E/C.12/CHN/CO/2
Domestic violence
58.
While noting that legislation on domestic violence is under consideration, the
Committee is concerned about the prevalence of domestic violence in Macao, China, and
regrets that domestic violence has not yet been recognized as a public offence (art. 10).
The Committee recommends that Macao, China speed up the process of adoption of
specific legislation criminalizing domestic violence. The Committee calls on Macao,
China, to take all necessary effective measures to prevent incidents of domestic
violence, and to ensure that protective measures, including restraining orders and
shelters, are effective and accessible to victims of domestic violence. The Committee
also recommends that Macao, China, conduct media campaigns targeting all segments
of the population, in particular law enforcement officials, with a view to changing
society’s attitudes regarding domestic violence.
Adequate housing
59.
The Committee is concerned about the amendment to the Economic Housing Law,
which replaced the long-term application system by an ad-hoc application system and
which provides that once all available units are allocated, the remaining applicants will be
dismissed and will have to apply again in the next application period (art. 11).
The Committee recommends that Macao, China, adopt all necessary measures to
guarantee the right to adequate housing for everyone, in particular for all those in
need of social housing and those who are no longer eligible for it. The Committee also
urges Macao, China, to take appropriate measures to address the problem of the long
waiting list for social housing. The Committee draws the attention of Macao, China to
its general comment No. 4 (1991) on the right to housing.
Access to education
60.
The Committee is concerned that free primary education is not provided to children
of migrants in Macao, China. The Committee is also concerned that children with
disabilities experience de facto discrimination and have limited access to inclusive
education and to teachers trained specially to educate children with disabilities (art. 13
and 14).
In line with its previous recommendation (E/C.12/1/Add.107, para. 126), the
Committee urges Macao, China, to adopt all necessary measures to ensure access to
free compulsory education to all children in the State party, including children of
migrants. The Committee also recommends that the State party take appropriate
measures to guarantee an inclusive education for children with disabilities and to
ensure that teachers are trained to educate them within regular schools.
F.
Other recommendations
61.
The Committee notes the absence of reliable statistics that would allow for an
accurate assessment of the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights in the State
party, including Hong Kong, China, and Macao, China.
The Committee urges the State party, including Hong Kong, China, and Macao,
China, to develop systematic data collection and the production and use of statistics
for human rights indicators, including for economic, social and cultural rights based
upon such data. In this respect, the Committee refers the State party, including Hong
Kong, China, and Macao, China, to the conceptual and methodological framework for
human rights indicators developed by the Office of the United Nations High
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