United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights This
document provides excerpts of findings and recommendations of the United Nations Treaty Monitoring Bodies’ (TMBs) to Romania in the field of reproductive health and rights over the past 10 years. The TMBs monitor state compliance with international human rights obligations and issue recommendations to state parties on how to improve compliance with treaties. The recommendations to Romania that are reviewed in this document show some progress in Romania in the field of reproductive rights. However, problems continue to exist in practice in some areas of reproductive rights favoured by the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society, such as the weak representation of women in elected and appointed bodies, domestic violence, human traffic and discrimination in employment.
The most frequent concern raised by the TMBs in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights regards the lack of reproductive and sexual health education in school curricula and for the broader public. In the field of maternal health and family planning, the TMBs encourage Romania to intensify implementation of programmes and policies aimed at providing effective access for women to health-care information and services, and to expand sexual and reproductive health education programmes. The TMBs expressed concern about the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, and the lack of respect for confidentiality in relation to the HIV status of patients. The absence of an effective adolescent health promotion strategy and program is of particular concern to the TMBs, given the high rates of teenage pregnancies and abortions in Romania. Marginalized populations face particular obstacles when seeking to access reproductive
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
health services (children, Roma minority, rural women), which requires that reproductive health services are culturally appropriate, available and accessible, and are promoted through information and education campaigns at community level in collaboration with the civil society. The reproductive rights issues presented above are human rights concerns that Romania must address at least as a matter of fulfilling its obligations to respect, protect and fulfil human rights. The information provided below are excerpts from the recommendations to Romania from UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies, including: the Human Rights Committee which monitors State Parties compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which monitors State Parties compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW);
the Committee on the Rights of the Child which monitors State Parties compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (ICRC); and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which monitors State Parties compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). Additional information is provided from the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Paul Hunt and the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Juan Miguel Petit, who conducted filed visits in Romania in 2005.
The excerpts are divided by issues: gender equality and stereotypes, reproductive health education, maternal health, family planning, abortion, HIV and STDs, adolescent health, and the situation of marginalized groups, and then by the TMB/Special Rapporteur that issued the observation and year it was issued.
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
A. GENDER EQUALITY AND STEREOTYPES Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 2006- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Romania, CEDAW/C/ROM/CO/6
5. The Committee commends the State party on the range of recent laws, strategies and action plans aimed at eliminating discrimination against women and promoting gender equality and at achieving compliance with the obligations under the Convention. In particular, it welcomes the adoption of Law 202/2002 on equal opportunities between women and men and its subsequent amendments, Ordinance 137/2000 on preventing and sanctioning all forms of discrimination and its subsequent amendments, Law 217/2003 on preventing and combating domestic violence, and Law 678/2001 on preventing and combating trafficking in persons. 6. The Committee congratulates the State party on the establishment, in 2005, of the National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men (NAEO) and welcomes the proposed establishment of branches of the national machinery at county level.
The Committee also welcomes the creation of specialized institutions such as the National Agency for Family Protection established in 2004, the National Agency for Roma established in 2005, and the establishment of the National Agency for preventing trafficking in persons and monitoring assistance provided to the victims of the trafficking in persons in 2005. 7. The Committee commends the State party on the adoption of the National Strategy for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men for the period 2006-2009, the General Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy as well as the development of county-based plans of action; the National Strategy for preventing and combating domestic violence and its related Action Plan for 2005-2007, and the National Strategy against Trafficking in Persons for 20062010.
