Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

Concluding observations on the initial report of Madagascar *

1.The Committee considered the initial report of Madagascar (CMW/C/MDG/1) at its 399th and 400th meetings (see CMW/C/SR.399 and CMW/C/SR.400), on 4 and 5 September 2018. At its 409th meeting, on 12 September 2018, it adopted the present concluding observations.

A.Introduction

2.The Committee welcomes the submission of the initial report of the State party, which was prepared in response to the list of issues prior to reporting (CMW/C/MDG/QPR/1), and the additional information provided by the high-level, multisectoral delegation, headed by Ms. Harimisa Noro Vololona, Minister of Justice, and including representatives of various ministries, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Madagascar to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, and other members of the Permanent Mission. The Committee appreciates the open and constructive dialogue held with the delegation.

3.The Committee notes that Madagascar has traditionally been a country of origin of migrant workers, but that it is also a country of destination for migrant workers, primarily from France, China, the United States of America and India, and has increasingly become a country of transit for migrants from the Comoros, Cameroon, China, the Congo, Egypt, India, Iraq, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. The Committee further notes the existence of a small number of persons seeking international protection.

4.The Committee notes that some of the countries in which Malagasy migrant workers are employed are not parties to the Convention, which may constitute an obstacle to the enjoyment by those migrant workers of their rights under the Convention.

B.Positive aspects

5.The Committee welcomes the State party’s efforts to promote and protect the rights of migrant workers and members of their families, particularly through the establishment of departments within the Ministry of Population, Social Protection and the Advancement of Women and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support migrant workers, the regulation of agencies that recruit Malagasy workers for employment abroad and legislative measures to facilitate birth registration, strengthen efforts to combat human trafficking and criminalize forced labour and slavery-like practices.

6.The Committee notes with appreciation the State party’s ratification of or accession to the following instruments:

(a)Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in June 2015;

(b)African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, in September 2013;

(c)Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, in December 2005;

(d)African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, in June 2005;

(e)International Labour Organization (ILO) Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 97), in June 2001.

C.Principal subjects of concern and recommendations

1.General measures of implementation (arts. 73 and 84)

Legislation and implementation

7.The Committee notes that, pursuant to article 137 (4) of the State party’s Constitution, international conventions ratified by Madagascar take precedence over domestic law, and that article 261 of Act No. 2003-044 of 28 July 2004 on the Labour Code punishes discrimination based on the race and origin of workers. It is concerned, however, at the lack of legislative measures taken since the signing of the Convention to bring domestic legislation, in particular Act No. 62-006 of 6 June 1962 on the organization and monitoring of immigration, into line with the provisions of the Convention.

8. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Review the compliance of its national legislation with the Convention and bring it into line with the Convention and other existing human rights treaties;

(b) Take into account the provisions of the Convention, without any reservation, in its national legal system, public policies and local government procedures, in accordance with the commitments made by the State party as part of the universal periodic review process (A/HRC/28/13, para. 108.39).

Articles 76 and 77

9.The Committee notes that the State party has not yet made the declarations provided for in articles 76 and 77 of the Convention whereby it would recognize the competence of the Committee to receive and consider communications from States parties and individuals concerning violations of the rights enshrined in the Convention.

10. The Committee recommends that the State party consider making the declarations provided for in articles 76 and 77 of the Convention.

Ratification of relevant instruments

11.The Committee notes that the State party has ratified almost all the major human rights treaties and a number of ILO conventions. It observes, however, that the State party has not yet ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the ILO Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 (No. 143), the ILO Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181), the ILO Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), or the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (the Kampala Convention).

12. The Committee recommends that the State party consider ratifying the above instruments as soon as possible.

Comprehensive policy and strategy

13.The Committee notes the information provided by the delegation during the dialogue on the existence of a draft comprehensive migration policy and its indication that finalizing the policy is among the State party’s priorities in the context of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

14. The Committee recommends that the State party step up its efforts to finalize its comprehensive strategy for labour migration, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, and ensure that it takes into account the specific needs of each gender and is supported by adequate human, technical and financial resources to secure its implementation and by a monitoring mechanism. It also recommends that the State party adopt and implement projects to protect the human rights of all Malagasy migrant workers and immigrants in Madagascar.

