CCPR/C/GEO/CO/4
(e)
The increase in the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 14 years, in
February 2010.
4.
The Committee welcomes the ratification of, or accession to, the following
international instruments by the State party:
(a)
The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
involvement of children in armed conflict, on 3 August 2010;
(b)
The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, on 23
December 2011;
(c)
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on 13 March
(d)
The 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, on 1 July 2014.
2014;
C.
Principal matters of concern and recommendations
Implementation of the Views of the Committee under the Optional Protocol to the
Covenant
5.
The Committee, while noting that procedures for the implementation of decisions
made by international human rights courts are in place, and that amendments to relevant
legislative provisions aimed at ensuring the implementation of decisions and
recommendations made by other international bodies, including United Nations treaty
bodies, are currently under discussion, is concerned that a mechanism for full
implementation of the Views of the Committee does not yet exist (art. 2).
The State party should take all necessary institutional and legislative measures to
ensure the full implementation of the Views adopted by the Committee so as to
guarantee the right of victims to an effective remedy when there has been a violation
of the Covenant, in accordance with article 2, paragraph 3, of the Covenant.
Anti-discrimination legislation
6.
The Committee welcomes the adoption of the Law on Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination on 2 May 2014 and notes that the Office of the Public Defender is
responsible for monitoring the implementation of anti-discrimination legislation. However,
the Committee expresses concern about: (a) the effectiveness of the enforcement
mechanism in the absence of an independent body mandated to issue binding decisions and
request the imposition of fines on perpetrators; (b) insufficient sanctions to discourage and
prevent discrimination; and (c) insufficient resources allocated to the Office of the Public
Defender to carry out its new functions effectively (arts. 2 and 26).
The State party should further improve its anti-discrimination legislation to ensure
adequate protection against discrimination in practice. It should, inter alia:
(a)
Continue to provide the Office of the Public Defender with increased
financial and human resources that are commensurate with its expanded role and
enable it to carry out its new functions effectively;
(b)
Empower the Office of the Public Defender to issue binding opinions and
to request initiation of legal proceedings under its mandate to monitor the
implementation of the anti-discrimination legislation, or set up a separate independent
monitoring body and extend such powers to it;
(c)
Ensure that perpetrators are adequately sanctioned and victims of
discrimination are provided with effective and appropriate remedies;
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