Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Ninety-second session

Summary record of the 2193rd meeting

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, at 3 p.m.

Chair:Ms. Dettmeijer-Vermeulen (Vice-Chair)

Contents

Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Seventh periodic report of Czechia (continued)

In the absence of Ms. Haidar, Ms. Dettmeijer-Vermeulen (Vice-Chair) took the Chair.

The meeting was called to order at 3 p.m.

Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Seventh periodic report of Czechia (continued) (CEDAW/C/CZE/7; CEDAW/C/CZE/Q/7; CEDAW/C/CZE/RQ/7)

At the invitation of the Chair, the delegation of Czechia joined the meeting.

The Chair, welcoming the delegation of Czechia to the meeting, explained that some members of the delegation would be participating via video link.

Articles 10–14

Ms. Pia-Comella said that the Committee would be grateful for detailed information on projects to incorporate, at all levels of education, the topics of sexual and reproductive rights and health, gender equality and the rights of girls, and the elimination of gender stereotypes. She wondered what measures had been taken to address horizontal and vertical gender segregation in education and what specific actions and timeline were envisaged in that regard. The Committee would be grateful if the State Party could share gender-disaggregated data on the education sector as soon as they were made available and indicate whether a timeline had been established in that regard. Lastly, it would be useful to know whether Czechia planned to take measures to combat discrimination against Roma girls or their mothers in the context of education and what measures had been taken to support the education of girls and women with disabilities, as well as girls and women from other vulnerable groups, to ensure truly inclusive education.

A representative of Czechia said that the promotion of equality between women and men was one of the official goals of Czech education. The principle of gender equality, which was established in education legislation, guided efforts to address gender stereotypes in schools and to ensure an inclusive learning environment. The Government promoted projects to address gender stereotypes and encourage girls to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

A representative of Czechia said that, while support for increasing the participation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics had been discussed in the context of higher education funding, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports had yet to adopt a dedicated strategic document on the matter. At the tertiary level, women entering such disciplines were supported indirectly: every five years, research organizations were evaluated on a range of indicators. One of the indicators concerned the societal impact of the research, which included consideration of the gender dimension. Under another indicator, institutions were required to provide information on equality plans or similar documents. The self‑evaluation reports submitted by institutions at the end of 2025 were being analysed to determine the extent to which the gender dimension had been taken into account, and the results would soon be available.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports worked with universities on gender equality issues. Some universities had taken steps to improve the low participation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which remained a problem. In 2017, the Czech Technical University in Prague had launched a campaign to encourage women to study engineering. Higher education institutions enjoyed autonomy in Czechia; the Ministry was limited to issuing non-binding recommendations. The Ministry nevertheless welcomed the engagement of universities with gender equality issues through external incentives, such as the requirements attached to European awards and grants.

A representative of Czechia said that the topic of gender was being strongly emphasized as part of an ongoing revision of the curricula for pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education that highlighted democratic and inclusive values. The revision of the curriculum for upper secondary education had recently begun. Gender equality and the elimination of stereotypes had been integrated into specific cross-cutting themes and subject areas, including history and civic education, through defined learning outcomes. As a condition for ministerial approval, textbooks were required to comply with the principles of gender equality and equal opportunities for men and women, including balanced representation of women and men, the depiction of diverse lifestyles and roles and the promotion of values such as respect, diversity and equality.

A representative of Czechia said that, under the Roma Integration Strategy, efforts were being made to improve the situation of Roma boys and girls alike. The Government had committed to implementing an action plan to improve the position of Roma pupils, including with regard to equal access to education, and a report on its implementation had been published by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in January 2026. Pursuant to a 2025 amendment to the Education Act, an index-based school funding mechanism had been introduced to provide higher allocations to schools educating larger numbers of socially disadvantaged students, support for primary schools had been strengthened through a clearer definition of the assistance provided by pedagogical-psychological counselling centres, and posts for specialist support staff had been created. The Ministry, together with partners, had implemented a pilot programme in selected locations to help schools to prevent segregation, while the Agency for Social Inclusion supported similar efforts. The low participation of Roma children in preschool education remained an ongoing challenge, and meetings were held with ministries, experts and Roma representatives to identify key barriers in that regard. In 2025, the Government had approved an action plan to strengthen Roma participation at the preschool level.

