Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Concluding observations on the initial report of Bulgaria *

I.Introduction

1.The Committee considered the initial report of Bulgaria (CRPD/C/BGR/1) at its 407th and 408th meetings (see CRPD/C/SR.407 and 408), held on 3 and 4 September 2018 respectively. It adopted the present concluding observations at its 422nd meeting, held on 14 September 2018.

2.The Committee welcomes the initial report of Bulgaria, which was prepared in accordance with the Committee’s reporting guidelines, and thanks the State party for its written replies (CRPD/C/BGR/Q/1/Add.1) to the list of issues prepared by the Committee (CRPD/C/BGR/Q/1).

3.The Committee appreciates the fruitful dialogue held with the State party’s high-level delegation during the consideration of the report. The delegation included representatives of the ministries of Labour and Social Policy, Regional Development and Public Works, of Education and Science, of Justice and of Foreign Affairs, of the State Agency for Protection of the Child, and the Director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

II.Positive aspects

4.The Committee welcomes the measures taken by the State party to ensure implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities enshrined in the Convention. It notes the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability in the State party’s legislation, in particular the Protection against Discrimination Act.

5.The Committee notes the adoption of the long-term national strategy for persons with disabilities for the period 2016–2020, and the action plan for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2015–2020). It also notes the declaration made by the State party that inclusive education had become “a national priority”.

6.The Committee commends the State party for its expressed opposition to the draft Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine and for reaffirming at the international and regional levels the principles and rights of persons with disabilities, as enshrined in the Convention.

III.Principal areas of concern and recommendations

A.General principles and obligations (arts. 1–4)

7.The Committee is concerned that the State party has not ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention.

8. The Committee recommends that the State party accelerate the ratification process of the Optional Protocol to the Convention, and ensure dissemination of public information concerning this process.

9.The Committee is concerned that medical and charity approaches to disability still prevail in the State party’s legislation, and that definitions of disability and assessment of persons with disabilities in the State party’s legislation are not in line with the Convention.

10. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake a review of its legislation with the aim of bringing it into line with the human rights model of disability. It also recommends that the State party remove any derogatory terminology concerning persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities and, in consultation with representative organizations of persons with disabilities, develop an assessment policy and procedure in line with the human rights model of disability enshrined in the Convention.

11.The Committee notes with concern that the Integration of Persons with Disabilities Act is not fully in line with the provisions of the Convention, and that the amendments made in 2018 to it maintain rules that had been repealed by the Constitutional Court. It is also concerned that the new Persons with Disabilities Act has yet to be adopted.

12. The Committee recommends that the State party revise the draft bill and withdraw the amendments made in 2018 to the Integration of Persons with Disabilities Act that contravene the Convention. It also recommends that the State party adopt the new Persons with Disabilities Act, ensure its compliance with the principles and provisions of the Convention, and establish a framework for adoption of sectorial legislation that ensure mainstreaming and inclusion of the rights of persons with disabilities in all areas of life.

13.The Committee is concerned about the lack of dialogue between the Government and organizations of persons with disabilities, and that such organizations have received insufficient information about the envisaged reform on aspects, such as the certification of disabilities, the assessment of reduced capacity to work, and the right to retirement.

14. The Committee recommends that the State party, in accordance with general comment No. 7 (2018) on the participation of persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention:

(a) Strengthen and implement formal mechanisms for effective and meaningful consultation with persons with disabilities concerning the implementation of the Convention through their representative organizations, including organizations of women with disabilities, organizations of children with disabilities, and organizations of families of persons with disabilities in their supportive role;

(b) Provide continuous funding for organizations of persons with disabilities and transparent criteria and mechanisms for consultation, including information in easy-to-read format, and other accessible formats for all persons with disabilities;

(c) Provide organizations of persons with disabilities with information and a time frame for the consultation process on envisaged reforms aimed at changing the certification of disability, capacity to work and the right to retirement, in accordance with the human rights model of disability.

