Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Seventy-eighth session

14 February –11 March 2011

Implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

List of themes to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the fourth to fifth periodic reports of Lithuania (CERD/C/LTU/4-5)

The following is a list of themes identified by the Country Rapporteur in connection with the consideration of the fourth to fifth periodic reports of Lithuania. The list is meant to guide the dialogue between the State party delegation and the Committee and does not require written replies. This is not an exhaustive list as other issues will be raised in the course of the dialogue.

1.Statistics on the composition of the population:

(a)Measures envisaged for the planned 2011 census, including possible awareness-raising activities to underscore the importance of the collection of information related to the ethnic composition of the population (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 9).

2.Legal and institutional framework, policy and programmes for the implementation of the Convention (arts. 2 and 4-7):

(a)Updated information on the draft law supplementing the Criminal Code which expressly considers racial motivation or aim behind a crime as an aggravating circumstance (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 12, CERD/C/LTU/4-5, para. 45);

(b)Further information on the draft law amending the Law on Equal Treatment to ensure effective, proportional and dissuasive compensation for victims of discrimination (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 13, CERD/C/LTU/4-5, para. 287);

(c)Detailed information on decisions taken by national courts regarding acts of racial discrimination including information on the qualitative assessment of statistical data provided (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 13, CERD/C/LTU/4-5, paras. 128 and 267);

(d)Further efforts made in continuing to combat prejudice and xenophobic stereotyping, especially in the media and on the Internet (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 12, CERD/C/LTU/4-5, paras. 97-102);

(e)Further measures taken or envisaged to strengthen human rights awareness and education, with particular emphasis on non-discrimination and respect for diversity, including through training of teachers (CERD/C/LTU/4-5, para. 303);

(f)Measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman, entitled to impose administrative sanctions, effectively issues sanctions and has adequate resources to fulfil the mandate of the office (CERD/C/LTU/4-5, paras. 119 (c) and 276-279, and annex, table 26).

3.Human rights of national and ethnic minorities (arts. 2 and 4-6 ):

(a)Updated information on reported instances of ill-treatment by law enforcement officials, in particular the police, against persons belonging to ethnic and national minorities and the effective measures adopted to prevent and combat such acts (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 17);

(b)Measures taken or being envisaged to establish an independent monitoring mechanism to facilitate impartial and full investigation of allegations of police misconduct including towards members of minority groups (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 17; CERD/C/LTU/4-5, para. 115);

(c)Updated information on the results achieved by the National Anti-Discrimination Programme 2006-2008 (CERD/C/LTU/4-5, paras. 56-58);

(d)Updated information on the Programme of Integration of National Minorities into Lithuanian Society (2005-2010), further revised as the National Minorities Policy Development Strategy (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 8, CERD/C/LTU/4-5, paras. 59-60);

(e)Information on acts of racist violence and hate speech particularly directed at ethnic minorities, including those of African origin, and measures taken in this regard.

4.The situation of the Roma community (arts. 2 and 4-7):

(a)Further details on the results achieved by the Programme for the Integration of Roma into Lithuanian Society 2008-2010 (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 21, CERD/C/LTU/4-5, paras. 61-65);

(b)Updated information on other efforts made, including increased financial means to ensure the fulfilment of specific rights for the Roma community, such as those related to adequate housing, education, employment and access to adequate health facilities (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, paras. 18-22);

(c)Updated information on a proposed feasibility study into acquisition and improvement of Roma housing and further efforts made to address Roma housing problems in the Kirtimai area (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 21, CERD/C/LTU/4-5, paras. 203-208);

(d)Measures taken to guarantee access to formal education for Roma women and girls, in particular efforts made to ensure that Roma children integrate into regular schools and that they do not drop out of school (CERD/C/LTU/CO/3, para. 19, CERD/C/LTU/4-5, paras. 242-245).