Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Eighty-second session

11 February–1 March 2013

Item 4 of the provisional agenda

Consideration of reports, comments and information submitted by States parties under article 9 of the Convention

List of themes to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the ninth and tenth periodic reports of Slovakia (CERD/C/SVK/9-10)

Note by the Country Rapporteur*

Summary

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at its seventy-sixth session decided (A/65/18, par 85) that the Country Rapporteur will send to the State party concerned a short list of themes with a view to guiding and focusing the dialogue between the State party’s delegation and the Committee during the consideration of the State party’s report. The following is a list of themes in connection with the consideration of the above-mentioned periodic reports. It does not require written replies. This is not an exhaustive list as other issues will be raised in the course of the dialogue.

1.The Convention in domestic law, institutional and policy framework for its implementation (arts. 2, 4, 6 and 7)

(a)Efforts to adopt a wide-ranging, comprehensive approach while applying anti-discrimination legislation and policies, to take into account the scope of racial discrimination in all its forms and manifestations (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, para. 8; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 57-78);

(b)Cases of direct applicability of the Convention in the legal domestic order; information on complaints regarding racial discrimination and the invocation of the Anti-Discrimination Act in courts (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, paras. 10 and 19; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 140-143 and 189-195);

(c)Update on sentences imposed and remedies provided to victims of racial discrimination; information on the use of article 149 (d) of the Criminal Code related to aggravating circumstances for crimes with racial motive (CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 196-198);

(d)Further information on human and financial resources allocated to the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights and on its work regarding non-discrimination related issues;achievements through the 2009-2011 Action Plan for the Prevention of All Forms of Discrimination, Racism, Xenophobia, Anti–Semitism and Other Expressions of Intolerance; more information on the work and added-value of the Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance established in June 2011 (CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 32-38, 49-50 and 53-54);

(e) Information on efforts undertaken to train law enforcement officials to properly investigate hate crimes; additional measures, including an independent monitoring body, to prosecute police brutality against minorities (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, para. 14; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 148-150);

(f)Further efforts to deal with racist discourse in the media, including on the Internet.

2.Application of the Convention to national and ethnic minorities (arts. 2, 4, 5 and 7)

(a)Disaggregated data on the socio-economic status of minorities; results of the project “Statistical monitoring of the living conditions of selected target groups” regarding data collection on the living conditions of minorities, in particular Roma (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, para. 7; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 5-11 and 135-137);

(b)Further measures to combat racially motivated violence against minorities; data on hate crimes disaggregated by age, gender and national or ethnic origin of the victim (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, para. 12; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 52-78 and CERD/C/SVK/9-10/Add. 1, paras. 1-18; CERD follow-up letter of 2 September 2011);

(c)Awareness-raising activities on human rights and the Convention to tackle stereotypes and discrimination against minorities and improve intercultural dialogue and tolerance (CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 34 (9) and 160);

(d)Efforts to promote cultural activities of minorities, including the right to use minority languages in private and public life (CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 116, 132-134).

3.Situation of Roma community (arts. 2 to 7)

(a) The implementation of special measures to remedy existing disadvantages and promote equality for members of the Roma community (CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 149-150);

(b)Update on the results achieved so far through the Strategy for the integration of Roma up to 2020; resources allocated to the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma communities (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, para. 11; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 96-97, 144-145);

(c)Efforts to counter stigmatization of, and discrimination against Roma, including by public and political figures;further measures undertaken to address their low level of participation in public life and representation in the police (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, paras. 13 and 14; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 121-125, 149-150);

(d)Update on efforts to deal with de facto segregation in the education system and placement of Roma children in special schools (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, para. 16; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 113-115 and 152-161);

(e)Additional measures to promote Roma’s rights to adequate housing, health and employment; updated information on the situation of Roma from Plavecky Stvrtok; information on efforts in overcoming settlements’ degrading conditions in Eastern Slovakia, and measures taken towards housing desegregation (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, paras. 11, 17 and 20;, paras. 100-112, 162-167, 203; and CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8/Add. 1, paras. 19-22; CERD letters under the Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure);

(f)Update on court proceedings regarding sterilization of Roma women without their full and informed consent; more information on the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights’ decisions of November 2011 and June 2012 (CERD/C/SVK/CO/6-8, para. 18; CERD/C/SVK/9-10, paras. 111-112, 168-188).

4.Discrimination against non-citizens including refugees and asylum seekers (arts. 5 and 6)

(a)Update on measures taken, to further facilitate the integration of non-citizens, in particular asylum seekers and refugees, including the “Concept of Foreigner Integration in the Slovak Republic” (CERD/C/SVK/9-10, para. 19);

(b)Information on the impact of the recent Action Plan of Migration Policy on the economic and social rights of non-citizens, including their access to decent housing, health-care and educational institutions (CERD/C/SVK/9-10, para. 19).