A/HRC/26/12 42. As regards the construction of so-called “anti-Roma” walls, the delegation indicated that Slovakia denounced and prohibited segregation and “ghettoization” of any kind. Municipalities and local authorities were systematically requested by the relevant national bodies to prevent the construction of walls that would separate parts of municipalities where the Roma lived from those where the majority population lived. Municipalities had been strongly encouraged to work actively with Roma communities. 43. The delegation stated that housing was a major issue, as there were more households than housing units in Slovakia. With a 97 per cent rate of home ownership, it had been difficult for State bodies to intervene directly in the housing market to ensure that lowincome families had access to housing. The Government had adopted measures to create the necessary conditions to ensure availability of housing for vulnerable groups, including the Roma. Due to the State programme for housing, subsidies for social rental housing had been allocated to municipalities to make housing rents affordable for low-income families, including Roma communities. 44. Land ownership for the Roma remained a problem. In the countryside, property had been fragmented into small sections of private property and groups of Roma might be settled on land belonging to various owners. The delegation reported on the draft building code, which envisaged a plan for ensuring land ownership for the Roma. 45. The new legislation on the provision of social benefits concerned only the provision of assistance in material form. A person might be entitled to this benefit on condition that he or she carried out some community services or work amounting to 32 hours a month. The projects entitled “Field social work in municipalities” and “Community centres” were among other activities aimed at reducing the level of poverty. A project on increasing employment and the employability of disadvantaged jobseekers with the objective of providing employment services to jobseekers from socially excluded communities was in progress. 46. In 2013, the Government approved the National Action Plan for the Prevention and Elimination of Violence against Women for 2014–2019, which included solutions for institutional support for victims of violence against women and domestic violence. Additionally, in January 2014, the Government approved the National Strategy for the Protection of Children against Violence which aimed, inter alia, to establish a national coordination framework for addressing violence against children. 47. Azerbaijan commended the signing and ratification of CRPD and its Optional Protocol. It noted concerns expressed by the treaty bodies about gender inequalities, the continued stigmatization of and discrimination against the Roma and the prevalent stereotyping and widespread exclusion of the Roma from education, housing, health and political participation. Azerbaijan made recommendations. 48. Bangladesh shared the concerns of the treaty bodies about gender inequalities and prejudice, discrimination, stigmatization and negative attitudes towards Roma people, as well as prevalent stereotyping and the exclusion of minority groups from education, housing, health care and political participation. It deplored racist statements in political discourse and media-based hate speech. Bangladesh made recommendations. 49. Belarus expressed concern about racism in the media, the cruel treatment of patients in psychiatric hospitals, torture in police custody, the segregation of Roma in the education system and in access to housing, the cross-border trafficking of women and the internal trafficking of Roma women and children. Belarus made recommendations. 50. Belgium congratulated Slovakia on signing and ratifying CRPD and its Optional Protocol, and OP-ICESCR. It considered that more could be achieved in combating discrimination and promoting women’s rights. Belgium made recommendations. 8