E/C.12/SRB/CO/2
Right to health
33.
The Committee is concerned about the inadequate budget for the health-care system,
the lack of access to health care for disadvantaged individuals who do not have a health
card, and the limited access to health services, in particular in rural areas. The Committee is
also concerned about the increase of HIV/AIDS, the absence of information on sexual and
reproductive health and rights as part of the education curricula, and the limited network of
mental health services for children (art. 12).
The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its measures to increase the
budgetary allocations to the health sector, ensure that disadvantaged individuals have
a health card so that they can have access to health care, and extend health services to
rural areas. The State party should also continue to address the spread of HIV/AIDS
by promoting adolescent health and providing health counselling and services to the
general public, provide for comprehensive sexuality education, and extend the
network of mental health services for children while replacing institutional care with
community-based support services.
Right to education
34.
The Committee notes that asylum seekers and persons granted asylum can access
primary and secondary education free of charge; however, it is concerned that asylumseeking children accommodated in the asylum centres in the State party are not being
enrolled in local schools (arts. 13 and 14).
The Committee recommends that the State party enable access to primary education
and facilitate access to secondary education, in line with the Law on Asylum, to all
child asylum seekers pending consideration of their refugee claim.
35.
The Committee is concerned about the prevalence of violence and discrimination in
schools and the lack of enrolment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools. The
Committee is also concerned about the placement of Roma children in special schools or
classes and the high drop-out rates of Roma children from primary education, as well as
low school attendance (arts. 13 and 14).
The Committee recommends that the State party continue legal and policy reforms to
allow every child to achieve the right to education, and to that end:
(a)
Intensify the implementation of measures to prevent violence and
discrimination in schools, including through peer programmes and enhanced intraschool relations;
(b)
Ensure inclusive education for all children with disabilities in
mainstream schools;
(c)
Guarantee the enrolment of Roma children in regular classes of primary
schools instead of schools or classes for children with special needs;
(d)
Reduce the high drop-out rates of Roma children from primary
education, take effective measures to keep Roma attending school and increase school
attendance at the secondary level through affirmative action, such as the granting of
scholarships and the provision of schoolbooks.
Cultural rights
36.
The Committee is concerned that the cultural rights guaranteed under the Covenant
are not accessible to all persons, in particular in rural areas. While noting the measures
taken for the equal enjoyment of cultural rights by all groups, in particular the
establishment of national minority councils in 2010, the Committee is concerned that
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