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
Principal areas of concern and recommendations:
[data collection]
11. The Committee calls upon the State party to enhance its data collection in all areas covered by the Convention so as to assess the actual situation of women and their enjoyment of their human rights, disaggregated by sex, as well as by ethnicity, age, and by urban and rural areas as applicable, and to track trends over time. It also calls upon the State party to monitor, through measurable indicators, the impact of laws, policies and action plans and evaluate progress achieved towards realization of women’s de facto equality. The Committee requests the State party to include in its next report such statistical data and analysis. [awareness raising]
13. The Committee encourages the State party to implement sensitization and awareness-raising campaigns about the new laws and policies aimed at preventing and eliminating discrimination against women and at enhancing women’s access to justice. Such efforts should be targeted specifically at women so that they can avail themselves of remedies for
violations of their rights under the Convention and domestic legislation, as well as at the general public so as to create an environment that is conducive to the realization of gender equality. [representation of women]
19. The Committee urges the State party to take effective measures to accelerate and increase the representation of women in elected and appointed bodies, including through a possible change in the election law or the use of incentives or sanctions for fulfilment of the obligation of local and central public authorities to reach “equitable and balanced representation of women and men” as proclaimed in the Law on Equal Opportunities Between Women and Men. It also recommends that the State party further utilize temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and general recommendations 25, on temporary special measures, and 23, on women in public life, including establishment of benchmarks, quotas, numerical goals and timetables, to accelerate women’s full and equal participation in elected and appointed bodies. The Committee also recommends that the State party increase its efforts in offering or supporting training programmes for
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
current and future women leaders and carry out awareness raising campaigns regarding the importance of women’s participation in public and political life and at decision-making levels, as democratic requirement. [domestic violence]
21. The Committee urges the State party to enhance the effective enforcement of its domestic violence legislation so as to ensure that all women who are victims of violence, including those living in rural areas, have access to immediate means of redress and protection, including protection orders, access to a sufficient number of safe shelters funded by the Government within a sufficiently wide geographical distribution, and to legal aid. The Committee calls upon the State party to provide adequate funding for such efforts, as well as for the establishment of a free hotline operating 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The Committee also recommends that the State party enhance its action beyond domestic violence to all forms of violence against women, in the light of the Committee’s general recommendation 19. [human trafficking]
23. The Committee calls on the State party to increase its efforts to prevent
human trafficking by addressing its root causes, in particular women’s economic insecurity. It recommends that the State party enhance measures aimed at improving women’s social and economic situation, in particular in rural areas, so as to eliminate their vulnerability to traffickers and to put in place services for the rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of trafficking. The Committee also encourages the State party to intensify international, regional and bilateral cooperation with countries of origin, transit and destination for trafficked women and girls to further curb this phenomenon. [discrimination in employment]
29. The Committee urges the State party to intensify its efforts to ensure that all job-creation programmes are gender-sensitive. The Committee recommends that efforts be strengthened to eliminate occupational segregation, both horizontal and vertical, and to adopt measures to narrow and close the wage gap between women and men by applying job evaluation schemes in the public sector connected with wage increase in female dominated sectors.
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
Human Rights Committee (ICCPR) 1999-Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee, CCPR/C/79/Add.111, 07/28/1999
7. While the Committee appreciates steps taken by the State party to promote gender equality, it remains concerned about discrimination against women, particularly the lack of women in decision-making positions and in politics (arts. 3 and 26). The State party should take prompt action in order to combat discrimination against women, and, in particular, to ensure greater representation of women in politics and government, and more senior positions in the public and private sectors.
8. The Committee also expresses its serious concern about domestic violence against women, a problem which cannot be resolved exclusively by penal sanctions (arts. 3, 7 and 9). The State party should take appropriate action, in legislation and in practice, to provide women with access to protective measures before the courts, in order to prevent renewed violence by potential aggressors.
B. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 2006- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Romania, CEDAW/C/ROM/CO/6
25. The Committee encourages the State party to intensify implementation of programmes and policies aimed at providing effective access for women to health-care information and services, and to expand sexual and reproductive
health education programmes. The Committee recommends that the State party use its general recommendation 24 on women and health in the implementation of Law 95/2006 reforming the health care system.
