COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONTINUES CONSIDERATION OF INITIAL REPORT OF CZECH REPUBLIC

CESCR
28th session
30 April 2002
Afternoon



Experts Query Government Delegation on Trafficking in Women,
Integration of Roma,Housing Rights, and the Privatization Process



The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued its consideration of an initial report from the Czech Republic by further questioning the Government delegation, among other things, on the trafficking of women; the integration of the Roma population; the right to housing and the privatization process.
The Committee members told the delegation that they had received information that refugees had problems concerning being reunited with their family members; and persons of the same family, particularly parents and children, were kept in different places. They asked about the situation of refugees in general and the programme for their integration in the society.
Experts also said that despite police efforts, there had been sexual tourism going on. Adolescents were involved. Trafficking in women for the purpose of prostitution had also been observed. It was also mentioned that the liberal attitude on rents and accessibility of mortgages could have a negative impact on the right to housing. There was also no legal assistance to victims of the violation of the right to housing, such as the Roma population, the Experts added.
In response to questions raised by Committee Experts, the members of the Czech delegation said that until last year, there had been cases of non-payment of salaries to employees; the number of workers affected by that measure amounted to 100,000; however, the Government had enacted legislation regarding this situation and an improvement had been seen in salary payments.
The Government had taken additional measures to encourage the employment of disadvantaged job-seekers, such as members of the Roma community, the delegation told the Committee. The measures included the development of projects focusing on the integration of specific groups and increasing employment of people subjected to social exclusion. The different social and cultural background of the Roma minority often affected their approach to work and education, the delegation said.
The delegation also said that the Government had registered many severely disadvantaged Roma job-seekers -- unskilled workers, with a long history of unemployment and other handicaps such as their health condition, social situation and age. The retraining of this group of people had been disadvantageous because of their travelling habits.
As one of the 145 States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Czech Republic must provide the Committee with periodic summaries of its efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 1 May, it will conclude its consideration of the report of the Czech Republic.

