Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Concluding observations on the initial report of the Republic of Moldova *
I.Introduction
1.The Committee considered the initial report of the Republic of Moldova (CRPD/C/MDA/1) at its 300th and 301st meetings, held on 21 and 22 March 2017, (CRPD/C/SR.300 and CRPD/C/SR.301). It adopted the present concluding observations at its 320th meeting, held on 4 April 2017.
2.The Committee welcomes the initial report of the Republic of Moldova, which was prepared in accordance with the Committee’s reporting guidelines, and thanks the State party for the written replies (CRPD/C/MDA/Q/1/Add.1) to the list of issues prepared by the Committee (CRPD/C/MDA/Q/1).
3.The Committee appreciates the fruitful dialogue held with the State party’s large delegation and commends the State party for the strength of that delegation, which included representatives of relevant Government ministries.
II.Positive aspects
4.The Committee commends the State party for the adoption of:
(a)Law No. 121 on ensuring equality of (25 May 2012), and the establishment of the council for preventing and combating discrimination and ensuring equality, both aiming at the elimination of discrimination on the basis of disability;
(b)Law No. 60 on the social inclusion of persons with disabilities (30 March 2012), to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.
5.The Committee welcomes:
(a)Government decision No. 44 (3 March 2016), approving the action plan for the implementation of reforms relating to deinstitutionalization;
(b)Government decision No. 523 (11 July 2011), approving the programme for the development of inclusive education 2011-2020, providing equal opportunities for all children to access quality education.
III.Principal areas of concern and recommendations
A.General principles and obligations (arts. 1-4)
6.The Committee is concerned that a medical approach to disability still persists and is widespread in the State party, as reflected in its legal framework and the medical assessment of disability, including in the determination of the working capacity of persons with disabilities. The Committee is also concerned that:
(a)Disability policies and strategies and their implementation fall mainly within the remit of the Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family and lack operative mechanisms to facilitate coordination among different government sectors and consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities;
(b)The concepts of reasonable accommodation and universal design are not implemented, partly due to a lack of secondary legislation and monitoring mechanisms;
(c)The State party has not yet ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
7. The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to move towards a human rights-based approach to disability and to ensure that disability determination focuses on the barriers to the social participation of persons with disabilities and refers to individual requirements, will and preferences. It also recommends that the State party:
(a) Ensure effective government mechanisms for intersectoral coordination of disability-related actions in public policies and strategies, both as stand-alone and cross-cutting responsibilities of the State party and for systematic and meaningful consultations with different types of organizations of persons with disabilities throughout its territory;
(b) Provide training on the concepts of reasonable accommodation and universal design to public servants and adopt the legislative, administrative and other measures necessary to ensure their implementation across all sectors;
(c) Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention.
8.The Committee is concerned about the human rights situation of Roma persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, who are living in extreme poverty and are vulnerable to marginalization as a result of intersecting forms of discrimination. It is also concerned that the insufficient allocation of resources to protect and promote the rights of Roma persons with disabilities places them at a high risk of human trafficking.
9. The Committee recommends that the State party include a disability perspective in the implementation of the Roma plan of action 2016-2020 and its funding. It also recommends that the State party develop and implement programmes addressing poverty and the exclusion of Roma persons with disabilities, particularly focusing on children, to address their human rights situation and eliminate intersecting forms of discrimination.
B.Specific rights (arts. 5-30)
Equality and non-discrimination (art. 5)
10.The Committee is concerned about discrimination against persons with disabilities and by:
(a)The ineffective implementation of legislation and procedures that address discrimination against persons with disabilities, including the lack of a mechanism to monitor remedies and sanctions for the denial of reasonable accommodation;
(b)The lack of recognition of multiple and intersecting discrimination in anti-discrimination laws;
(c)The lack of publicly available information on cases of disability discrimination and their respective outcomes.