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
41. Expanding the provision of reproductive health services requires both resources for programme development and awareness campaigns to ensure that people are aware of what services are available in the community, and how to access them. This includes the development and implementation throughout the country of a full range of relevant programmes and services, including cervical cancer screening, and their promotion through widespread information, education and awareness campaigns. Barriers to accessing reproductive health services for
vulnerable or marginalized groups, such as rural women or Roma, must be addressed. In this regard, measures should be taken to ensure that reproductive health services are culturally appropriate, available and accessible, and are promoted through information and education campaigns in rural areas. The Government is urged to increase its collaboration with civil society groups to develop reproductive health programmes and to raise awareness at community level of the rights to sexual and reproductive health.
Special Rapporteurs’ Reports 2005-Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Paul Hunt, Romania
46. [‌]Recent surveys suggest that while people know about contraception, their attitudes about its use have not changed significantly. The Government is encouraged to work with civil society partners to generate a public dialogue on this issue and address the cultural aspects of sexual health.
This includes the development of education curricula on sexual and reproductive health that are built upon a human rights approach, as well as information campaigns that are designed to meet the needs of specific vulnerable populations[‌]
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
C. MATERNAL HEALTH Special Rapporteurs’ Reports 2005- Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Juan Miguel Petit, Romania
43. According to UNICEF, 98 per cent of births in Romania have a skilled attendant at delivery, although many women do not have check-ups during the course of their pregnancy. The Ministry of Health reportedly has introduced a new policy which allows for pre-delivery consultations free of charge. During his mission, however, the Special Rapporteur was informed that the Ministry has recently decided that consultations with a physician during pregnancy will be compulsory and
those without a “health pregnancy card” will be responsible for covering their own health-care expenses related to the delivery. While pleased that the Government considers maternal health a priority, the Special Rapporteur is concerned about the possible negative effects of such a policy, especially for women who face discrimination and other barriers to care. He urges the Government to ensure that all consultations and treatment are made available on a voluntary basis.
D. FAMILY PLANNING Special Rapporteurs’ Reports 2005-Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Paul Hunt, Romania
46. …[T]here is still significant work to be done with regard to sexual and reproductive health in Romania. Recent surveys suggest that while people know about contraception, their attitudes about its use have not changed
significantly. The Government is encouraged to work with civil society partners to generate a public dialogue on this issue and address the cultural aspects of sexual health. This includes the development of education curricula
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
on sexual and reproductive health that are built upon a human rights approach, as well as information campaigns that are designed to meet the needs of specific vulnerable populations. The Government is urged to disaggregate the
data it collects so that it can better understand the sexual and reproductive health needs of certain vulnerable populations and develop programmatic responses accordingly.
E. ABORTION Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 2006- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Romania, CEDAW/C/ROM/CO/6
24. The Committee expresses concern that the rates of abortions and maternal mortality still remain high, although noting their decrease since the beginning of the 1990s as a result of Government efforts. 25. The Committee encourages the State party to intensify implementation of programmes and policies aimed at
providing effective access for women to health-care information and services, and to expand sexual and reproductive health education programmes. The Committee recommends that the State party use its general recommendation 24 on women and health in the implementation of Law 95/2006 reforming the health care system.
F. HIV AND STDs Committee on the Rights of the Child 2009- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Romania, CRC/C/ROM/CO/4
72. While noting a decrease in the recorded number of adolescents diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, the
Committee is concerned that the proportion of young people, including adolescents of 15 to18, among those recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS is
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
high. While the Committee appreciates the commitment of the State party to providing universal treatment to those infected with HIV/AIDS, it continues to be concerned that in practice the provision of such treatment may not be readily available and may vary across counties. The Committee is further concerned that children affected by HIV/AIDS often experience barriers in accessing health services.
account the Committee’s general comment No. 3 (2003) on HIV/AIDS and the rights of the child and the International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, strengthen its preventive efforts by conducting campaigns and educational programmes, particularly within schools, in order to raise awareness of STIs, including syphilis and HIV/AIDS, as well as on prevention methods.