B.Specific rights (arts. 5–30)

Equality and non-discrimination (art. 5)

15.The Committee notes with concern that, under the current legislation, denial of reasonable accommodation is not explicitly recognized as an act of prohibited discrimination in all areas. It is concerned about the lack of enforceability of the decisions issued by the Commission for the Protection against Discrimination, and also at the insufficient implementation of provisions of legislation on multiple and intersectional discrimination as an aggravated form of discrimination. It is also concerned about the barriers that persons with disabilities face in their access to remedies in cases of discrimination.

16. The Committee recommends that the State party, in accordance with general comment No. 6 (2018) on equality and non-discrimination:

(a)Amend its legislation and explicitly prohibit denial of reasonable accommodation as an act of disability-based discrimination in all spheres of life;

(b) Repeal provisions that discriminate against persons with disabilities in legislation;

(c) Improve the enforceability of decisions on disability-based discrimination, including decisions with regard to multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination that persons with disabilities may face;

(d) Ensure that persons with disabilities, including persons under guardianship, have access to remedies in cases of disability-based discrimination, and strengthen the capacity of the Equality and Human Rights Commission to exercise its mandate concerning procedures for protection of persons with disabilities against discrimination.

Women with disabilities (art. 6)

17.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The insufficient implementation of measures to combat intersectional forms of discrimination, gender-based violence and abuse against women and girls with disabilities;

(b)The lack of mainstreaming of the disability perspective in gender legislation and policies, and the lack of mainstreaming of the gender perspective in the disability specific policies and legislation, including in the action plan for implementation of the Convention;

(c)The lack of information about the provision of sexual and reproductive health care and about the rights of women with disabilities, including family planning.

18. The Committee, in accordance with its general comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with disabilities and bearing in mind targets 5.1, 5.2 and 5.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, recommends that the State party:

(a) Step up efforts and take effective measures to combat intersectional forms of discrimination against women and girls with disabilities, and the violence and abuse they may experience, in close cooperation with organizations of women and girls with disabilities;

(b) Take effective measures in close consultation with organizations of women with disabilities to mainstream a disability perspective into all gender-specific policies and legislation, and to mainstream a gender perspective in all disability-specific policies and legislation;

(c) Adopt public policies for the protection of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls with disabilities.

Children with disabilities (art. 7)

19.The Committee is concerned by the fact that girls and boys with disabilities still live in homes for children with “mental retardation” and in homes for medical and social care for children (CRPD/C/BGR/1 para. 256). The Committee is also concerned that children with disabilities, in particular children with intellectual disabilities, are not involved in matters affecting them.

20. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Ensure the full deinstitutionalization of girls and boys with disabilities and their right to live in a safe family environment, including in foster families;

(b) Increase further the resources allocated to the development of inclusive support service networks in local communities and to the empowerment of families with children with disabilities, in accordance with general comment No. 5 (2017) on living independently and being included in the community;

(c) Increase awareness of accountability mechanisms at the municipal level, and strengthen their capacity to implement and finance support for the inclusion of children with disabilities in the community;

(d)Adopt regulations and programmes, in close consultation with representative organizations of children with disabilities, to ensure that children with disabilities, in particular children who are institutionalized, can express their views and opinions on all matters affecting them in family, schools and society.

Awareness-raising (art. 8)

21.The Committee is concerned about the low level of awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities and existing prejudice against persons with disabilities in the general public and in schools, causing, inter alia, rejection of children with disabilities in schools.

22. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake, in close and meaningful consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities, continuous and effective awareness-raising strategies, including campaigns aimed at promoting the dignity and rights of persons with disabilities in society, in the private and public sector.

Accessibility (art. 9)

23.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)State party’s legislation that does not fully comply with the provisions of article 9 of the Convention;

(b)The physical barriers that persons with disabilities face, particularly in remote and rural areas;

(c)Public transport and services opened to the public that are still not fully accessible for persons with disabilities;

(d)The fact that information and communications technology (ICT) and services are still not accessible to persons with disabilities, in particular to persons with sensory impairments or intellectual disabilities.

