“While Latvia has taken some important steps to advance human rights and reduce social exclusion, gaps remain in the protection of vulnerable groups. The authorities should develop community-based services for persons with disabilities, grant automatic citizenship to all children born in Latvia, and improve the legislative and policy framework to combat bias-motivated crimes and hate speech. Swift ratification of the Istanbul Convention and alignment of national law and practice with its requirements would also send a clear message of genuine commitment to equality and women’s rights,” said Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of his five-day visit to the country.
The situation of persons with disabilities in institutions, in particular that of children with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, continues to be of concern. More effective coordination and coherent action at national and municipal levels is required to take forward the stalled deinstitutionalisation process. Large institutions pose a higher risk of violence and sexual abuse to residents. The Commissioner encouraged the authorities to reinforce preventive action through investigating and sanctioning all reported cases of abuse and carrying out regular monitoring. To this end, he called on the authorities to ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and establish an adequately resourced National Preventive Mechanism. The Commissioner visited the Baldone State Social Care Centre which accommodates people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities. “I was disheartened that children and adults continue to be placed in large institutions. Such institutions reproduce the vicious cycle of isolation, stigmatisation and discrimination. Instead, I call on the authorities to set more ambitious goals to develop community-based services and promote the right of persons with disabilities to live independently in the wider community.” said the Commissioner. (more...)