A/HRC/38/16
possible, Liechtenstein used the simplified reporting procedure offered by most of the
United Nations treaty bodies.
51.
In response to a number of interventions and advance questions, the head of
delegation stated that legislative and practical measures that were necessary for the
implementation of international treaties were assessed and put into place prior to the
signature and ratification of such instruments. That practice also explained why it often
took some time for Liechtenstein to sign and ratify new instruments. In the past four years,
Liechtenstein had ratified a number of international treaties in the field of human rights.
Discussions on the signature and ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities had resumed. The level of integration of children with disabilities into the
schooling system was extremely high.
52.
The Istanbul Convention was a milestone with regard to the fight against genderbased violence and to efforts to achieve equality between women and men. Liechtenstein
had signed the Convention in 2016. Domestic law was, to a large extent, in line with the
provisions of the Convention. With a number of minor amendments to the Criminal Code
planned for 2018, the necessary preconditions for the ratification of the Convention,
scheduled for 2018, would be fulfilled in the near future.
53.
The head of delegation said that equal opportunities for men and women had long
been a priority for the Government. As a part of the coalition agreement and the
government programme for the current term, gender equality, and particularly the
reconciliation of work and family life, ranked high on the agenda of the Government. The
head of the delegation of Liechtenstein stressed her personal commitment to raising those
issues at the national and international levels. Liechtenstein was a member of the
Commission on the Status of Women for the period 2016–2019. The head of delegation
would participate in a 2018 high-level meeting, thus supporting both the Commission and
the United Nations in their important work to bring about equal rights and opportunities and
justice for women and girls globally.
54.
In 2011, under the guidance of the head of delegation in her ministerial role,
Liechtenstein had introduced the Law on Registered Partnerships of Same-Sex Couples and
was working to further strengthen equality in that area. In 2017, Liechtenstein had
introduced a reform of the law governing the names of registered partners.
55.
The head of delegation said that Liechtenstein had not experienced any major
conflicts between the locally born population and foreign nationals for decades. The foreign
population participated in the economic success of the country and was integrated into its
social structures. Many individuals with foreign nationality had taken up high- or mid-level
positions in the private sector or within the national administration.
56.
Refugee children and foreign children were integrated very early on into the
mainstream education system, with specialized teachers helping them to improve their
German language skills, and they received assistance in integrating into society.
57.
With regard to questions and recommendations on non-discrimination and the
respect of the human rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, the head of
delegation stated that the principle of equal treatment was effectively implemented through
the Constitution of Liechtenstein, the international human rights conventions ratified by the
country and settled case law. Generally, all inhabitants with a valid residence permit had
equal access to State services. In April 2016, an amendment to paragraph 283 of the
Criminal Code had entered into force, introducing the comprehensive prohibition of
discrimination. Apart from the above-mentioned amendment to the Criminal Code, several
special laws contained concrete provisions protecting against discrimination.
58.
Regarding the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in
2016, the Government had established an interdisciplinary working group, which had
performed a gap analysis of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The
Government planned to take a decision about a workplan relating to the Goals in the near
future.
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