24. The Committee recommends that the State party, in accordance with general comment No. 2 (2014) on accessibility:

(a) Harmonize its legislation fully with the provisions of article 9 of the Convention;

(b) Intensify its efforts to work towards the creation of barrier-free environments throughout the State party, including in remote and rural areas;

(c) Expedite measures envisaged to make public transport and services open to the public fully accessible, including through the application of monitoring mechanisms in the private and public sectors, fines and sanctions, and public procurement procedures;

(d) Intensify efforts to ensure full accessibility of ICT, including to all persons with all types of impairments.

Right to life (art. 10)

25.The Committee is concerned about information of reported cases of neglect, overmedication and refusal of access to health care affecting persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, which have allegedly led to the death of persons with disabilities.

26. The Committee recommends that the State party take effective measures to prosecute and convict perpetrators, and ensure the respect of the right to life of children and persons with disabilities, in particular those still institutionalized.

Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies (art. 11)

27.The Committee notes with concern that deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, blind persons and persons with intellectual disabilities face challenges in their access to information on situations of risk throughout the State party, including in remote and rural areas. It is also concerned about the lack of information in sign language, electronic format, Braille and Easy Read formats about early warning systems.

28. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure access to information on situations of risk, including in sign language, electronic format, Braille and Easy Read format throughout the State party, including in remote and rural areas.

Equal recognition before the law (art. 12)

29.The Committee is concerned that State party legislation still restricts the legal capacity of persons with disabilities and provides for guardianship for persons with psychosocial or intellectual disabilities. It is also concerned about the failure to approve the draft Natural Persons and Support Measures Act that had been prepared with the aim to bring State party legislation into line with article 12 of the Convention.

30. The Committee recommends that the State party amend its legislation and adopt the Natural Persons and Support Measures Act, and uphold and recognize the full legal capacity of all persons, regardless of their impairment, in accordance with the guidelines given in general comment No. 1 (2014) on equal recognition before the law. It also recommends that the State party establish, in consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities, support decision-making procedures and provide continuous training on article 12 of the Convention to the stakeholders concerned, including members of the judiciary and health-care and social protection professionals.

Access to justice (art. 13)

31.The Committee notes with concern the shortage of trained sign language interpreters for deaf persons in judicial proceedings, and the lack of documents in accessible formats for blind persons and for persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities in different proceedings.

32. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure the availability of sign language interpreters and documents in accessible formats, such as Braille, electronic format and Easy Read, to all persons with disabilities in all judicial and administrative proceedings.

Liberty and security of the person (art. 14)

33.The Committee notes with concern that persons with disabilities with restricted legal capacity may still be placed by a court in a specialized institution or under residential care, pursuant to the provisions of the Social Assistance Act, articles 166, 16 (c) and 16 (d).

34.The Committee urges the State party to amend the Social Assistance Act and to withdraw all provisions allowing for forced institutionalization, taking into account the Committee’s guidelines on the right to liberty and security of persons with disabilities (see A/72/55, annex).

Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (art. 15)

35.The Committee expresses its concern at reports of ill-treatment of persons with disabilities in institutions, including isolation, which may amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

36. The Committee recommends that the State party prevent further ill-treatment of persons with disabilities, in particular children with disabilities in institutions, and ensure that persons exposed to ill-treatment have access to a complaint procedure, and that persons exposed to torture or ill-treatment are entitled to and provided with redress and adequate compensation, including rehabilitation.

Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse (art. 16)

37.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The lack of information on measures taken to protect persons with disabilities, especially women, girls and boys with disabilities, and persons still placed in institutions, from all forms of violence and abuse, and also the lack of disaggregated data;

(b)The lack of sufficient coverage and accessible shelters and services for the rehabilitation of women and girls with disabilities exposed to gender-based violence;

(c)The risks of violence and abuse that persons with disabilities still face, and that some past instances of violence that resulted in the death of persons with disabilities have not yet been properly investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and convicted.

38. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Collect disaggregated data on persons with disabilities exposed to violence, in particular women, girls and boys with disabilities and persons still in institutions;

(b) Allocate human, technical and financial resources to improve the accessibility of shelters and to provide rehabilitation services for women and girls with disabilities exposed to gender-based violence;

(c) Intensify its efforts to protect all persons with disabilities from exploitation, violence and abuse, including by conducting official investigations into all cases of alleged violence and abuse and establishing working groups to give priority to the prosecution of cases of gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities and to the conviction of perpetrators;

(d) Strengthen the mechanisms for independent monitoring of all facilities and programmes for persons with disabilities, in accordance with article 16 (3) of the Convention.

Living independently and being included in the community (art. 19)

39.The Committee notes with grave concern that, according to the action plan for the implementation of the national long-term care strategy, the transition process from institutional care to care in the community would not be completed before 2034. It is also deeply concerned that the strategy envisages the transfer of residents from large institutions to small group homes, contrary to the provisions of article 19, as laid out in general comment No. 5 on living independently and being included in the community. It is further concerned that persons with psychosocial disabilities are hospitalized in psychiatric hospital wards owing to the lack of recovery-oriented rehabilitation, adequate individualized services and accommodation within the community.

40. The Committee, in accordance with its general comment No. 5, recommends that the State party:

(a) Accelerate the transition process to ensure that all persons with disabilities living in any form of institution, such as psychiatric hospital units or in small community-based group homes, have the right to live independently within the community with choices equal to those of other persons; in the de institutionalization process, the State party should focus on the situation of persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, and children and elderly persons with disabilities;

(b)Allocate greater resources for developing individualized support services for persons with disabilities, regardless of the type of impairment or age; such services should include peer support and personal assistance;

(c)Adopt legislation on individualized and self-managed personal assistance and social and support services, recognizing the right to live independently and be included in the community as a subjective right for all persons with disabilities, regardless of their impairment or required level of support;

(d) Implement a procedure to consult in a meaningful and disability-sensitive manner with organizations of persons with disabilities on all aspects of the implementation of article 19, including deinstitutionalization strategies and processes;

(e) Allocate national financial resources and those provided by the European Union to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society, and introduce efficient remedies and guidelines to avoid spending national and international funds on establishing infrastructure, housing and/or services that are not accessible or affordable to all persons with disabilities.

Personal mobility (art. 20)

41.The Committee notes with concern that persons with disabilities still face challenges in their access to affordable mobility-related technical aids, appliances, equipment and medical devices that they may require.

42. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to improve personal mobility and to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to mobility-related technical aids, appliances, equipment and medical devices that are affordable and/or free, including by allocating the necessary resources.

Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information (art. 21)

43.The Committee notes with concern that Bulgarian sign language is still not officially recognized and that the Bulgarian Sign Language Act has yet to be adopted. It is also concerned about the lack of government support for the work being done to provide information in Easy Read format. It is further concerned about insufficient implementation of the European Union Directive 2016/2102 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies.

44. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Officially recognize Bulgarian sign language by adopting and implementing the Bulgarian Sign Language Act;

(b) Take measures to provide information in Easy Read format, and support the efforts of entities that already support and use Easy Read and other accessible formats;

(c) Take measures to implement progressively European Union Directive 2016/2102 in order to ensure the full accessibility of websites.

Respect for home and the family (art. 23)

45.The Committee notes with concern that the network of primary support services for children with disabilities and their families is not sufficiently or evenly developed throughout the State party.

46. The Committee recommends that the State party increase human, technical and financial resources at the national and local levels in order to provide primary support services for children with disabilities. It also recommends that the State party involve organizations of persons with disabilities, in particular organizations of children with disabilities, in the implementation of support services.

47.The Committee notes with concern that the Family Code restricts the right of persons with disabilities under full guardianship to marry.

48. The Committee recommends that the State party amend the Family Code and withdraw any restrictions on the right to marry for persons with disabilities of marriageable age.

Education (art. 24)

49.The Committee is concerned that segregated education systems still remain in the State party, including that children with disabilities are not allowed to enrol in mainstream schools. The Committee is also concerned about:

(a)The low level of awareness, including among teachers and other education staff, and also among parents of children without disabilities, of the benefits of quality inclusive education for society;

(b)The lack of an independent mechanism to monitor and assess the implementation and effects of the Public Education Act and the Early Childhood and School Education Act, especially for children with psychosocial disabilities and children still in institutions;

(c) The uneven and unsystematic allocation of human and financial resources to ensure that sufficient teachers and auxiliary staff are trained in inclusive education;

(d)The lack of data on the number of children and youth with disabilities not currently enrolled in any form of education.

