Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Eighty-fifth session

11–29 August 2014

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 in relation to the tenth and eleventh periodic reports of Estonia (CERD/C/EST/10-11)

Note by the Country Rapporteur

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination decided at its seventy-sixth session (A/65/18, para. 85) that the Country Rapporteur would 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. This document contains a list of such themes. This is not an exhaustive list; other issues may also be raised in the course of the dialogue. No written replies are required.

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

(a)Evaluation of the implementation of the Estonian Integration Strategy 2008–2013 (CERD/C/EST/10-11, para. 75);

(b)Progress made in the establishment of an independent national human rights institution in line with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) (CERD/C/EST/CO/8-9, para. 10);

(c)Legislative measures taken to implement all the provisions of article 4 of the Convention, including the requirement to prohibit racist organizations (CERD/C/EST/CO/8-9, para. 11 (b) and CERD/C/EST/10-11, para. 88);

(d)Update on the revision of the Penal Code to include racial motivation as an aggravating circumstance in criminal proceedings (CERD/C/EST/CO/8-9, para. 12);

(e)Update on the revision of the Equal Treatment Act (CERD/C/EST/CO/8-9, para. 6).

2.Situation of ethnic and minority communities (arts. 2–7)

(a)Update on the participation of minorities in public life and their representation in parliament, including statistical data on members of minority groups employed in public bodies, institutions and administration at all levels (CERD/C/EST/CO/8-9, para. 14);

(b)The impact of the amendment of 1 August 2012 to the Citizenship Act (CERD/C/EST/10-11, para. 118) on the number of persons with undetermined citizenship;

(c)Awareness-raising among parents whose children are eligible for naturalization regarding the requirements for citizenship;

(d)Measures taken to integrate members of Russian-speaking minorities into the labour market, both in the public and private sectors;

(e)Update on the situation of the Roma community, in particular, access to employment and education;

(f)Information on measures taken to ensure that Roma children are integrated into mainstream schools.

3.Access to justice and discrimination against minorities and non-citizens (arts. 5–7)

(a)Information on the application of the Language Act that entered into force on 1 July 2011 and the role of the Language Inspectorate (CERD/C/EST/CO/8-9/Add.1, paras. 11 and 13);

(b)Information on the number of complaints relating to acts of racial discrimination reported to the authorities, the number of cases brought before the criminal justice system, relevant decisions in penal, civil or administrative court proceedings and any redress provided to victims of such acts (CERD/C/EST/10-11, paras. 35 and 91 and CERD/C/EST/CO/8-9, para. 18).