Coordination

15.The Committee welcomes the information that the delegation provided during the dialogue indicating that the establishment of a coordination body within the Office of the Prime Minister to manage migration is among the State party’s priorities in the context of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

16. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts to:

(a) Expand the mandate of the interministerial committee for the protection of the interests of workers abroad to cover the coordination of all activities related to the implementation of the Convention at the intersectoral, national, regional and local levels;

(b) Ensure that this coordinating body has the necessary human, technical and financial resources to operate effectively;

(c) Continue its cooperation with specialized agencies and programmes of the United Nations system and request technical assistance and support from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to ensure the proper functioning of the coordinating body.

Data collection

17.The Committee notes with satisfaction the carrying out of the third general population and housing census in June 2018 and of a project to profile the Malagasy diaspora in France in 2016. It is concerned, however, at the lack of disaggregated statistical data to enable monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the rights set out in the Convention.

18. The Committee recommends that, in line with target 17.18 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the State party establish a national information system on migration in order to collect statistical data and qualitative and quantitative information on migrations covering all aspects of the Convention. This centralized database should include detailed information on the status of all migrant workers with a connection to the State party, including those in the country, those in transit, those who have left the country, those in an irregular situation, unaccompanied migrant children left in the country by their migrant parents, and victims of trafficking. Moreover, the data should be disaggregated by sex, age, nationality, reason for entry into and departure from the country and type of work performed, and should be used to guide the formulation of effective migration policies and facilitate the application of the various provisions of the Convention.

Independent monitoring

19.The Committee welcomes the establishment of the Independent National Human Rights Commission in 2014, its members taking up their posts in 2016 and its application for accreditation in February 2018. Nevertheless, it is concerned at the insufficient institutional support afforded to the Commission.

20. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Provide the Independent National Human Rights Commission with the human, technical and financial resources needed to fulfil its mandate effectively, including to address the complaints of migrant workers in accordance with the commitments made by the State party as part of the universal periodic review process (A/HRC/28/13, para. 108.44);

(b) Seek technical assistance from OHCHR to ensure that the national institution is in full compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles).

Training on and dissemination of the Convention

21.The Committee notes the efforts made by the State party in terms of education, training and raising awareness of human rights. However, the Committee is concerned by the lack of training programmes specifically related to the Convention and the rights enshrined therein for stakeholders, including personnel in the judicial and law enforcement sectors.

22. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Develop education and training programmes on the rights of migrant workers and members of their families under the Convention, including on gender issues and children ’ s rights, and ensure that such programmes are made available to all officials and other persons working in the area of migration, in particular law enforcement and border authorities, judges, prosecutors, consular officials, national, regional and local officials, social workers and members of civil society organizations;

(b) Strengthen its work with civil society organizations and the media to disseminate information about and promote the Convention throughout the State party;

(c) Organize training sessions for social media reporters and local government authorities aimed at ensuring a sound knowledge of, and respect for, the Convention.

Participation of civil society

23.The Committee is concerned at the low level of civil society involvement in its dialogue with the State party and at the State party’s inadequate consultation of civil society and inadequate support for it in ensuring its participation in the implementation of the Convention.

24. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Consider adopting proactive and systematic measures to consult with civil society and non-governmental organizations about the implementation of the Convention and the negotiation and monitoring of bilateral agreements;

(b) Strengthen its support for these organizations so that they may participate in the implementation of the Convention, including in countries where Malagasy migrant workers are employed.

Corruption

25.The Committee welcomes the information provided by the delegation during the dialogue on the State party’s efforts to combat corruption, including within the national police force, related to irregularities in the issuance of birth certificates and visas and to fraudulent documentation of migrant workers.

26. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to address all instances of corruption and that it thoroughly investigate any cases that may involve officials and impose appropriate sanctions. The Committee further recommends that the State party conduct information campaigns with a view to encouraging migrant workers and members of their families who claim to be victims of corruption or fraud to file complaints and that it raise awareness among migrant workers and members of their families of the services that are available to them free of charge.