73. The Committee recommends that the State party, while taking into Special Rapporteurs’ Reports 2005- Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Juan Miguel Petit, Romania
25.[‌] Rigorous efforts should be made to ensure that health information and education reach every sector of the population in Romania. Posters, leaflets, radio campaigns, street-theatre whatever works to get life-saving information to men, women and children - should be used. For example, creative education, training and media programmes should be explicitly designed to change attitudes that foster discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS or persons with mental disabilities. This is crucial to raising awareness and understanding among individuals and communities that
discrimination against these and other individuals and groups is unacceptable and a violation of human rights. Increased efforts also must be made to ensure that people know that domestic violence is a breach of criminal law. Innovative ways must be devised to ensure that individuals and communities have information regarding the benefits available under the health insurance system, the availability of contraceptive and other reproductive health services, including cervical cancer screening, and so on [...]
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
50. […] An open public discussion regarding the importance of prevention including condom use and prevention of mother-to-child transmission programmes - will be essential to the distribution and prevalence of the disease in years to come. Prevention programmes should be adapted to suit the needs and values at community level, including information and education in local languages aimed at reducing risk-taking behaviour and encouraging responsible sexual behaviour; expanded access to essential commodities, including male and female condoms and sterile injecting equipment; harm reduction efforts related to drug use; expanded access to voluntary and confidential counselling and testing; and early and effective treatment of sexually transmittable infections. Youth-specific HIV education and services should be made available and accessible to young men and women. Pregnant women accessing antenatal care should have information, counselling and other HIV-prevention services available to them.
53. Stigma associated with HIV and AIDS continues to be a major obstacle to the realization of the right to health for people living with HIV/AIDS in Romania. It lies at the root of various forms of discrimination, including in education, health care and employment, and acts as a barrier to effective prevention, care, treatment and support initiatives by excluding those in need of such services. The Special Rapporteur urges the implementation of policies that explicitly address gender inequalities, stigma and discrimination; provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, education and services to young people; and ensure access to voluntary testing, counselling and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. He further urges that legislation, regulations and other measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS and members of vulnerable groups be implemented.
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
G. ADOLESCENT HEALTH Committee on the Rights of the Child 2009- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Romania, CRC/C/ROM/CO/4
68. [‌] The Committee also notes the high number of reported teenage pregnancies and teenage abortions in Romania. The Committee is deeply concerned that a high number of adolescents engage in risk behaviour, particularly those aged 13-17‌ 69. The Committee recommends that the State party, taking into account the general comment No. 4 (2003) on adolescent health and development: (a) Undertake a comprehensive and multidisciplinary study to assess the scope of adolescent health problems, including psychological development, disaggregated by sex and age; (b) Ensure that information is available to all adolescents on healthy and low risk sex behaviour, in particular by making available sex and health education in schools;
(c) Strengthen training of general practitioners, nurses, social workers and other primary-care specialists in the field of mental health and emotional wellbeing of adolescents; (d) Fully respect the rights of children and adolescents to privacy and nondiscrimination in offering HIV-related information, voluntary counselling and testing, confidential sex and reproductive health services, and free or low-cost contraceptive methods and services, in a gender sensitive way; (e) Identify and pay particular attention to groups at risk, inter alia, school dropouts, separated children, children from low-income families, children in the child protection system, children using harmful substances, street children and children victims or perpetrators of crimes.
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 2006- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Romania, CEDAW/C/ROM/CO/6
8. The Committee notes that the draft Civil Code currently before Parliament will raise the minimum age of marriage for young women to 18 on an equal
basis with young men, in compliance with the Convention, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
H. SITUATION OF MARGINALIZED GROUPS Special Rapporteurs’ Reports 2005-Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Paul Hunt, Romania
42. Ensuring non-discrimination in the provision of health-care services is an essential component of the right to health. Marginalized populations face particular obstacles when seeking to access reproductive health services. The stigma associated with commercial sex work and injecting drug use, for example, affects how people engaged in these activities are often treated by health-care workers, especially when requesting services such as tests for
sexually transmitted infections. At a health systems level, there are many reports of people without proper identification being denied access to tests and other services. The Government is urged to take a broad approach to combating discrimination in all of its manifestations by providing diversity training to health-care workers and ensuring that procedural barriers do not become a denial of access to care.