A representative of Czechia said that menstrual poverty had been identified as a barrier to access to education for girls and young women. Following legislative amendments adopted in cooperation with regional and local authorities, menstrual hygiene products were available free of charge in all primary and secondary schools.

A representative of Czechia said that the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs had launched a call for proposals to support projects aimed at raising awareness of gender stereotypes and introducing students to educational and career paths not traditionally associated with their gender.

The Chair said that, in the context of efforts to address the gender pay gap, she would be grateful if the delegation could indicate whether the State Party intended to further expand the availability of affordable childcare for children under the age of 3 years, beyond what was provided for under the recent amendments to the law on children’s groups and through the introduction of neighbourhood children’s groups, and provide information on the current budgetary allocations in that regard, including the recent change to the system for the payment of State subsidies. As fathers in the State Party made minimal use of parental leave, and the non-transferable leave requirement under the European Union Work-Life Balance Directive had yet to be implemented, she wished to know how the State Party intended to fulfil the requirement in respect of fathers and what other incentives or measures were in place to increase paternal uptake. Given that the State Party continued to report one of the highest gender pay gaps in the European Union, it would be helpful if the delegation could clarify whether the action plan for equal pay for the period 2023–2026 or any planned legislation, including for the transposition of the European Union Pay Transparency Directive, would provide for mandatory equal pay audits and penalties for non-compliance.

A representative of Czechia said that the Family Policy Strategy for the period to 2030 provided for robust measures to support the balance between family and working life. Czechia was focusing on expanding the capacity, quality and affordability of preschool childcare for children under the age of 3 years, including through children’s groups, which had been in operation since 2014 and now provided almost 30,000 places. The 2025 amendment to the law on children’s groups had introduced changes to the payment system for providers and had led to the establishment of neighbourhood children’s groups. With regard to quality, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, had implemented a European Union-funded project in 2024 and 2025 to develop a comprehensive framework for monitoring and evaluating early childhood education and care.

A representative of Czechia said that, although only a small proportion of fathers currently took parental leave, attitudes were changing, in particular among younger generations. In practice, however, economic factors such as the gender pay gap continued to limit uptake, as it was financially challenging for families when the higher-earning parent took leave. While parental leave allowances had been increased in recent years, there was still no obligation that leave be shared between parents, despite provisions to that effect in the Work-Life Balance Directive. Instead, the Government focused on incentives to encourage fathers to take parental leave. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs had recently launched a call for proposals from non-governmental organizations for projects aimed at challenging gender stereotypes and promoting greater involvement of fathers in caregiving.

A representative of Czechia said that the Pay Transparency Directive was due to be transposed in 2026, and preparations were under way, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, to draft legislation implementing all its provisions, including those concerning joint pay assessments.

A representative of Czechia said that there had been an increase in the parental allowance in 2024. Parental leave in Czechia was seen as a right of both parents, who could take leave simultaneously until the child reached the age of 3 years.

Ms. Peláez Narváez said that information on the measures taken to ensure equal access to health services for women from disadvantaged groups, including Roma women, women with disabilities, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women and migrant women, would be welcome. She wondered how the State Party addressed questions of health, including mental health and health conditions with a higher prevalence among women, and what measures had been adopted to raise awareness among adolescent girls about sexual and reproductive health and rights and to engage young men in that regard.

It would be useful to learn what measures had been taken in response to reports that women had undergone procedures during childbirth without their informed consent and allegations of obstetric violence, including the steps taken to ensure access to justice and reparations for victims. Information on measures to ensure women’s freedom to choose the method, circumstances and place of delivery and postnatal care would also be welcome. She wondered what timeline had been set for fully integrating midwives into the health insurance system without the requirement for physician referral. She wished to know whether the State Party intended to revise its legislation to grant single women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons equal access to assisted reproduction services, including by removing the requirement for partner consent. She wondered whether the State Party planned to amend Act No. 66/1986 and the corresponding implementing regulation, Decree No. 75/1986, to address the discriminatory restrictions based on a woman’s age, number of children or residency status and whether, for girls aged 16 years or over, the State Party was implementing the recommendation made by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2021 on ensuring that the notification of legal guardians in case of abortion was done with the girl’s consent and was consistent with her right to privacy.

