CRC/C/SRB/CO/1
page 19
(e)
Request further technical assistance in the area of juvenile justice and police
training from the Interagency Panel on Juvenile Justice and others, including UNICEF.
Roma children
75.
The Committee, while noting the efforts made by the State party, such as the adoption of
the Law on Protection of Rights and Freedoms of National Minorities, the Committee remains
deeply concerned at the negative attitudes and prejudices of the general public and at the overall
situation of children of minorities and in particular Roma children. The Committee is concerned
at the effect this has with regard to discrimination and disparity, poverty and denial of their equal
access to health; education; housing, employment; non-enrolment in schools; cases of early
marriage; and decent standard of living. The Committee is also concerned at the very low levels
of participation in early childhood development programmes and day care and the deprivation of
education.
76.
The Committee urges the State party to:
(a)
Initiate campaigns, including throughout the media at all levels and regions,
aimed at addressing the negative attitudes towards the Roma in society at large, including
among police and other professionals;
(b)
Strengthen its efforts to remove discrimination and to continue developing
and implementing - in close collaboration with the Roma community itself - policies and
programmes aimed at ensuring equal access to culturally appropriate services, including
early childhood development and education;
(c)
Take all necessary measures to systematically register Roma children so as to
provide equal access to health services and to avoid statelessness;
(d)
Develop curricula units for children at school level, including in relation to
Roma history and culture, in order to promote understanding, tolerance and respect for
the rights of Roma in Serbian society as well as to enhance their Serbian language skills;
(e)
Raise awareness in the Roma communities of the value of the girl child, her
right to access education without discrimination as well as her right to be protected from
early marriage and its harmful impact.
8. Ratification of human rights instruments
77.
The Committee encourages that the State party to ratify the International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.
9. Follow-up and dissemination
Follow-up
78.
The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to
ensure full implementation of the present recommendations, including by transmitting
them to the members of the Government and National Assembly for appropriate
consideration and further action.