Moldova
In the report concerning the Republic of Moldova, ECRI concludes that hate speech against Roma, LGBT, and black communities in the public discourse is escalating while the authorities are failing to take a strong public stand against it. The report further calls on authorities to develop a comprehensive strategy to prevent hate speech since very few cases reach the courts. In this regard, ECRI also recommends increasing the training for law enforcement officials and judiciary on hate crime, including hate speech.
A positive finding in the report is that the Council to Prevent and Combat Discrimination and Ensure Equality (CPPEDAE) has become more visible and effective in its work, and the Ombudsman has a stronger role, Although ECRI underlines the need to strengthen their institutional capacity. Read the report here.
Portugal
In the ECRI report on Portugal, it was concluded that there has been significant progress in LGBT rights and in the education of migrants. The report highlights that same-sex couples had access to joint adoption and assisted reproduction in 2016, and that transgender persons no longer need a medical certificate to obtain gender-recognition or change their first name. Overall, school results of pupils of migrant origin have significantly improved and their early school drop-out has reduced. ECRI welcomed the plan to insert a question on ethnic origin in the next population census, which will make it possible to generate separate data for different groups of migrants.
Another welcomed development noted by ECRI was the recent adoption of Law No. 93/2017 of 23 August 2017 on the prevention and prohibition of racial discrimination, replacing the old anti-discrimination Law No. 18/2004. Articles 1, 3 and 4 of the new law prohibit all forms of discrimination defined in the law on grounds of racial and ethnic origin, colour, citizenship, ancestry and place of origin. This legal development has considerably increased the powers of the Commission for Equality and Against Racial Discrimination.
ECRI further recommends that the Portuguese authorities make the Commission for Equality and Combating Racial Discrimination entirely independent, which goes in line with ECRI’s General Policy Recommendation No. 2 on ‘Equality bodies to combat racism and intolerance at national level’.
Read the report here.