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The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - Universal Periodic Review

UPR 32, January 24, 2019
Recommendations by Canada

Recommendations

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Thank you, Mr. President.

Canada welcomes the positive steps taken by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to ratify the Istanbul Convention and to introduce the draft Law on Protection and Prevention of Discrimination in parliamentary procedure.

Canada recommends that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia:

1. Take steps to adopt the newly-drafted Law on Prevention and Protection against Discrimination as soon as possible.
2. Take further steps to improve education, housing and social protection of Roma, particularly Roma women, including promoting inclusion of Roma in the education system and decreasing the number of Roma children placed in special education.
3. Take further steps to investigate effectively and prosecute hate crime and hate speech against vulnerable groups, including LGBTI persons.
4. Address discrimination against women and LGBTI persons, including by removing discriminatory references to gender and gender identity in high school and university textbooks.

We are concerned about reports of illegal deportation of refugees and migrants to neighbouring countries without official procedure.

Background

According to UPR Info, a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) that tracks the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, in the first two cycles of the UPR, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia received 227 recommendations, of which 214 were accepted (an acceptance rate of 94%). Canada’s previous recommendations were related to child, early and forced marriage, challenges faced by Roma women, and violence on the grounds of sexual orientation.

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is party to all major UN human rights treaties. Human rights are guaranteed under the constitution and laws meet international human rights standards in most areas. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is party to major international human rights conventions, including the European Convention on Human Rights.

In June 2017, a new government took office, ending a prolonged period of political crisis. Under the previous government, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was a captured state, which affected the protection of human rights. NGOs and civil society now operate in a more favourable environment. Inter-ethnic relations between ethnic Macedonians and the Albanian minority (roughly 25%) are the subject of intense debate but are no longer a source of open conflict, as in the past. The current government launched an extensive reform program designed to lead the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia towards NATO and European Union membership, and overcome the long-standing dispute with Greece over the country’s name. The country and the political culture need time to recover from the period of state capture.

Although the current government generally exercises respect for human rights, in practice a number of issues need to be addressed, including an insufficient legislative framework for protection against discrimination and hate speech against vulnerable groups such as Roma, LGBTI persons, and migrants, and the overburdened and obsolete penitentiary system. Human rights were heavily affected by turbulent political events, inter-ethnic tensions and problems in the rule of law, corruption and the independence of the judiciary. A draft Law on Protection and Prevention of Discrimination has been placed on the parliamentary agenda, but it remains blocked because of a preoccupation with ratifying the name agreement with Greece, and due to a lack of support by junior partners in the ruling coalition, who are opposed to stronger protection for LGBTI rights.

Despite an adequate legislative framework, violence against women, physical abuse and family violence remains a problem. NGOs have raised concerns about gender and gender identity stereotypes in textbooks.