11. The Committee recommends that the State party strengthen anti-discriminatory legislation and procedures to effectively address disability-based discrimination in the public and private sectors, including legislation and procedures with respect to the recognition of multiple and intersecting discrimination and the right to appeal the denial of reasonable accommodation and other forms of disability-based discrimination, and mechanisms to impose sanctions for contravening the rights of persons with disabilities. The Committee also recommends that the State party publish information about cases of disability discrimination and their outcomes in accessible formats.
Women with disabilities (art. 6)
12.The Committee is concerned that women and girls with disabilities face multiple discrimination and exclusion in all areas of life. It is concerned about the low participation of women with disabilities in political and public life and their invisibility in the anti-discriminatory legal provisions and policies related to women. In particular, it is concerned that:
(a)Non-consensual termination of a pregnancy on the grounds of impairment is still practised;
(b)Legislation to prevent and combat domestic violence fails to protect persons with disabilities, particularly women and girls;
(c)Mainstream services for women affected by violence are inaccessible to women and girls with disabilities and, instead of providing reasonable accommodation, redirect women with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities to psychiatric hospitals.
13. With reference to its general comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with disabilities and in view of targets 5.1, 5.2 and 5.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State party strengthen measures to address multiple discrimination against women and girls with disabilities and mainstream the issues of women and girls with disabilities in the anti-discriminatory legal provisions and policies related to women and girls, and that it promote the representation and participation of women with disabilities in political and public life. It also recommends that the State party:
(a) Ensure the right of women with disabilities to sexual and reproductive health on an equal basis with others and repeal legislation that allows for the non-consensual termination of pregnancy;
(b) Incorporate a disability perspective into all policies and strategies aimed at combating gender-based violence and take measures to ensure that laws address domestic violence against women and girls with disabilities;
(c) Ensure that women and girls with disabilities affected by violence have access to immediate protection and accessible support services, including reasonable accommodation in mainstream services and shelter facilities, as well as means of redress;
(d) Ratify the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence adopted by the Council of Europe.
14.The Committee is particularly concerned that women with disabilities, especially women with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, are still living in institutions where cases of neglect, violence, forced contraceptive measures, forced abortion, forced medication, restraint and sexual abuse, including by medical staff, remain common.
15. The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Strengthen its efforts to develop efficient community-based services to advance the deinstitutionalization of women, particularly those with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities;
(b) Prevent any new cases of institutionalization;
(c) Implement effective legal, policy and practical measures to address gender-based violence against women with disabilities still living in institutions and to prevent, investigate and provide redress for violations of their human rights, and prosecute those responsible;
(d) Monitor residential institutions, in close collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities, in the interim period.
Children with disabilities (art. 7)
16.The Committee is concerned about stigmatizing attitudes towards children with disabilities which are reinforced by a lack of community services. It is also concerned that children with disabilities do not systematically participate in making decisions that affect their lives and lack opportunities to express their opinion on matters pertaining to them directly. It is particularly concerned about the life-long institutionalization, from early childhood, of children with disabilities, especially those with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, in inhumane conditions, where they are exposed to neglect and segregated from the community.
17. The Committee recommends that the State party redouble efforts to promote a positive image of children with disabilities and increase the availability of mainstream support services to children with disabilities. It also recommends that the State party adopt safeguards to protect the right of children with disabilities to be consulted on all matters that affect them, and to guarantee disability- and age-appropriate support to realize that right. The Committee also recommends that the State party develop a national strategy for the deinstitutionalization of children with disabilities, which encompasses alternative care in family settings and inclusive support services and facilities in the community.
Awareness-raising (art. 8)
18.The Committee is concerned about the persistence of negative stereotypes and prejudices towards persons with disabilities in society and the lack of comprehensive awareness-raising programmes on the rights of persons with disabilities.
19. The Committee recommends that the State party, in collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities, develop and implement public awareness-raising and education programmes on the rights of persons with disabilities, including through sensitization of the media, public officials, judges and lawyers, the police, social workers and the general public.