2.General principles (arts. 7 and 83)

Non-discrimination

27.The Committee notes that article 6 of the State party’s Constitution protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of sex, level of education, financial situation, origin or religious belief or opinion and that article 28 protects against discrimination in the workplace. However, it finds it regrettable that:

(a)Neither the Constitution nor national legislation on employment and working conditions covers all the prohibited grounds of discrimination enumerated in the Convention (see arts. 1 (1) and 7);

(b)There is a lack of information on actual practice and examples that would make it possible to assess the implementation of the right to non-discrimination pursuant to the Convention with respect to both documented and undocumented migrant workers.

28. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures, particularly by amending its legislation, to:

(a) Ensure that all migrant workers and members of their families in its territory or subject to its jurisdiction, whether documented or not, enjoy the rights recognized in the Convention without discrimination, in accordance with articles 1 (1) and 7;

(b) Ensure that all migrant workers in an irregular situation, in the informal sector and in transit, enjoy equality of treatment with nationals.

Women migrant workers

29.The Committee notes that the State party’s legislation on marriage prohibits harmful practices, such as polygamy and forced marriage. However, it is concerned at reports of the existence of such practices, which are factors driving migration. It is also concerned at the fact that having limited economic opportunities compels migrant women and girls to resort to informal activities that expose them to ill-treatment, particularly in traditionally female sectors, such as domestic work. In addition, the Committee notes that national legislation on migration contains no clear and specific provisions protecting women migrant workers from sex-based discrimination or granting them special protection.

30. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt and implement measures to guarantee the rights of all women migrant workers, including domestic workers, in line with its general comment No. 1 (2011) on migrant domestic workers, by:

(a) Protecting their labour rights in a framework of equality and non-discrimination, in particular by guaranteeing the preparation of personal identification documents for all women and girls during all phases of the migration process;

(b) Guaranteeing the access of women migrant workers to social security, wages, work contracts, severance pay, compensation and justice and enabling labour inspection services to effectively monitor conditions of domestic work;

(c) Guaranteeing that all women migrant workers receive legal support and have access to justice and an effective remedy, including in cases of sexual harassment, and medical assistance, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health;

(d) Establishing gender-sensitive mechanisms for the selection of applicants for bilateral labour migration programmes;

(e) Incorporating into its legislation a clear and specific prohibition of sex-based discrimination against migrant women.

Right to an effective remedy

31.The Committee notes the information provided during the dialogue concerning the establishment of services to offer guidance on legal procedures and of the Migrant Workers Service in 2015 to support migrant workers in this respect. However, the Committee is concerned about the limitation of the remedy options available to migrant workers subject to expulsion proceedings under article 15 of Act No. 62-006 to an administrative remedy and about the summary expulsion proceedings that prevent them from making use of this remedy option.

32. The Committee recommends that the State party take the necessary measures to ensure that migrant workers and members of their families, including those in an irregular situation:

(a) Have access to a legal remedy, particularly in the context of cross-border justice and in the event of an expulsion decision, and obtain effective redress in the courts in cases where their rights under the Convention are violated;

(b) Are informed about the judicial and other remedies available to them in the event of a violation of their rights under the Convention, in languages that they understand;

(c) Have access to justice and to police, health, social security and housing services without fear of reprisals because of their irregular migration status.

3.Human rights of all migrant workers and members of their families (arts. 8–35)

Labour exploitation and other forms of ill-treatment

33.The Committee notes the adoption of legislative measures to combat trafficking in persons, forced labour of children and sex tourism. However, it is concerned about:

(a)Reports of labour exploitation of migrant workers, including children, and of domestic servitude, forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation;

(b)Impunity in relation to cases of commercial sexual exploitation and shortcomings in the implementation of legislation on sex tourism;

(c)The fact that the State party has not provided data to give an overview of the situation of domestic servitude, forced labour and the sexual exploitation of migrant workers, including children, in its territory or information on its efforts to prevent and eradicate these practices.

