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transgender persons and ensure the investigation, prosecution and punishment of any
act of violence motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity in
accordance with article 53, para. 31, of the Criminal Code. It should also take all
necessary measures to guarantee the exercise in practice of the rights to freedom of
expression and assembly of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and
defenders of their rights.
Domestic violence and corporal punishment of children
9.
While acknowledging the measures taken to combat domestic violence, including its
criminalization in June 2012, the Committee is concerned that domestic violence remains
underreported owing to gender stereotypes, lack of due diligence on the part of law
enforcement officers in investigating such cases and insufficient protection measures for
victims, including insufficient enforcement of restrictive and protective orders and a limited
number of State-funded shelters and support services. The Committee also notes with
concern that corporal punishment, especially in the home, continues to be accepted and
practised as a traditional form of discipline by parents and guardians (arts. 2, 3, 6, 7, 24 and
26).
The State party should strengthen its efforts to prevent and combat all forms of
domestic violence by ensuring the effective implementation of the existing relevant
legal and policy frameworks, including by:
(a)
Encouraging reporting of domestic violence cases, inter alia by
informing women of their rights and the existing legal avenues through which they
can receive protection;
(b)
Ensuring effective implementation of legislation to combat domestic
violence and access of victims to effective remedies and means of protection, including
an adequate number of shelters and support services available in all parts of the
country;
(c)
Ensuring that law enforcement authorities, as well as medical and social
workers, continue to receive appropriate training to deal with cases of domestic
violence;
(d)
Pursuing its awareness-raising efforts to widely sensitize the public at
large to the adverse impact of domestic violence;
(e)
Taking practical steps, including through legislative measures where
appropriate, to put an end to corporal punishment in all settings, encouraging nonviolent forms of discipline as alternatives to corporal punishment, and conducting
public information campaigns to raise awareness about its harmful effects.
Accountability for past human rights violations
10.
The Committee is concerned about the slow progress in investigating, identifying
and prosecuting perpetrators of human rights violations committed during or in the
immediate aftermath of the 2008 armed conflict that may constitute war crimes and crimes
against humanity, including cases of enforced disappearances, indiscriminate and
disproportionate attacks against the civilian population and other protected persons,
unlawful detention, torture and inhuman treatment, and the destruction and appropriation of
property (arts. 2, 6, 7, 9, 14, and 16).
The State party should ensure that all allegations of enforced disappearances,
indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks against the civilian population and other
protected persons, unlawful detention, torture and inhuman treatment, and extensive
destruction and appropriation of property are effectively, independently and
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