous population, especially indigenous young women and girls. (art. 5, subpara. (e) (v)).
The Committee urges the State party to take steps in the short and
medium terms to implement measures to reduce illiteracy, especially
in rural areas and among women and girls. The Committee
recommends that the State party consider increasing the number of
bilingual schools, particularly in rural areas. In this connection the
Committee recommends that the State party pursue educational
reform through culturally relevant curricula, bearing in mind the
provisions of the Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous
Peoples.
21.
While the Committee welcomes the information provided on the structure,
composition and competence of the Ombudsman for Indigenous Peoples of the Office of the
Human Rights Procurator (Defensoría de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Procuraduría de los
Derechos Humanos), it regrets that no information has been provided on the results of the
cases filed before this body.(art. 6).
The Committee recommends that the State party provide information
on the results from the 28 complaints of racial discrimination that
have been submitted including whether the victims have received due
compensation.
22.
While the Committee welcomes the information provided by the delegation on
statistics relating to cases brought before the Office of the Human Rights Prosecutor (Fiscalía
de Derechos Humanos), which investigates offences involving discrimination and racism, it
nevertheless notes that of the 79 cases brought, only 1 resulted in conviction and sentence.
(art. 6).
The Committee requests the State party to include in its next periodic
report explanations as to why a sentence was handed down in only 1
out of 79 cases. The Committee would also appreciate statistical
information on the complaints broug ht before the Office of the
Human Rights Prosecutor, the proceedings initiated and the outcomes
of cases involving racial or ethnic discrimination as well as specific
examples of such cases. The Committee would also like to know
whether the victims received just and adequate reparation for any
material and moral damage suffered as a result of racial
discrimination.
23.
The Committee is greatly concerned by attitudes of contempt and rejection displayed
by the communication media towards indigenous peoples. The Committee also wishes to
express its concern at the fact that community radio stations have a broadcasting range of less