A/HRC/10/72
Page 13
perspective in the universal periodic review follow-up process in a systematic and continuous
manner.
46.
Belgium welcomed the progress made in a number of areas, including economic, social
and cultural rights and in increasing prison capacity, health care and social mobility. It asked the
delegation about the follow-up to the Mediator’s recommendation to set up a judge for sentence
enforcement and a general directorate for penitentiary administration that is both autonomous
and decoupled from the Attorney General. Belgium requested clarifications on the concern that
certain criteria and conditions for the conclusion of the Convention provided for in article 22 of
the Constitution could lead to discrimination against various religions or belief systems. It
recommended that the Government of Luxembourg actively ensure that all religious and belief
communities are treated without any discrimination.
47.
Portugal commended the invitation of the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women to its first ever follow-up visit to a State party and noticed that
Luxembourg has begun implementing the Committee’s recent recommendations. Portugal
requested further information on the national action plan for gender equality and recommended
that its implementation continue to be fully ensured by all sectors of the Government. Portugal
welcomed the draft law on the legal age of marriage and requested further information on its
current status.
48.
Mexico commended the policy on integrating foreigners living in the country by offering
them Luxembourg nationality without requiring them to renounce their nationality of birth and
the provisions for Luxemburg nationals born or living abroad allowing them to retain their
nationality. Mexico was concerned about the prisons and detention centres, in particular the
detention centre for irregular immigrants. It was confident that the Government in establishing
guidelines for the new detention centres would uphold all of its international human rights
obligations. Mexico requested further information about measures taken to address the important
challenge of stereotypical traditional perceptions of the role of women in society. Mexico
recommended that the Government of Luxembourg ratify the International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Member of Their Families; cooperate
closely with and strengthen the role of the Advisory Commission on Human rights; provide
training to security forces, with special attention to issues of migration, asylum and refugees, and
stop the practice of releasing at the border offending minors in special situations and with no
family members; and review the criteria for issuing visas for nightclub performers with a view to
preventing human trafficking.
49.
Ghana appreciated the initiatives taken by the Government of Luxembourg, such as the
legislation to assist children in distress, the introduction of intercultural mediators in schools,
training programmes for prison staff and the establishment of a centre for equal treatment. It
requested the delegation to share, if any, the experiences the centre has acquired through its
studies on matters related to discrimination and recommended that the Government strengthen
measures to grant foreign children and children of asylum-seekers equal access to the same
standard of services in the field of education. It also recommended that, in addition to building a
new prison and holding centres, the Government should also consider non-custodial ways of
addressing the problem of pregnant convicted women and the children of convicted mothers,
particularly when the mothers are foreigners or illegal residents, during both the pre-trial and
post-sentence periods.
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