50. The Committee recommends that the State party, in accordance with general comment No. 4 (2016) on the right to inclusive education:

(a) Replace segregated education systems with quality inclusive education;

(b) Raise awareness of the advantages of quality inclusive education for society, in particular for teachers and other education staff, and also for parents of children without disabilities;

(c) Intensify its efforts to ensure quality inclusive education and the provision of reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities in mainstream schools, including by allocating sufficient human, technical and financial resources for it;

(d) Collect data on the number of children and young people with disabilities not currently enrolled in any form of education, disaggregated by age, sex, type of impairment and place of residence, and develop a strategy to include these children in the mainstream education system.

Health (art. 25)

51.The Committee notes with concern the lack of training for health-care professionals on the human rights of persons with disabilities, in particular persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities. It is also concerned about the lack of accessible information and services on sexual and reproductive health and the rights of women with disabilities.

52. The Committee recommends that the State party raise awareness of the human rights model of disability among all health professionals, including by providing training on the right to free and informed consent, and take note of article 25 of the Convention in the implementation of target 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals. It also recommends that the State party adopt a policy framework and a time-bound strategy to provide women with disabilities with accessible sexual and reproductive health care and information, and with services appropriate to their age.

53.The Committee notes with concern the limited access of persons with disabilities, in particular those with chronic, genetic and rare diseases, to diagnostics, health care and medical rehabilitation.

54. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that persons with disabilities, in particular those with chronic, genetic and rare diseases, have access to diagnostics, health care and medical rehabilitation.

Habilitation and rehabilitation (art. 26)

55.The Committee is concerned that habilitation and rehabilitation programmes do not target all persons with disabilities. It is also concerned at the lack of participation of organizations of persons with disabilities in the design of such programmes.

56. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt habilitation and rehabilitation programmes that target all persons with disabilities, regardless of their impairment, sex, gender or age. It also recommends that the State party ensure the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in habilitation and rehabilitation services, and that programmes are designed in close collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities.

Work and employment (art. 27)

57.The Committee notes with concern that, despite the incentives offered to employers to hire persons with disabilities, such persons continue to face unemployment and discrimination in the employment sector. The Committee is also concerned about the low level of awareness among employers about reasonable accommodation at the work place. The Committee is furthermore concerned about the low transition rate of persons with disabilities from sheltered workplaces into the open labour market.

58. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Adopt a policy framework and a strategy to promote employment for persons with disabilities in the open labour market, including by increasing resources for it, with the aim to facilitate transition from sheltered employment to the open labour market;

(b) Recognize in its legal and policy framework the right of persons with disabilities to reasonable accommodation at the workplace;

(c) Raise awareness among public and private companies about reasonable accommodation at work;

(d) Strengthen training programmes for persons with disabilities on skills that are required in the open labour market and skills in entrepreneurship, and collect disaggregated and targeted data about the participation of women and men with disabilities in programmes and the outcome of training for them.

Adequate standard of living and social protection (art. 28)

59.The Committee notes with concern that the criteria for assessing the degree of impairment introduced by the amendments made to relevant legislation in July 2018 have a disproportionate effect on persons with lesser degree of impairment. The Committee is also concerned about the challenges that many persons with disabilities may face in meeting the additional costs of disability.

60. The Committee recommends that the State party revise the criteria for assessing the degree of impairment, incorporate the human rights model of disability in the assessment process, and ensure that persons with disabilities continue to enjoy an adequate standard of living. It also calls upon the State party to intensify its efforts to ensure that all persons with disabilities can meet the additional costs of disability, including by increasing budget allocations and resources accordingly.

Participation in political and public life (art. 29)

61.The Committee notes with concern that the legislation of the State party deprives persons with disabilities under guardianship, in particular persons with intellectual disabilities, of their rights to vote and to stand for election. It also notes that some polling stations are not accessible, and that information and communications relating to elections are not fully accessible.