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
[children] Committee on the Rights of the Child 2009- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Romania, CRC/C/ROM/CO/4
12. […] The Committee recommends that the State party ensure adequate budget allocations and follow-up and evaluation mechanisms for the full implementation of the National Strategy [s.n. National Strategy for the protection and promotion of children’s rights for 2008-2013] and to regularly assess progress achieved and identify possible deficiencies. This Strategy should, in particular, ensure that special attention is paid to children belonging to the most vulnerable groups (e.g. children living in poverty, Roma children, children with disabilities, children with HIV/AIDS, street children, children in need of alternative care).
the child”, ensuring that the differential impact of such investment on girls and boys is measured;
16. […] In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party:
(d) In the context of the decentralization process currently carried out, ensure transparent and participatory budgeting through public dialogue and participation especially that of children and for proper accountability by local authorities;
(a) Utilize a child right’s approach in the elaboration of the State budget by implementing a tracking system for the allocation and the use of resources for children throughout the budget, thus providing visibility to the investment on children. The Committee also urges that this tracking system be used for impact assessments on how investments in any sector may serve “the best interest of
(b) When possible, follow United Nations recommendation to start budgeting byresults to monitor and assess the effectiveness of resource allocation; (c) Define strategic budgetary lines for disadvantaged or particularly vulnerable children and for those situations that may require affirmative social measures (such as birth registration) and make sure that those budgetary lines are protected even in situations of economic crisis, natural disasters or other emergencies;
(e) Ensure the creation of a clear mechanism for budget allocation through the General Directorates of Social Assistance and Child Protection to
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
the county and local level, especially with regard to existing disparities. 30. The Committee, while noting that some progress has been achieved, remains concerned that the State party continues to range among the countries with the highest child mortality in Europe, as both infant and under-5 mortality remain high, particularly in rural areas. The Committee is further concerned at the low birth weight as compared to other European countries, indicating malnutrition and anaemia among children. The Committee notes that infant and child mortality and morbidity have been traced to deficiencies in mother and child nutrition, early weaning, parental neglect and low quality of medical services. 31. The Committee recommends that the State party intensifies efforts to address the underlying causes of child and infant mortality and malnutrition, including those associated with poor access to health care services, poverty and lower levels of education among Roma families and families living in rural areas. The Committee, in particular, encourages the State party to place more emphasis on pre-natal and postnatal services, with special attention paid to deprived communities, and to
develop training programmes in parenting skills, stressing the positive effects of breastfeeding, nutritious diet for mother and child, as well as proper hygiene, on early childhood development and survival. 35. The Committee is concerned at the extent of non-registration of births, which disproportionately affects the children of Roma origin, street children, new born children abandoned in hospitals, and children born in the home and other settings. The Committee, while noting significant efforts to address the non-registration of children, including those placed in special protection, through periodic inspection of facilities, notes the rise in recent years of undocumented children. The Committee is in particular concerned that despite legislation requiring the registration of children within 30 days from ascertaining their abandonment, a very high proportion of abandoned children leave maternity hospitals without a birth certificate. The Committee is further concerned at the unduly long procedure of late registration of births, especially in cases concerning children born at home or of parents who themselves lack a birth certificate.
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
36. The Committee recommends that the State party raise awareness of hospital staff, administrators and other health professionals, of their
responsibilities to register births and to facilitate the issuing of birth certificates.