Accessibility (art. 9)
20.The Committee is concerned by the overall lack of accessibility for persons with disabilities in the State party. It is concerned about the insufficient implementation of the guarantees relating to accessibility stipulated in laws No. 121 and No. 60, and government decision No. 599, and to eliminate obstacles and barriers relating to access to facilities and public services such as transport, information and communications. It is also concerned that the Contravention Code does not stipulate sanctions for failure to ensure accessibility in all areas and that existing sanctions are rarely enforced.
21. The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Take all measures to ensure the implementation of legal guarantees to accessibility in all areas including urbanism, construction and public services;
(b) Ensure that the sanctions for non-compliance are developed and enforced for all areas of accessibility;
(c) Adopt a time-bound accessibility plan of action and ensure its implementation and monitoring, in close consultation with persons with disabilities through their representative organizations;
(d) Pay attention to the link between article 9 of the Convention and Goal 9 and targets 11.2 and 11.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies (art. 11)
22.The Committee is concerned that legislation and plans on situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies, including Law No. 1491 on humanitarian aid, does not take the requirements of persons with disabilities into consideration in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies.
23. The Committee recommends that the State party include a disability perspective in all legislation and plans relating to situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies and that it adopt measures in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
Equal recognition before the law (art. 12)
24.The Committee notes with concern the discriminatory legal provisions in the Civil Code, particularly article 24, which allow for the deprivation of a person’s legal capacity and the appointment of a guardian, on the grounds of psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities. The Committee is concerned that current efforts to amend legislation in this regard may still not be in line with the Convention and that there are no mechanisms in place to replace the system of substituted decision-making with a supported decision-making regime.
25. Recalling its general comment No. 1 (2014) on equal recognition before the law, the Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Repeal the discriminatory legal provisions in the Civil Code, including article 24;
(b) Restore the full legal capacity of all persons with disabilities and review its guardianship system with the aim of introducing supported decision-making mechanisms;
(c) Provide training, in consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities and the Ombudsman, at the national, regional and local levels for all stakeholders, including civil servants, judges and social workers, on the recognition of the legal capacity of persons with disabilities and on existing good practices in supported decision-making.
Access to justice (art. 13)
26.The Committee is concerned about the lack of information on specific measures and protocols to provide procedural, gender and age-appropriate accommodation in judicial proceedings for persons with disabilities, including the provision of sign-language interpretation for deaf persons and accessible formats for communication for deaf-blind persons and persons with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities. It notes with concern:
(a)The prejudices against persons with disabilities, particularly those with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities;
(b)The lack of access to free legal aid for persons with disabilities, particularly for those still living in institutions;
(c)The lack of access to justice of women with disabilities in criminal proceedings related to gender-based violence.
27. The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Ensure the provision of procedural, gender and age-appropriate accommodations based on the free choice and preference of persons with disabilities and establish related safeguards to enable the participation of persons with disabilities in all legal proceedings on an equal basis with others;
(b) Provide training and capacity-building programmes on the Convention for law enforcement personnel and for persons with disabilities, to increase their legal awareness;
(c) Ensure access to free legal aid, including for persons with disabilities still living in institutions;
(d) Be guided by article 13 of the Convention in the implementation of target 16.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Liberty and security of the person (art. 14)
28.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)Legislation in place, particularly Law No. 1402 on mental health is not in line with the Convention and allows the forced internment in a psychiatric establishment and non-consensual psychiatric treatment of persons with disabilities, on the grounds of psychosocial and/or intellectual impairment;
(b)Persons with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities accused of a criminal offence do not have the right to due process but are instead subjected to a medical coercive measures;
(c)Persons with disabilities are arbitrarily deprived of their liberty and individual autonomy in institutions for lengthy periods of time, sometimes their entire life, on the basis of an actual or perceived impairment.