34. The Committee recommends that, in line with targets 8.8 and 16.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the State party:

(a) Ensure that the Labour Inspectorate monitors more regularly the working conditions of migrant workers in both regular and irregular situations, including in the informal sector, and systematically reports cases of abuse to the authorities;

(b) Strengthen its efforts to implement its legal framework and apply appropriate penalties to employers who exploit migrant workers, especially women domestic workers, or subject them to forced labour and abuse;

(c) Provide adequate assistance, protection and rehabilitation, including psychosocial rehabilitation, to victims of sexual and labour exploitation, especially migrant women and children;

(d) Guarantee the implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights;

(e) Provide specific information in its next periodic report on the exploitation of migrant workers, including those in an irregular situation.

Due process, detention and equality before the courts

35.The Committee notes that article 53 bis of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides for the obligation of the judge to inform the accused of his or her right to choose a defence counsel from among the lawyers who are members of the Bar in the State party, a business agent or any person of their choice. However, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)Detention for breach of migration legislation, without recourse to a supporting explanation appropriate to the individual case and based on necessity;

(b)The lack of information on alternatives to the detention of migrant workers, including those in an irregular situation, especially for unaccompanied children and families with children;

(c)The lack of information on the conditions and maximum period of administrative detention of migrants awaiting expulsion;

(d)The lack of statistical data on cases involving the placement of migrant workers and members of their families in administrative custody for reasons related to irregular migration.

36. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Ensure that the detention of migrants is an exceptional measure of last resort applied for the shortest possible time, that grounds are specified in each case, giving the reasons why alternative measures cannot be implemented, and that the measure is reviewed in under 24 hours by an independent and impartial judicial authority;

(b) Adopt alternatives to administrative detention for migrant workers and members of their families who have violated migration legislation and for those who are awaiting expulsion from the national territory;

(c) Ensure that, in exceptional cases where detention cannot be avoided, migrant workers and members of their families are placed in special facilities, that they are held separately from ordinary prisoners and that conditions of detention comply with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), in accordance with the commitments made in 2014 as part of the universal periodic review process (A/HRC/28/13, para. 108.118);

(d) Include, in its next periodic report, detailed information, disaggregated by age, sex, nationality or origin or both, on the number of migrant workers currently held in administrative detention for immigration offences and on the place, average duration and conditions of their detention.

Consular assistance

37.The Committee notes with satisfaction the establishment, in 2017, of a service to protect and assist Malagasy citizens abroad. However, it also notes with concern:

(a)The limited presence of diplomatic and consular missions of the State party in the countries of destination of Malagasy migrant workers, including Kuwait and Lebanon;

(b)The lack of concrete information on the assistance provided by the State party to Malagasy migrant workers and members of their families abroad, including those in an irregular situation, who are victims of abuse, deprived of their freedom and/or subject to expulsion.

38. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Step up efforts to cooperate with countries of destination of Malagasy workers and members of their families, including China, Lebanon, Kuwait and other Gulf countries, in order to ensure the protection of the rights of Malagasy migrant workers and members of their families abroad, even in the absence of a diplomatic or consular mission of the State party;

(b) Build the capacity of its diplomatic or consular services so that they can effectively carry out their mission to protect and promote the rights of Malagasy migrant workers and members of their families, including those deprived of their liberty or subject to expulsion orders.

Birth registration and nationality

39.The Committee notes the legislative measures taken by the State party to reduce statelessness. However, it is concerned about the high number of stateless persons in the State party, and:

(a)The lack of information on the conditions under which the children of Malagasy migrant workers abroad and migrant workers in Madagascar may be registered at birth or at a later time and have their nationality of origin recognized;

(b)The demanding requirements for naturalization in the State party;

(c)The delays in the establishment of a committee to decide on cases of statelessness, in accordance with Decree No. 1236 of 1 July 1961.

40. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Guarantee that all children of Malagasy migrant workers abroad and of migrant workers in Madagascar are registered at birth, facilitate late registration, guarantee that such children receive identification documents, in accordance with target 16.9 of the Sustainable Development Goals and the commitments made as part of the universal periodic review process (A/HRC/28/13, para. 108.62), cooperate with States of origin and migrant workers in the State party, including those in an irregular situation, stateless persons and those without identity documents, in ensuring recognition of their nationality and raise awareness among migrant workers and members of their families of the importance of registering children at birth;

(b) Simplify naturalization procedures for children born in Madagascar to foreign or stateless parents or parents who do not have the right to transmit their nationality to their children abroad;

(c) Allocate adequate human, technical and financial resources for the implementation of Act No. 61-025 and the establishment of a committee to decide on cases of statelessness;

(d) Accede to the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Vocational training

41.The Committee notes the adoption, in 2015, of a national employment and vocational training policy.

42. The Committee recommends that the State party allocate the necessary human, technical and financial resources for the implementation of the national employment and vocational training policy and guarantee that migrant workers have the same access as nationals of the State party to the relevant programmes, in accordance with article 43 (b) and (c) of the Convention.

Right to transfer earnings and savings

43.The Committee takes note of the information provided by the delegation during the dialogue on the flow of funds of Malagasy migrant workers abroad and migrant workers in the State party. However, it is concerned at the lack of information about partnerships with financial institutions to help facilitate the transfer of income and about the costs that migrant workers must bear when seeking to repatriate their earnings and savings to their countries of origin.

44. The Committee recommends that, in its next periodic report, the State party provide information on:

(a) The cost of the transfer of migrant workers ’ earnings and savings to their countries of origin;

(b) Measures taken to facilitate such transfers in Madagascar, in line with target 10.c of the Sustainable Development Goals;

(c) Banking regulations and controls on financial institutions to prevent returning migrant workers from having to pay excessive rates and commissions.

4.Other rights of migrant workers and members of their families who are documented or in a regular situation (arts. 36–56)

Free choice of profession

45.The Committee finds it regrettable that article 8 of Act No. 062-006 allows for restrictions on the professions that migrant workers may pursue and that article 9 prohibits migrant workers from deviating from the profession registered on their residence permit.

46. The Committee recommends that the State party guarantee migrant workers in its territory the right to freely choose their remunerated activity and bring the laws, regulations and practice governing stay and residence permits into line with article 52 of the Convention.

5.Promotion of sound, equitable, humane and lawful conditions in connection with international migration of workers and members of their families (arts. 64–71)

Children in situations of international migration

47.The Committee finds it regrettable that it lacks information on the number of children who have remained in their country of origin and children who have returned to the State party, and on the policies implemented by the State party to facilitate their reintegration.

48. The Committee recommends, in accordance with joint general comments No. 3 (2017) of the Committee and No. 22 (2017) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on the general principles regarding the human rights of children in the context of international migration, and No. 4 (2017) of the Committee and No. 23 (2017) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on State obligations regarding the human rights of children in the context of international migration in countries of origin, transit, destination and return, that the State party:

(a) Adopt a comprehensive strategy to promote and protect the rights of children and families of Malagasy workers, in particular through education, entrepreneurial, training and community welfare programmes, and further its cooperation to that effect with civil society actors on the ground and in the country of origin;

(b) Provide information, in its next periodic report, on the measures taken to facilitate the resettlement and reintegration of Malagasy migrant workers on their return, including reunification with their children who remained behind in the country.

International cooperation with countries of transit and destination

49.The Committee welcomes the information that the delegation provided during the dialogue on the ongoing negotiations of bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia, Mauritius and Lebanon. It also notes the renewal of the framework agreement between the State party and the Comoros in 2016. However, the Committee finds it regrettable that:

(a)There is a lack of information on the bilateral agreements that the State party has entered into with other countries hosting Malagasy migrant workers, such as China, India and Kuwait;

(b)There has been slow progress in negotiations with Saudi Arabia and that the 1967, 1969 and 1973 agreements with France were not reviewed following the ratification of the Convention.

50. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Step up its efforts to sign bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, Lebanon and all countries hosting Malagasy migrant workers, with a view to promoting regular migration and guaranteeing sound, equitable and humane conditions, and ensure that its nationals are able to seek protection and assistance from consular authorities, including legal assistance, where necessary, so that their rights may be respected in accordance with the Convention;

(b) Ensure that such bilateral agreements are fully consistent with the Convention, the Committee ’ s general comment No. 1, general comment No. 2 (2013) on the rights of migrant workers in an irregular situation and members of their families, and general comments Nos. 3 and 4.

Recruitment agencies

51.The Committee notes with satisfaction the adoption of Decree No. 20307/2015/MEETFP of 11 June 2015 setting out the obligations, and the procedure for granting and revoking certification, of private employment agencies. It is nevertheless concerned by reports that informal agencies continue to carry out recruitment, including the recruitment of children.

52. The Committee recommends, in accordance with the Dhaka Principles for Migration with Dignity, that the State party:

(a) Develop operational tools to assist employers, recruitment agencies and governments in implementing Decree No. 20307/2015/MEETFP of 11 June 2015, in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration, in order to promote and strengthen ethical and transparent recruitment and employment processes;

(b) Enhance the monitoring and inspection of recruitment agencies in order to ensure that appropriate working conditions are afforded to migrant workers;

(c) Put in place an effective system for the prosecution of recruitment agencies that depart from the rules in force.

Irregular migration and trafficking in persons

53.The Committee notes the adoption of the law and national policy on combating trafficking in persons. However, it is concerned over:

(a)The presence of migrants and members of their families in an irregular situation in the State party and the fact that the deposit required, and high fees, for residence permits prevents them from having their status regularized;

(b)Reports that the State party’s territory serves as a springboard for human trafficking networks;

(c)Reports that the ban on sending Malagasy workers to high-risk countries under Decree No. 2013-594 of 6 August 2013 serves to encourage irregular migration and thus exposes migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and China to trafficking in persons;

(d)The lack of trust in the justice system and the fear of repercussions, which contribute to the low rate of convictions for trafficking in persons, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation;

(e)Reports that support, rehabilitation, integration and reparation services are not guaranteed to all victims of trafficking in persons.

54. The Committee recommends, in accordance with its general comment No. 2 and the Recommended Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Human Trafficking of OHCHR, that the State party:

(a) Take appropriate measures to put in place procedures to regularize the situation of migrant workers in an irregular situation and ensure that they are informed of these procedures;

(b) Allocate adequate budgetary resources to improve border management and strengthen training on human trafficking for border officials, judges, prosecutors, labour inspectors, teachers, health workers and employees of the State party ’ s consulates and embassies;

(c) Establish bilateral agreements to ensure that migrant workers are protected against abuse and exploitation rather than prohibiting migration towards specific destinations;

(d) Implement the procedural manual for the detection and adjudication of cases of trafficking in human beings, ensure that all acts of trafficking in persons and related offences, including complicity, are promptly and effectively investigated, prosecuted and punished, and guarantee that all victims and witnesses of crime, including children, enjoy the protection guaranteed under the Convention;

(e) Guarantee access for all victims of trafficking in persons to legal, psychological, medical and social assistance and to shelters and reparation, regardless of their capacity or willingness to testify, and implement its manual for the care of victims.

6.Dissemination and follow-up

Dissemination

55.The Committee requests the State party to ensure the timely dissemination of the present concluding observations, in the official language of the State party, to the relevant State institutions at all levels, including to government ministries, the legislature, the judiciary and relevant local authorities, and to non-governmental organizations and other members of civil society.

Technical assistance

56.The Committee recommends that the State party avail itself of international assistance for the implementation of the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Follow-up to concluding observations

57.The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years (that is, by 1 October 2020), written information on the implementation of the recommendations contained in paragraphs 8, 20, 38 and 50 above.

Next periodic report

58.The Committee requests the State party to submit its second periodic report by 1 October 2023. In doing so, the State party may wish to follow the simplified reporting procedure. The Committee draws the State party’s attention to its harmonized treaty-specific guidelines (HRI/GEN.2/Rev.6).