A/HRC/25/34
Belgium
6.
Belgium reported that the Centre for Equal Opportunities had been mandated to
promote equal opportunities and the fight against all forms of discrimination, exclusion,
restriction or preference based on several enumerated grounds, including religion or belief.
7.
The Centre was tasked with ensuring respect for the fundamental rights of foreigners
and prepared annual reports on discrimination in Belgium. Racism and xenophobia were
also monitored by the police and the judicial system, and the police and the Crown recorded
data on discrimination and hate crimes, as well as made available statistics on policing,
prosecution and conviction with respect to those phenomena. In addition, the Centre had the
capacity to initiate legal claims and to be a civil party in its own name or on behalf of
victims of anti-Semitism or Islamophobia. The Centre also organized intercultural
dialogues, training and awareness-raising sessions.
8.
With respect to the fight against Islamophobia, Belgium noted that it was difficult to
assess the extent of this phenomenon, due to the lack of available data. Since 2009, the
Centre had been providing estimates of Islamophobic acts in its annual reports. It also
reported that in recent years, 490 cases (164 in 2011, 139 in 2010 and 187 in 2009) inspired
by Islamophobic sentiment had been opened. A significant part of those records related to
comments posted on the Internet, while others related to the professional context or
problems of cohabitation motivated by Islamophobia.
9.
Regarding the fight against anti-Semitism, in February 2012, the Ministers of Justice
and of the Interior had established a unit to monitor anti-Semitism, which discussed
building safe communities, teaching about the Holocaust, cyberhatred, anti-Semitic
incidents and possible remedies.
10.
Belgium highlighted several measures taken to implement education systems
promoting tolerance of religious and cultural diversity.
Canada
11.
Canada reported that it had a legal and policy framework in place to combat
discrimination based on religion or belief, which included prohibitions in the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms; the Canadian Multiculturalism Act; the Canadian Human
Rights Act; the Citizenship Act; the Criminal Code; the Employment Equity Act; official
languages legislation at the federal level and in some provinces and territories; and the
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
formed part of the Constitution of Canada and protected the freedom of conscience and
religion of each individual. Section 15 of the Charter prohibited discrimination based on
race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.
12.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada managed a programme that supported the
Multiculturalism Act and developed activities, including funding projects and events for
non-governmental organizations, to promote diversity and intercultural/interfaith
understanding.
13.
The Criminal Code prohibited, inter alia, inciting hatred against an identifiable
group by communicating in a public place statements which were likely to lead to a breach
of the peace (subsection 319(1)) and communicating statements which included words
spoken or written or recorded electronically or electromagnetically or otherwise and
gestures, signs or other visible representations, other than in private conversation, to
wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group (subsection 319(2)). The Broadcasting
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