29. The Committee urges the State party to:
(a) Revise and repeal the legal provisions that authorize forced internment and non-consensual psychiatric treatment on the grounds of impairment;
(b) Ensure that persons with disabilities accused of an offence are entitled to a fair trial and due process on an equal basis with others;
(c) Take all legal and other measures necessary to stop the deprivation of liberty of persons with disabilities on the basis of an actual or perceived impairment.
Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment(art. 15)
30.The Committee is concerned about the inhuman and degrading treatment of persons with disabilities in institutions perpetrated by staff members, caregivers or other residents, including acts of neglect and the use of chemical and physical restraints, solitary confinement and forced medication as punishment. It is also concerned about the inefficiency and inadequacy of complaints systems, delays in investigations and lack of monitoring of institutions.
31. The Committee urges the State party to take measures to protect persons with disabilities who remain institutionalized from forced, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and to prohibit all such acts. It recommends that the State party develop an effective investigation and monitoring system to prevent all forms of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment against persons with disabilities in institutions, and to ensure the prompt investigation of such cases.
Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse (art. 16)
32.The Committee is concerned by reported cases of violence and abuse of persons with disabilities in institutions, including cases of neglect resulting in the deaths of children and adults with disabilities and cases of gender-based violence against women with disabilities.
33. The Committee urges the State party to:
(a) Implement legislative and practical measures, which take into account gender and age considerations, to protect persons with disabilities who remain institutionalized and to eliminate any risk of neglect, violence or abuse;
(b) Ensure that all reported cases are effectively investigated and t hat perpetrators are prosecuted ;
(c) Provide regular and mandatory training to staff in institutions on the prevention of violence and abuse of persons with disabilities;
(d) Ensure effective, independent human rights-based monitoring of all residential institutions.
Protecting the integrity of the person (art. 17)
34.The Committee is concerned about discriminatory Ministry of Health regulations that specify “mental disability” as a criterion for sterilization. It is also concerned about reports of forced contraceptive measures, including forced sterilization and abortion, particularly involving women with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, especially those still in residential institutions.
35. The Committee urges the State party to repeal and amend any legislation and regulations permitting the forced or involuntary sterilization of persons with disabilities, and to prevent and stop the use of non-consensual contraceptive measures, including cases where consent is given by a third party.
Living independently and being included in the community (art. 19)
36.The Committee is concerned about the slow pace of the deinstitutionalization process. It is concerned that, despite the executive moratorium on new admissions, persons with disabilities continue to be institutionalized. It is also concerned that the State party lacks the legal measures to ensure that persons with disabilities who have been deinstitutionalized can live independently, and that there is a lack of clarity as to the responsibilities of central and local authorities regarding the provision of community-based services.
37. The Committee recommends that the State party expedite the process of deinstitutionalization and ensure the application of the moratorium. It r ecommends that the State party:
(a) Execute, without delay, the action plan for the implementation of reforms relating to deinstitutionalization, which should include a deadline and timelines for closing all remaining institutions;
(b) Adopt legal measures providing for independent living, including personal assistance, and clarify the responsibilities and resource allocations of central and local authorities;
(c) Involve persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in all stages of the deinstitutionalization process (planning, implementation, evaluation and monitoring).
Personal mobility (art. 20)
38.The Committee is concerned about the lack of availability and support for the acquisition of quality mobility aids, devices and adaptations, including driver’s licences and vehicle equipment for persons with disabilities. It is also concerned that persons with visual impairments are excluded from programmes that offer assistive equipment.
39. The Committee recommends that the State party establish a mechanism for facilitating access to quality mobility aids, assistive equipment, devices and technologies at an affordable cost for all persons with disabilities, in consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities. It also recommends regular training and capacity-building for staff working on personal mobility.
Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information (art. 21)
40.The Committee is concerned that sign language is not adequately recognized as an official language of the State party, that insufficient training given to sign language interpreters has resulted in an inadequate number of interpreters in public and private services and that deaf children lack access to bilingual education. It is also concerned that the provision of technology and accessible information and communication formats, including easy read, is severely limited, particularly for persons with visual impairments and those with intellectual disabilities.
