E/C.12/CHN/CO/2
(c)
Take all necessary measures to make secondary education, including
technical and vocational education, generally available and accessible to all;
(d)
Take all necessary measures to reduce dropout rates for children
belonging to ethnic minority groups and children of rural-to-urban migrant workers;
Cultural rights of ethnic minorities
36.
The Committee is concerned that ethnic minorities continue to face severe
restrictions in the realization of their right to take part in cultural life, including the right to
use and teach minority languages, history and culture, as well as to practise their religion
freely. Despite the measures adopted by the State party, the Committee is concerned about
the restrictions faced by Tibetans and Uighurs, in particular regarding the restriction of
education in the Tibetan and Uighur languages (art. 15).
The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures to
ensure the full and unrestricted enjoyment by minorities, including Tibetans, Uighurs
and Inner Mongolians, of their right to enjoy fully their own cultural identity and take
part in cultural life, and to ensure the use and practice of their language and culture.
The Committee also recommends that the State party take adequate measures to
protect cultural diversity and promote awareness of the cultural heritage of ethnic,
religious and linguistic minorities.
Cultural rights and freedom of expression and information
37.
The Committee is concerned about the lack of information on measures taken by the
State party to prevent limitations on freedom of information and expression in the State
party which may hinder the realization of the right to take part in cultural life and to benefit
from technological and scientific progress (art. 15).
The Committee reiterates its previous recommendation (E/C.12/1/Add.107, para. 68)
and urges the State party to take effective measures to remove restrictions on freedom
of expression and information in the State party, and to enable all persons under its
jurisdiction to take part in cultural life, enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its
applications, and benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests
resulting from any scientific, literacy or artistic production of which they are the
authors.
Respect for rights of labour and human rights activists and their lawyers
38.
The Committee is concerned at reports of instances where labour and human rights
activists, and their lawyers, have been victims of repression and reprisals when taking up
cases of violations of economic, social and cultural rights (arts. 2, 10, 12 and 13).
The Committee urges the State party to protect human rights and labour activists, as
well as their lawyers, against any form of intimidation, threat or retaliation for taking
up cases of violations of economic, social and cultural rights, and to ensure full respect
for their own economic, social and cultural rights. The Committee also urges the State
party to guarantee that human rights and labour activists, as well as their lawyers,
have adequate access to health care in all circumstances, and that their children fully
enjoy the right to education. The Committee also calls on the State party to ensure
that all allegations of reprisals and abuse are promptly and thoroughly investigated,
and that perpetrators are brought to justice.
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