Discussion
Before the Czech delegation responded to questions raised by Committee Experts in the previous meeting, further queries were made on a number of issues. An Expert said that at least 100,000 workers had been affected by non-payment of salaries, and asked for the reason behind that.
What was the method in determining the minimum wage of workers, asked an Expert. How did the Government compare the minimum wage with that of the average wage? What was the proportion of workers with disabilities in comparison to the whole working force of the country?
What efforts were being made by the Government to establish equality in salary payments of men and women, another Expert asked.
The delegation of the Czech Republic, responding to those and other questions raised this morning, said that women were segregated in the labour market because of family responsibilities and the right to maternity leave for women. However, the Government was endeavouring to improve the situation, which was also widespread in other European countries, by using supervisory mechanisms and tripartite agreements including workers, employers and the Government. The law on labour inspection was under preparation and soon it would be submitted to parliament.
In addition, the Institute on Labour Studies was carrying out research on the wide difference of payment between men and women, which was at present 25 to 27 per cent, the delegation said.
There were 2.5 million people covered by the social security scheme, the delegation said. Other schemes for pensions had also been put in place; however, additional measures were not accepted by parliament. The Government was aware of the fact that the pension system had to be strengthened because of the rise in the increased number of old people in the population.
The religious factor was not included in identifying ethnic minorities due to the refusal of the Jewish community to be identified as a religious or ethnic minority, the delegation said. The fact that some minorities did not declare themselves as minorities did not exclude them from enjoying rights attributed to such groups. Only communities having the Czech nationality enjoyed the right to education in their own language but other members of a community, for example the Vietnamese, were obliged to be educated in the Czech language; however, when they acquired the Czech nationality, they might have the possibility to learn in their own mother tongue.
The number of unemployed women was higher than men, the delegation said, adding that at the end of 2001, women unemployment was 10.4 per cent while that of men was 6.8 per cent. In order to reduce discriminatory practices against women in employment, the Government had put additional measures in place, besides the law prohibiting such practices. Retraining programmes for women had also been carried out by Government agencies to fight unemployment of women.
On the employment of foreigners, the delegation said that 100,000 foreigners were legally working in the Republic, out of which 63,000 were from Slovakia, where 6,000 Czechs were working. There were also foreigners from the Western European countries working in companies implanted in the Czech Republic. A residence or work permit was required to work in the country. Work permits were given for work performed at a given company for a specific kind of job. The end of the job would terminate the validity of the work permit and the foreigner should leave the country.
The privatization process was accompanied by safeguarding measures which might protect employee lay-offs, the delegation said. So far, enterprises privatized in previous years had been functioning in good condition. They applied flexible working arrangements, guaranteeing minimum working standards. With regard to the privatization of the steel, chemical and power stations, special attention had been paid to the safety of employees and the structuring programme was implemented in a manner so as not to harm them; strict conditions were put in place during the privatization process.
Because of the rise in high unemployment due to the privatization process as early as 1997, the structuring measures had been delayed, the delegation said. The rate of unemployment had gone up to 20 per cent. From 1998 onwards, the social partners were consulted to introduce additional safeguards and the situation was reverted. At present, the unemployment rate stood at around 9 per cent.
Until last year, there were cases of non-payment of salaries, the delegation said. The number of workers affected by that measure amounted to 100,000. The Government had enacted legislation regarding the situation, and an improvement had been seen in salary payments.
The Government had taken additional measures to encourage the employment of disadvantaged job-seekers, such as the Roma community, the delegation said. The measures contained the development of projects focusing on the integration of specific groups and increasing the employment of people subjected to social exclusion. The different social and cultural background of the Roma minority often affected their approach to work and education. The Government had registered many severely disadvantaged Roma job-seekers -- unskilled workers, with a long history of unemployment and other handicaps such as their health condition, social situation and age. The retraining of this group of people had been disadvantageous because of their travelling habits.
Asked about the employment of persons with disabilities, the delegation said that there was a law that obliged employers with more than 20 employers to take on a certain percentage of persons with disabilities -- 5 per cent of the total number of employees. In the event that such obligations were not fulfilled, employers were given other options like paying a tax.
The law on refugees provided for the integration and the enjoyment of their economic, social and cultural rights, the delegation said. Although the Government had made available funds for non-governmental organizations to assist asylum-seekers during the processing of their requests, those who already obtained the refugees status were assisted by the community and municipalities to have access to housing and employment. In addition to the ratification of the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees, the State had acceded to the 1961 Convention on statelessness.
The situation of the Roma needed special attention on the part of the Government, the delegation said. A coordinating organ had already been established in which the Roma minority was represented. A dialogue had been established between the representatives of the Roma and the Government to find out means to resolve problems of education, employment and housing. Although the Roma population had been in the territory for several hundred years, the problem of integration had always been a problem surfacing within the society. However, the Government was fully aware of the problems and was making efforts to resolve them.
The Committee members continued to raise questions on other issues that were not yet discussed. An Expert said that he had information that refugees had problems to be reunited with their family members. Those who had been granted asylum were unable to bring into the country their relatives. In addition, persons of the same family, particularly parents and children, were kept in different places. What did that mean in the spirit of the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees?
Despite police efforts, there had been sexual tourism going on. Adolescents were involved. Trafficking in women for the purpose of prostitution had also been observed, the Expert added.
What was meant by a "declaratory right", which was present in the report concerning the right to housing, an Expert asked, affirming that the right to housing was among the fundamental rights. The liberal attitude of rents and the accessibility of mortgages could have a negative impact on the right to housing. There was also no legal assistance to victims of the violation of the right to housing, such as the Roma population. How was the affirmative action enacted for the Roma population implemented?
What measures were taken by the Government to combat effectively alcoholic and drug addiction of persons, another Expert asked. Measures had to be carried out to limit the rate of addiction. In addition, the report had mentioned that measures were envisaged against drug addiction and "inappropriate sex". What was meant by that term. The delegation was also requested to provide figures on HIV/AIDS infected persons. Another Expert also added his concern about the alcoholic and tobacco addiction, and the situation of homeless who were at least 100,000. A general improvement in the housing conditions was recommended by the Expert, who asked about the measures undertaken so far.


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