41. The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Recognize sign language as a means of communication in official interactions;
(b) Invest in training sign language interpreters and provide sign language interpretation for services open to the public and ensure that deaf children have equal access to quality, inclusive education;
(c) Use accessible information and communication formats and technologies that are appropriate for persons with disabilities, with special regard for children with disabilities in inclusive education, including web accessibility, Braille, easy-read and plain formats in relation to all public services.
Respect for home and the family (art. 23)
42.The Committee is concerned about discriminatory laws and policies that restrict the rights of persons with disabilities relating to marriage, the family and parenthood, and that:
(a)The lack of services for families that have members with disabilities, particularly persons with autistic spectrum disorders, places an undue burden on families, especially single female-headed families, increasing their risk of poverty and social exclusion;
(b)Prejudice against persons with disabilities persists, particularly against women with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, in matters relating to family and parenthood;
(c)There are reports that child protection authorities request that mothers with disabilities be deprived of their legal capacity and separated from their children.
43. The Committee recommends that the State party take the measures, including the repeal of legislation, necessary to eliminate discrimination against persons with disabilities, particularly women with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, in all matters relating to marriage, family and parenthood. It also recommends that the State party:
(a) Develop the inclusive support measures necessary in this regard, including personal assistance and respite care services, for families that have a member with a disability, to ensure an adequate standard of living and social participation;
(b) Take measures to ensure that parents with disabilities have the means necessary to exercise their rights, including the right to motherhood.
Education (art. 24)
44.The Committee is concerned that progress towards inclusive education in the State party has stalled and that:
(a)Provisions in the Education Code of 2014 still allow for segregated schooling;
(b)Children with disabilities, mainly those with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, remain in segregated educational settings, including “special schools”, “special classes”, and “home education”, and do not receive the support they need to access inclusive education;
(c)Negative attitudes towards students with disabilities persist among administrative and teaching staff, leading to cases of children being refused admission to mainstream schools and an overall lack of familiarity with, knowledge of and skills relating to inclusive education among staff.
45. Recalling its general comment No. 4 (2016) on the right to inclusive education and Sustainable Development Goal 4, especially its targets 4.5 and 4 (a), the Committee recommends that the State party increase its efforts towards inclusive education, particularly, that it:
(a) Amend the 2014 Education Code and ensure that no child is refused admission to mainstream schools on the basis of disability, ensure accessibility and allocate the resources necessary to guarantee reasonable accommodation to facilitate the access of students with disabilities to quality, inclusive education, including pre-school and tertiary education;
(b) Make training on inclusive education and its implementation mandatory for administrative staff and teachers.
Health (art. 25)
46.The Committee is concerned that there is a general lack of awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities among medical professionals and that health-care services and facilities, including emergency services, remain inaccessible and unavailable to persons with disabilities, especially in rural areas and for persons with disabilities still living in residential institutions. It is also concerned about the lack of accessibility of medical services and facilities, particularly relating to sexual and reproductive health, for women with disabilities.
47. The Committee recommends that the State party raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities among medical professionals through training and the promulgation of ethical standards and:
(a) Ensure the availability and accessibility of health-care services and facilities, including emergency services, for all persons with disabilities throughout the country;
(b) Take measures to ensure that women with disabilities have access to accessible medical services and facilities, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health.
Work and employment (art. 27)
48.The Committee is concerned about significant unemployment and economic inactivity rates among persons with disabilities, and the fact that national employment strategies and relevant agencies do not adequately facilitate and promote the employment of persons with disabilities or implement the minimum 5 per cent mandatory employment quota for persons with disabilities. The Committee is also concerned that the employment of persons with disabilities is generally oriented towards segregated workplaces.