She would be grateful if the delegation could indicate whether reparations for victims with disabilities whose sterilization had been authorized by a guardian were provided for under the applicable legislation and what measures were planned to detect, investigate and prosecute cases of forced or non-consensual sterilization that had occurred since 2012. It would be interesting to learn whether the provision authorizing the sterilization, under certain conditions, of patients with limited legal capacity was still in force and, if it was, what safeguards existed to ensure that women with disabilities were able to give their free, prior and informed consent, with guarantees of supported decision-making in place. Lastly, in line with a recommendation made by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2021, she wondered whether the State Party was implementing measures to ensure that intersex children were not subjected to unnecessary medical or surgical treatment and what services were being provided to them and their families.

A representative of Czechia said that equal access to healthcare for women, men, girls and boys had been identified as a key priority under the Gender Equality Strategy, and considerable progress had been made in that area.

A representative of Czechia said that legislation adopted in 2011, as subsequently amended, formed a comprehensive framework for the protection of patients’ rights. A further amendment was under consideration to strengthen the position of patients and the enforcement of their rights, revise complaint mechanisms and enhance the supervisory powers of inspection bodies. Equal access to comprehensive healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health services, was guaranteed either free of charge or at affordable rates through the public health insurance system and supported by a regulated network of providers, most of which were publicly operated, with special attention paid to ensuring the availability of primary care, gynaecological and obstetric care and maternal and child health services across all regions.

Women with disabilities, migrants with legal status and Roma persons enjoyed the same access to healthcare as the rest of the population. Adolescent mental health was a priority for the current Minister of Health, and services in that area continued to be supported. The Government had committed to supporting child mental health, including through investments to expand the capacity of facilities. A national strategy was being implemented in that connection.

A nationwide baby-friendly hospital initiative strategy had been adopted in September 2024 to improve care for mothers and newborns, emphasizing uninterrupted contact immediately after birth, supporting breastfeeding in accordance with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding of the World Health Organization, minimizing separation and supporting the development of a network of milk banks. Several such facilities were already in operation. While the baby-friendly hospital initiative had initially operated as a voluntary certification scheme, it was now being developed into a nationwide standard, with the objective of making breastfeeding-friendly care the norm in all maternity hospitals by 2030, supported by staff training and monitoring to ensure quality.

Under current legislation, midwives were permitted to practise only within healthcare facilities. Although discussions had taken place on allowing practice in home settings, no legislative change was under way. Discussions were ongoing to identify an appropriate model, including the possible establishment of outpatient centres that would allow mothers and newborns in good health to return home shortly after birth. Many mothers chose to remain in hospital to benefit from newborn screening conducted between 48 and 72 hours after birth.

A representative of Czechia said that, under current legislation, all residents enjoyed equal access to healthcare irrespective of religion, skin colour, minority status or residence in socially excluded localities. The availability of health services was monitored by health insurance companies. Where gaps were identified, health insurance companies and regional authorities could be contacted with requests for improved access, particularly in underserved areas.

A representative of Czechia said that the status of midwives was being discussed in the light of a recent Constitutional Court ruling, with efforts under way to find a solution acceptable to professional bodies and representatives of midwives. With regard to access to abortion services for foreign women, Czechia had implemented Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, allowing foreign patients to access healthcare under certain conditions.

A representative of Czechia said that, as of January 2026, a new system had been introduced under which new mothers were entitled to free visits from community midwives, fully covered by health insurance, reflecting ongoing integration of midwifery services into the insurance system. The comprehensive national baby-friendly hospital initiative strategy had been developed jointly by the Ministry of Health and the Government Office in cooperation with the World Health Organization.

A representative of Czechia said that access to assisted reproduction was currently limited to couples.

A representative of Czechia said that, in cooperation with non‑governmental organizations, seminars and workshops had been organized in schools on sexual and reproductive health and consent, and around 10,000 pupils had participated over the previous four years, with further activities planned. The mental health impact of social media use had a strong gender dimension. The possibility of restricting access to social media for children under the age of 15 years was under consideration.

Ms. Eghobamien-Mshelia said that she wished to know what measures would be taken to adopt the amendment to the Capital Market Business Act relating to gender balance in corporate governance before the deadline of June 2026. She wondered what steps would be taken to ensure the adoption of the proposed amendment to the Advertising Regulation Act that would protect women’s and children’s health from the predatory marketing of breast-milk substitutes and other related products.