Special Rapporteurs’ Reports 2005- Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Juan Miguel Petit, Romania
51. Access to health care is a major problem. Living in extremely precarious conditions, street children have serious health problems, especially venereal diseases. Although the Romanian law provides for access to health care for all children, de facto health care is denied
in most cases. In order to receive medical treatment, an identity paper and a primary health insurance are required. In most cases, street children do not have documents and are therefore denied medical treatment.
[Roma minority] Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 2006- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Romania, CEDAW/C/ROM/CO/6
26. The Committee is concerned at the situation of Roma women and girls who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on sex, ethnic or cultural background and socio-economic status. The Committee notes with concern that Roma women and girls remain in a vulnerable and marginalized situation, in particular with regard to access to education, health, housing, employment, official identity documents
and participation in political and public life. While noting efforts such as “The Second Chance” Programme and the school mediator and the health mediator schemes, the Committee is particularly concerned about the gaps in Roma women’s formal education, their high rates of illiteracy, and the high rate of school dropouts among Roma girls. 27. The Committee urges the State party to take a holistic approach to
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
eliminating the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination that Roma women face and to accelerate achievement of their de facto equality through the coordination of all agencies working on Roma, non-discrimination and gender equality issues. It urges the State party to implement targeted measures, within specific timetables, in all areas, and to monitor their implementation. The Committee encourages the Government to approve without delay the budget for the implementation of the Action Plan for the Decade of Roma Inclusion 20052015. The Committee urges the State party to take concrete measures to overcome stereotypical attitudes towards Roma people, and in particular Roma women and girls. It also recommends the expansion of “The Second Chance� Programme to all counties of Romania, and to increase the number and role of school and health
mediators. [‌] The Committee calls on the State party to issue without delay identity documents to Roma people, including Roma women, who lack such documents, and to monitor progress in the completion of this effort. The Committee also recommends that the State party address the high rate of unemployment among Roma women, and to adopt measures to enhance their participation in public life at all levels. The Committee recommends that the State party collect and make available statistical information pertaining to education, health, employment and the social, economic and political status of Roma women and girls with a view to further developing specific policies to respond to their needs. The Committee requests the State party to report on the results achieved in its next periodic report.
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Romania, CERD/C/ROU/CO/16-19
14. The Committee takes note of the numerous measures taken by the State party to improve the situation of the Roma, and also to prevent and combat
racial discrimination against them. However, the Committee is concerned that the Roma continue to be the victims of racial stereotyping and racial
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United Nations Recommendations to Romania in the area of Reproductive Rights
discrimination in access to education and in the quality of education — including through segregation of Roma children — as well as in access to housing, care, health services, social services and employment. The Committee is also concerned that the Roma are victims of discrimination in access to certain public places and services (art. 5). Bearing in mind its general recommendation No. 27 (2000) on discrimination against Roma, the Committee encourages the State party to continue its efforts and take the necessary measures to prevent and
combat racial discrimination against Roma. In this connection, the Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Enforce existing legislation and other measures banning any discrimination against Roma; […] (d) Guarantee access by Roma to health care and services, and also to social services, and continue to support Roma health mediators; […] (f) Combat discrimination against Roma in access to public places and services, by prosecuting and punishing anyone engaging in discriminatory behaviour.
[Rural women] Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 2006- Concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Romania, CEDAW/C/ROM/CO/6
31. The Committee urges the State party to give full attention to the needs of rural women and ensure that all policies and programmes aimed at promoting gender equality, including those in regard to health, education, employment and elimination of violence against women, reach the rural areas and are fully implemented at county level. In particular, it recommends that clear benchmarks and timetables be set
and the implementation of the measures targeting rural women in the National Strategy for Equal Opportunities between women and men for the period 2006-2009 be effectively monitored. The Committee recommends that in its next report the Government provide information on the measures undertaken to empower rural women. This document was creatd by Sorina Vîlcu, ECPI intern, under the supervision of Iustina Ionescu, Program Manager. The final edit and design were made by Dana Ududec, Campaign Manager. October 2012.