49. The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities and affirmative action into national employment strategies and respective agencies, enforcing the implementation of Law No. 60 regarding employment, including the mandatory quota and incentive measures for employers;
(b) Support the employment of persons with disabilities in the open labour market, in line with the Convention and in the light of target 8.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Adequate standard of living and social protection (art. 28)
50.The Committee is concerned that the majority of persons with disabilities live in poverty, especially in rural and remote areas, and that the available social allowances are insufficient to cover the minimum necessary for an adequate standard of living. The Committee is also concerned that the additional expenses related to disability consequently increase the risk of persons with disabilities being institutionalized. The Committee is also concerned that the latest changes in pension regulations may aggravate the precarious economic status of persons with disabilities.
51. The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Ensure an adequate standard of living for persons with disabilities and their families, including through reasonable accommodation with regard to pensions and social allowances;
(b) Guarantee that social protection and poverty reduction programmes take into account the additional costs related to disability;
(c) Ensure that persons with disabilities have access to community-based social services and public housing programmes, and that these services and programmes are also available in rural and remote areas;
(d) Pay attention to the links between article 28 of the Convention and target 1.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Participation in political and public life (art. 29)
52.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)The rights of persons with disabilities under guardianship to vote and be elected remain restricted by law;
(b)Electoral processes, facilities and materials are not accessible;
(c)The rates of representation and participation of persons with disabilities in political life and public decision-making are extremely low.
53. The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Take the legal and other measures, including consultations with organizations of persons with disabilities, necessary to enable the political and public participation of persons with disabilities;
(b) Ensure that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to use for all persons with disabilities;
(c) Promote the participation of persons with disabilities, including women, in political life and public decision-making.
Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport (art. 30)
54.The Committee is concerned about the limited access that persons with disabilities have to cultural activities and sport facilities and that athletes with disabilities are not supported on an equal basis with other athletes. It is also concerned that the State party has not yet ratified the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.
55. The Committee recommends that the State party take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities participate in cultural activities and sport, and that athletes with disabilities receive support on an equal basis with other athletes. It encourages the State party to adopt all appropriate measures to ratify and implement the Marrakesh Treaty as soon as possible.
C.Specific obligations (arts. 31-33)
Statistics and data collection (art. 31)
56.The Committee is concerned that data collection on persons with disabilities in the State party is based on a medical approach and is fragmented, and that information is not disseminated.
57. In view of target 17.18 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State party develop systematic data collection and reporting procedures, through the National Bureau of Statistics that are in line with the Convention, and that it collect, analyse and disseminate disaggregated data on its population with disabilities, including data disaggregated by sex, age, ethnicity, type of impairment, socioeconomic status, employment and place of residence, as well as data on the barriers that persons with disabilities face in society.
National implementation and monitoring (art. 33)
58.The Committee is concerned that the mechanism designated by the State party under article 33 (2) is not in line with the Convention. It also has concerns about the unequal representation in the monitoring process of organizations of persons with disabilities in the monitoring process.
59. Taking into account its guidelines on independent monitoring frameworks and their participation in the work of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2016), the Committee recommends that the State party designate an independent monitoring mechanism in accordance with the Principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles), that it provide adequate funding for its functioning and that organizations of persons with disabilities fully participate in the monitoring process.
IV.Follow-up
Dissemination of information
60. The Committee requests that the State party provide information, within 12 months of the adoption of the present concluding observations and in accordance with article 35 (2) of the Convention, on the measures taken to implement the Committee ’ s recommendations contained in paragraphs 29 (liberty and security of the person) and 37 (living independently and being included in the community) of the present document.
61. The Committee requests the State party to implement the recommendations of the Committee 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 parliament, officials in relevant ministries, local authorities and members of relevant professional groups, such as education, medical and legal professionals, as well as to the media, using modern social communication strategies.
62. 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.
63. The Committee requests that the State party disseminate the present concluding observations widely, including to non-governmental organizations and representative 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, including easy read, and to make them available on the government website on human rights.
Next periodic report
64. The Committee requests the State party to submit its combined second and third periodic reports by no later than 21 October 2020 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.