Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Eightieth session (13 February – 9 March 2012), Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under Article 9 of the Convention, Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (combined sixteenth to eighteenth periodic reports of Italy) (CERD/C/ITA/CO/16-18) 9 March 2012

Amongst the positive aspects outlined by the Committee within the Italian report appear the revision of law No. 482/1999 to allow the recognition of Roma, Sinti and Camminanti communities as minorities, the strengthening of the National Office against Racial Discrimination (UNAR), the adoption of the National Strategy for the Inclusion of Roma, Sinti and Camminanti communities and the creation of a new Ministry for Cooperation and Integration. However, the Committee expressed its concern for the situation of discrimination and segregation of migrants and minorities in Italy caused by many factors such as the implementation of the Nomad Emergency decree, the discriminatory statements of some politicians, the discrimination in the labor market, the different treatment of migrants in the accession to services and the enjoyment of social rights, the detention policy in the identification and expulsion centres and the collective expulsions of aliens. Therefore, the recommendations addressed by the Committee to Italy concern the adoption of adequate measures to ensure that Italian legislation and policies are not discriminatory and requested Italy to provide within one year information on its follow-up to the recommendations on the establishment of an independent national human rights institution and  the social and residential integration of Rom and Sinti communities, respectively contained in paragraphs 13 and 15 of the Committee’s Concluding Observations.

  • See also:

    Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Concluding observations on the combined sixteenth to eighteenth periodic reports of Italy, adopted by the Committee at its eightieth session (13 February-9 March 2012), Addendum –  Information received from the Government of Italy regarding the recommendations in paragraphs 13 and 15 of the concluding observations; Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Follow-up letter sent to the State party.

  • Original language: English