It would be useful to know what reforms would be undertaken to enhance women’s participation in the national accounting system and in key areas of the economy, such as the industrial sector, technology and financial services, which together accounted for almost 90% of the country’s gross domestic product. She would welcome statistical information on gender differences in access to credit, including mortgages and business loans. It would be interesting to learn how such information was used in developing policy and regulatory measures to tackle discriminatory practices by financial institutions that hindered women’s ability to start businesses.

She would like to know whether any reforms were being undertaken to reduce poverty rates among women and whether the Action Plan for Equal Pay for Women and Men2023–2026 established any targets and timelines relating to the reduction of the gender pension gap. Information on any strategies being implemented to address the low levels of economic activity among Roma women would be welcome. Given that caregiving responsibilities were the main barrier to Roma women’s participation in the labour market, she wondered what childcare and family support services were available in rural areas, especially in Roma communities. She would be grateful to know what steps would be taken to increase women’s participation in sports coaching and leadership roles and to tackle gender stereotypes that hindered women’s participation in sports like bobsleigh, cycling and rowing.

A representative of Czechia said that one third of the country’s largest listed companies were currently fulfilling the requirements established under the European Union Gender Balance on Boards Directive. The bill on the implementation of the Directive had been submitted to Parliament but had not yet been discussed. It would be resubmitted to Parliament and adopted as a matter of priority as it was now overdue.

A representative of Czechia said that the Czech pension system was highly redistributive and helped to reduce gender gaps originating outside the pension system. A gender pension gap continued to exist as women generally had shorter careers than men, were paid lower wages and retired earlier, although the retirement ages for women and men would be harmonized by 2030. Women could interrupt their employment to care for a child for up to four years without affecting their pension entitlements. In 2018, the rate at which lower pensions were indexed had increased and, in 2023, a bonus of 500 korunas (CZK) had been added to the pensions of parents for every child that they had raised. Since those measures had largely benefited women, the gender pension gap had fallen from 18% in 2014 to 11% in 2024.

A representative of Czechia said that the Czech Olympic Committee had adopted its first action plan for equal opportunities for women and men in 2024. The plan included measures for enhancing women’s participation in decision-making in sports organizations and increasing the number of female sports reporters and coaches. Since 2025, the extent to which women participated in the decision-making bodies of a sports organization had been taken into account in determining whether that organization was eligible for funding.

A representative of Czechia said that the marketing of breast-milk substitutes was largely regulated in accordance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. The Government had repeatedly highlighted the need to strengthen compliance with the Code, including by establishing expert round tables and promoting policy discussions about the inappropriate influence exerted by private companies on parents’ feeding decisions. The introduction of the baby-friendly hospital initiative had strengthened restrictions on the involvement of commercial actors in maternity care and promoted evidence-based breastfeeding practices. Despite the measures taken, the global monitoring reports of the World Health Organization indicated that Czech legislation was not yet fully aligned with all the provisions of the Code. Discussions were ongoing on the amendments required to bring national law fully into compliance with the Code.

A representative of Czechia said that the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs supported the expansion of children’s groups. In that connection, a number of calls for funding had been issued under the National Recovery Plan and the European Social Fund. Under the Plan, 391 new children’s groups would be established and 333 existing facilities would be rebuilt or expanded by mid-2026. A total of CZK 7 billion would be allocated to the groups. New children’s groups would be established in areas where the demand for them was greatest.

A representative of Czechia said that, since January 2026, all municipalities, including in rural areas, had been required to provide childcare facilities for all 3-year-old children. If they failed to do so, they would be required to provide compensation to parents to cover the cost of private childcare or other related services.

Ms. Stott Despoja said that she wished to know what would be done to mitigate regional disparities in the quality and availability of healthcare, education, transport and other public services and whether the State Party had an overarching strategy for dealing with such disparities. It would be interesting to know how many Roma women were living in Czechia, whether the State Party collected data on the ethnicity of the population and whether the lack of appropriate data hindered the implementation of the Roma Integration Strategy for the period 2021–2030. She would be grateful to learn how the State Party ensured that the measures set out in the Strategy were implemented and how it monitored its success. She wondered whether the delegation agreed that more accurate information on the situation of Roma women was needed and whether the State Party would consider collecting anonymously submitted data on self-identified ethnicity or establishing qualified estimates of the ethnic composition of the population.

