The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has pointed to some persistent shortcomings in efforts to combat racism and racial discrimination in Slovakia, the TASR newswire reported on March 27, citing five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in the sphere.
The UN committee also called on the Slovak government to try harder to fulfil its international commitments stemming from the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. It pointed to two major problems: the segregation of Roma and non-Roma pupils and students in the education system and the violation of the right to decent and appropriate housing for Roma. It was noted by the UN that Roma-only classes and schools are being opened in Slovakia and that many Roma pupils currently attend special schools alongside special-needs children.
According to the non-governmental organisations, the committee criticised Slovakia for failing to implement properly its existing anti-discrimination legislation, which is still not considered to be an effective tool in practice for protecting individuals facing discrimination. The UN also pointed to police violence against minorities and ineffective investigations into such cases.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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