A/HRC/31/27 expressed concern that most women living with HIV/AIDS in Denmark were foreign-born women belonging to ethnic minorities. It recommended that additional targeted measures be taken to ensure that migrant women and girls have access to sexual and reproductive health services and education, especially for foreign-born women belonging to ethnic minorities, with a view to preventing and tackling HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. At its sixty-first session, the Committee adopted its concluding observations on Viet Nam (CEDAW/C/VNM/CO/7-8). It noted with concern that the maternal mortality rate in Viet Nam remained high among ethnic minority women, and recommended that the State party increase its efforts to reduce maternal mortality among women from ethnic minorities by improving their access to basic prenatal and antenatal care, and emergency obstetric care, and ensure the presence of skilled birth attendants at births. 35. At its eighty-sixth session, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination adopted its concluding observations on France (CERD/C/FRA/CO/20-21), Germany (CERD/C/DEU/CO/19-22) and the Sudan (CERD/C/SDN/CO/12-16). With regard to France, the Committee expressed its concern about reports regarding discrimination against Roma, such as repeated breaches of their right to housing, and encouraged the State party to continue its current efforts and to take the necessary steps to prevent and combat racial discrimination against the Roma in all its forms. With regard to Germany, the Committee expressed concern about the proliferation and dissemination of racist ideas by certain political parties and movements, and recommended that, in addressing issues that affect ethnic minorities, the State party should make clear its political will to promote understanding and tolerance between the majority population and the various ethnic groups in its discourse and its actions. In the case of the Sudan, the Committee expressed its concern about information that human rights defenders, particularly those belonging to minority groups, continued to be persecuted and were subject to harassment, arbitrary detention and ill-treatment by the police, and recommended that the State Party should widen the legal space for the exercise of political and civil rights, including by political opponents, many of whom belong to minority groups. 36. At its eighty-seventh session, the Committee adopted its concluding observations on Costa Rica (CERD/C/CRI/CO/19-22), the Czech Republic (CERD/C/CZE/CO/10-11), the Netherlands (CERD/C/NLD/CO/19-21), the Niger (CERD/C/NER/CO/15-21) and Norway (CERD/C/NOR/CO/21-22). With regard to Costa Rica, the Committee expressed its concern at the use of textbooks containing or that may contain elements that could be interpreted as presenting a stereotypical view of minorities, especially of indigenous and black populations, and recommended that the State party should take measures to ensure that the national education system fosters awareness and knowledge of cultural practices of the Afro-descendent and indigenous populations and their contributions to Costa Rican history and culture. With regard to the Czech Republic, the Committee expressed its concern at the continuing discrimination facing Roma in their enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, and recommended that the State party should take effective measures to facilitate the employment of Roma, to establish a comprehensive social housing system with a special focus on Roma and other ethnic minorities, and to expand the Roma health assistance programme. In the case of the Netherlands, the Committee expressed concern at the increase in discrimination, including racial profiling and stigmatization, faced by people of African descent, and recommended that the State party should recognize explicitly that people of African descent are a part of Dutch society, and develop and implement specific measures and affirmative action policies to eliminate racial profiling and discrimination. With regard to the Niger, the Committee recommended that the State party should continue to implement special measures, including with regard to the right to education, employment and housing, and to adopt a comprehensive strategy on the situation of persons belonging to minorities and those who identify themselves as indigenous peoples. With regard to Norway, the Committee expressed concern at the 8

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents