A/HRC/17/34/Add.2 economic opportunities. Despite policy efforts in recent years, the Traveller community continues to suffer from structural discrimination that causes and perpetuates their vulnerability to poverty. Particularly striking is their unequal health situation. According to recent studies, Traveller men can expect to die 15 years earlier than the average Irish male,63 and Traveller infants are 3.6 times more likely to die than infants in the general population.64 This level of inequality is simply unacceptable in Ireland, and must be the immediate focus of State action. 76. It is not sufficient to simply rely on mainstreaming Travellers in the Irish health system; addressing structural disadvantage requires affirmative action to eliminate conditions which have caused or helped to perpetrate inadequate access to health services in the past. The independent expert urges Ireland to develop, with the meaningful participation of the Traveller community, a new National Traveller Health Strategy in order to support the Traveller community’s enjoyment of the right to health on equal footing with the rest of Irish society. 77. One factor contributing to the diminished health status of Traveller communities is the lack of well-equipped halting sites accessible by nomadic Traveller groups. Some Travellers are forced to halt on unauthorized halting sites with poor conditions and minimum sanitary facilities,65 which impedes their enjoyment of an adequate standard of living, and places them at risk of criminal charges.66 The Government should ensure that local authorities take steps to provide safe, authorized halting sides with adequate amenities, in consultation with Traveller organizations and groups. 78. Another crucial area of concern is the Traveller community’s lack of access to, and equal participation in, the education system. More than two thirds of Travellers aged 15 or over have no secondary or tertiary education.67 While the independent expert acknowledges the Government’s well-intentioned efforts to mainstream Traveller children in the education system, she stresses that mainstreaming is not sufficient to rectify the serious structural lack of inclusion which leads to the imbalance in access to education. The independent expert recognizes that in many cases Travellers make a conscious decision, based on a number of cultural and social factors, not to remain in higher education. The State should be respectful of this decision while removing barriers to education and encouraging Traveller children to remain in education where possible. Ireland should also support efforts by adult Travellers who wish to return to education or training. 79. Lower education outcomes are one of the main barriers to greater levels of employment for Travellers. The drastic rise in general unemployment, as a result of the economic and financial crises, will undoubtedly exacerbate this situation even further, particularly because Travellers are generally employed in informal or seasonal jobs which are more vulnerable during times of economic hardship. Ireland should take measures to ensure that training and employment initiatives are available, and are economically and socially accessible by members of the Traveller community. The introduction of employment activation policies with respect to social protection benefits should take into account the difficulties that Travellers will experience meeting activation obligations, particularly those Travellers who continue to live a nomadic and extended family lifestyle. 80. To assist Travellers in overcoming the entrenched discrimination that they suffer, the independent expert echoes the recommendation of the Committee on the Elimination of 63 64 65 66 67 18 All Ireland Traveller Health Survey “Our Geels” (hereafter Our Geels), 2010, p. 95. Pavee Point Travellers’ Centre, “Irish Travellers and Roma shadow report,” January 2011. Our Geels, p. 12. Housing (Miscellaneous) Provisions Act 2002. CSO, Equality in Ireland 2007, p. 37.