A/HRC/43/47/Add.1
speech published on the Internet and in other media. In particular, the Special
Rapporteur recommends that the Government take more action to counter the rise of
hate speech, xenophobic and misogynistic discourse and the scapegoating of minorities
among politicians and political leaders.
77.
The Government should review and amend legislation and other provisions
dealing with the prohibition of discrimination so that they reflect the grounds
contained in major international human rights treaties, namely, any ground such as
race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status.
78.
The Special Rapporteur recommends that the governments of Spain and of the
autonomous communities conduct a comprehensive review of school textbooks to
incorporate more inclusive and positive portrayals of the country’s diversity, as well
as awareness-raising campaigns and other activities for the general public celebrating
the country’s rich association with many cultures, languages and religions and
acknowledging them as integral parts of modern Spanish society. In addition, the
Government should carry out high-visibility media and public awareness campaigns
to continue its encouragement of an inclusive society comprised of many different
cultures, religions and languages in order to try to counter increases in hate speech
and intolerance against minorities, including negative stereotyping of Roma, migrants
and people of African descent.
79.
The Special Rapporteur invites the Government to re-establish as part of the
curriculum of public schools the citizenship and human rights course as one step in
promoting an even more inclusive, tolerant society through education.
80.
The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Government of Spain adopt a
new national Roma integration strategy that includes more detailed measures,
including steps for implementation, to avoid and reduce the concentration of Roma
students in de facto segregated schools, as well as conduct a review to identify the
establishments where such concentration is still occurring. He urges the Government
to direct attention to improving the situation of non-Spanish Roma and strengthening
measures to ensure that non-Spanish Roma can access public services without
discrimination.
81.
As part of a new national Roma integration strategy, the Government should
include measures for better recognition of Roma cultures and identity, including with
respect to teaching Roma history and providing more opportunities to study Roma
languages in schools where in which Roma students are enrolled.
82.
The Special Rapporteur strongly recommends that the Government collect,
compile, analyse, publish and disseminate reliable statistical data, in full respect of the
relevant data protection standards, disaggregated along ethnic, linguistic and religious
lines on the basis of voluntary self-identification, in order to have reliable tools for the
development of more effective policies and measures for the protection and promotion
of the human rights of minorities.
83.
The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to reinstate the collection of
national data on the impact of different educational models, more precisely the
collection by the evaluation institute of data on levels of competency in the acquisition
of fluency in Castilian and co-official languages throughout the country, to assist in
dispelling concerns about the impact of various educational models using different coofficial and minority languages.
84.
The Government should adopt legislative changes so that Spanish Sign
Language and Catalan Sign Language are more clearly acknowledged as full-fledged
languages. Spanish authorities should increase resources to expand the availability of
bilingual educational facilities for deaf children and public services in both sign
languages, and recognize both as official languages at the national level.
85.
The Special Rapporteur invites the Government to modify article 231 of the
organic law on the judiciary in order to guarantee a more directly exercisable right to
use a minority co-official language jointly with Castilian so that the proceedings for
criminal, civil and administrative judicial authorities can effectively be held in both
co-official languages.
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