62. The Committee recommends that the State party amend its legislation and bring it into line with the provisions of articles 12 and 29 of the Convention enabling all adult persons with disabilities to exercise their rights to vote and to stand for election. It also recommends that the State party produce information about elections, in accessible formats, including in Easy Read format, and allocate financial and technical resources to improve physical accessibility to polling stations.

Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport (art. 30)

63.The Committee is concerned that the State party has yet to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled.

64. The Committee encourages the State party to promptly ratify the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled.

65.The Committee is concerned about the State party’s insufficient efforts to support access of persons with disabilities to and their participation in cultural, recreational, leisure and sporting activities.

66. The Committee recommends that the State party take steps to support and encourage the participation of persons with disabilities, including children, in cultural, recreational, leisure and sporting activities.

C.Specific obligations (arts. 31–33)

Statistics and data collection (art. 31)

67.The Committee is concerned about the lack of disaggregated data collected on persons with disabilities, and the lack of dissemination of such data in the State party. It is also concerned about the lack of involvement of organizations of persons with disabilities in this process, which makes it difficult for the State party to develop appropriate targeted policies.

68. The Committee recommends that the State party be guided by Sustainable Development Goal 17, in particular target 17.18, in its efforts to establish systematic data collection and reporting procedures by the National Statistical Institute in accordance with the Convention, and that it:

(a)Take into consideration the Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Disability when collecting information about the situation of persons with disabilities and the barriers to the exercise of their rights;

(b) Take measures to increase the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable disaggregated data while ensuring the active participation of and close collaboration with representative organizations of persons with disabilities in the planning and design stages of data collection activities;

(c) Develop, in close and meaningful consultation with their representative organizations, evidence-based policies to respond to the situation of persons with disabilities.

International cooperation (art. 32)

69.The Committee notes with concern that the State party does not sufficiently involve representative organizations of persons with disabilities when engaging with international non-governmental organizations and other States parties in the field of international cooperation.

70. The Committee recommends that the State party involve representative organizations of persons with disabilities in international cooperation programmes, and adopt mechanisms to ensure, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, the mainstreaming of the human rights model of disability into all efforts aimed at the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

National implementation and monitoring (art. 33)

71.The Committee notes with concern that the State party has not yet designated an independent monitoring mechanism in accordance with provisions of articles 33 (2) and 33 (3) of the Convention.

72. The Committee recommends that the State party designate an independent monitoring mechanism that complies fully with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles), such as the Office of the Ombudsman or the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, taking into account the Committee ’ s rules of procedure (see CRPD/1/Rev.1, annex). It also recommends that the State party ensure the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in such independent monitoring mechanisms, in accordance with the provisions of article 33 (2) of the Convention and general comment No. 7 (2018), including by providing adequate funding.

IV.Follow-up

Dissemination of information

73. The Committee emphasizes the importance of all the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations . It draws the attention of the State party in particular to the recommendations contained in paragraph 40 on which urgent measures must be taken.

74. The Committee requests the State party to implement the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations. It recommends that the State party transmit the concluding observations for consideration and action to members of the Government and the National Assembly, officials in relevant ministries, the judiciary and members of relevant professional groups, such as education, medical and legal professionals, as well as to local authorities, the private sector and the media, using modern social communication strategies.

75. The Committee strongly encourages the State party to involve civil society organizations, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities, in the preparation of its periodic report.

76. The Committee requests that the State party to disseminate the present concluding observations widely, including to non-governmental organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities, and to persons with disabilities themselves and members of their families, in national and minority languages, including sign language, and in accessible formats, and to make them available on the government website on human rights.

Next periodic report

77. The Committee requests the State party to submit its combined second, third and fourth periodic reports by 23 April 2026, and to include in them information on the implementation of the recommendations made in the present concluding observations. The Committee also requests the State party to consider submitting the above-mentioned reports under the Committee ’ s simplified reporting procedure, according to which the Committee prepares a list of issues at least one year prior to the due date set for the report of a State party. The replies of a State party to such a list of issues constitute its report.