She would be grateful to know whether the State Party would prioritize measures to increase Roma women’s access to sexual and reproductive health and whether it was concerned about the heightened risk of discrimination and violence faced by lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex Roma women. She wished to know how the State Party would see to it that the legislation being developed on the legal recognition of gender would not introduce unnecessary and invasive barriers to legal recognition. Given that Czechia was one of the fastest-warming countries on the planet, she wondered what the temporary head of the Ministry of the Environment had meant by his recent statement that the climate crisis in Czechia was over and whether the section of the Ministry that dealt with climate change had been abolished.

A representative of Czechia said that the Ministry for Regional Development was responsible for eliminating the structural barriers faced by persons living in disadvantaged regions. The Ministry was responsible for coordinating all the funds that Czechia received from the European Union and ensuring that they were distributed in accordance with the level of development of the different regions. Although Prague and some of the central regions were developing at a faster rate, a significant level of investment was devoted to enhancing cohesion between the regions. Under the new national regional plan that was currently being developed, emphasis would be placed on promoting cohesion and providing support to structurally disadvantaged regions.

A representative of Czechia said that the three most structurally disadvantaged regions in the country were being supported by the Just Transition Fund of the European Union. In that connection, significant levels of funding were granted directly to the relevant regional governments, which would receive a total of CZK 42 billion between 2021 and 2027. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs participated in projects aimed at retraining people in disadvantaged regions so that they could find green, sustainable jobs. In future, greater efforts would be made to identify gaps in the provision of services, support disadvantaged groups and strengthen coordination with the Agency for Social Inclusion.

A representative of Czechia said that access to healthcare was limited in some small villages in rural parts of the country. A subsidized programme had been set up to support the specialized training of healthcare professionals. The programme had recently been given additional support to address the lack of primary care services for adults and children in parts of the country.

A representative of Czechia said that the Ministry of Health coordinated the Home Care Programme, which enabled patients living in areas with limited access to outpatient facilities to receive care in their homes. Under the programme, steps were taken to support multidisciplinary teams and integrate community and social care services in order to strengthen the provision of care outside major hospitals.

A representative of Czechia said that one of the priorities of the new Government was to digitalize healthcare to make it more accessible in areas where medical staff were lacking.

A representative of Czechia said that a specific committee, composed of members of the Roma community and representatives of various ministries, had been set up to monitor the implementation of the Roma Integration Strategy. Monitoring was also carried out by the Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs and the Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs, which included representatives of Roma civil society. The Working Group on Roma Women’s Issues was also consulted about the implementation of the Strategy. In administrative terms, the implementation of the Strategy was monitored on the basis of data provided by the relevant ministries. Plans were in place for an external organization to conduct a further evaluation of the Strategy.

One of the problems faced by institutions working with the Roma minority was the lack of data on their situation. The Roma Integration Strategy placed particular emphasis on collecting and evaluating data on Roma, including Roma women. In order to address the lack of data, the Office of the Government was working with the Ministry of Justice to develop a methodology and standards for collecting data on ethnicity.

A representative of Czechia said that, in 2024, the Constitutional Court had abolished the requirement for transgender persons to be sterilized in order to secure legal recognition of their gender. The Court had given Parliament one year in which to establish new rules on gender recognition, but it had not done so. As self-identification was not recognized, transgender persons still required a medical diagnosis to obtain legal recognition of their gender. Medical diagnoses were carried out with the free and informed consent of the person concerned and did not require him or her to undergo any surgical or other medical procedures.

Under the regulations currently in force, transgender persons were given a preliminary assessment, on the basis of which they could be granted a certificate enabling them to change their name to a gender-neutral name. After a monitoring period of between 6 and 12 months, they underwent a final diagnosis, after which they could be granted a new certificate that entitled them to adopt a name aligned with their gender identity and to obtain recognition of that identity. It was not yet known whether the regulations would be changed in the near future.

A representative of Czechia said that the statement made by the new Minister of the Environment on the climate crisis was a political statement that did not affect the implementation of the Strategic Framework Czech Republic 2030, which was the main instrument used in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The Strategic Framework incorporated the gender perspective, as did the work carried out by the Government Council for Sustainable Development.

Articles 15 and 16

Ms. González Ferrer said that she wished to know whether the State Party would amend the law to establish the minimum age for marriage at 18 years, with no exceptions. She would appreciate more information on how decisions on the awarding of custody took into account the impact of violence against women or the use of children to harm or exert pressure on mothers. She wondered what safeguards were in place to ensure that domestic violence against women and children was properly identified and taken into account in proceedings relating to custody and visiting arrangements.

It would be useful to know what criteria and mechanisms were used to ensure that the principle of the best interests of the child was interpreted in a manner that protected women and children against all forms of violence. She wondered whether steps were taken to avoid the use of mediation procedures in cases involving domestic violence, including in proceedings relating to custody, and whether measures were taken to prevent the revictimization of women and children in such proceedings.

National law permitted registered partnerships between people of the same sex but did not confer joint property rights on each partner or allow persons in such partnerships to adopt their partner’s child. In view of that situation, she wished to know what measures would be taken to address inequalities in family law and ensure the full legal protection of the children of same-sex couples. She would be grateful for information on the current status of the planned legal reform that, once enacted, would prohibit the restriction of the legal capacity of women with disabilities, thereby protecting their right to marry and to become parents. How would the reform give practical effect to the parental rights of women with disabilities?

A representative of Czechia said that, in 2025, the Government had adopted the Domestic Violence Act, which set out a broad definition of the offence and strengthened the requirements for judges to consider the possibility that women involved in custody proceedings might be victims of domestic violence. Under the law, judges were required to ensure the best interests of the child and to assess whether domestic violence was occurring within a family. Mediation in divorce proceedings was no longer mandatory if one of the partners was a victim of domestic violence.

A representative of Czechia said that minors aged between 16 and 18 years were granted court authorization to marry only in very exceptional circumstances. No more than a few dozen marriages involving minors took place every year. In all cases, the courts were required to act in the best interests of the child. No plans were in place to make any amendments to the minimum legal age for marriage.

Following an amendment made to the Civil Code, the registered partnerships that had previously been established for same-sex couples had been replaced with a new type of partnership that conferred all the rights and obligations of marriage. The only exception was that same-sex couples were required to undergo a slightly different procedure from married couples if one partner wished to adopt the other partner’s child.

A national plan for the promotion of equal opportunities for persons with disabilities for the period 2026–2030 was currently being drafted. It was clear from the discussions surrounding the plan that there was strong support for abolishing restrictions on the legal capacity of persons with disabilities, including those that would prevent them from entering into marriage or becoming a parent. The legal capacity of persons with disabilities was not currently subject to any automatic restrictions. The Supreme Court had issued a ruling establishing that the courts must assess the different ways in which a person’s legal capacity was restricted and should not impose any restrictions unless they were necessary.

Ms. Peláez Narváez said that she would be grateful for a response to the various questions asked about the sterilization of women with disabilities.

Ms. Eghobamien-Msheliasaid that she would welcome a response to her request for statistical information on gender differences in access to credit. It remained unclear how such information was used in developing policy and regulatory measures to address discrimination against women by financial institutions.

Ms. González Ferrer said that she wished to know whether, under the new regulations on same-sex partnerships, couples in such partnerships were able to adopt children. She wondered whether, in custody proceedings, the courts took into account the Committee’s general recommendations No. 33 (2015) on women’s access to justice and No.35 (2017) on gender-based violence against women.

Ms. de Silva de Alwis said that she commended the State Party on signing the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime and strongly encouraged it to ratify that Convention.

Ms. Tisheva, noting that the Global Dementia Action Plan for the period 2017–2025 had expired, said that she wished to know whether the Government was developing a new iteration of the plan and, if so, whether it would take account of the gender implications of Alzheimer’s disease and provide for targeted measures and effective treatment for women living with the disease.

A representative of Czechia said that she wished to thank the Committee members for the constructive dialogue. The Government would take the Committee’s recommendations very seriously and use them as a tool in promoting important changes to legislation and policy. Replies to any outstanding questions the Committee had raised during the course of the dialogue would be provided in writing.

The meeting rose at 4.55 p.m.