SIERRA LEONE

20th Session of the Universal Periodic Review

ITALY

Statement by Ambassador Yvette Stevens

27 October 2014

Mr President,

Sierra Leone welcomes the delegation of Italy and would like to thank it for the presentation of the national report which offers a comprehensive overview of the efforts taken by the government to address human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Sierra Leone is pleased to note that Italy has implemented almost 95 per cent of the recommendations it accepted during the first cycle review, and is taking steps to implement the remaining 5 per cent, as well as to address some of those it had not accepted. Notable achievements include in the areas of the crime of torture, illegal immigration, corruption and the rights of detainees. Special mention needs to be made of the “Mare Nostrum”, in this regard.

However, the reports prepared for this review, reveal that greater efforts are still required to tackle racism and xenophobia against ethnic minority groups such as the Roma and Sinti and non-citizens; to address violence against women; sexual abuse of minors and juvenile justice and its level of overseas development assistance.

My delegation would like to make the following recommendations for consideration by Italy:

Increase the budget and strengthen the National Office Against Racial Discrimination to enable it to more effectively address racism and xenophobia;

Ratify the ICRMW;

Pass and implement legislation to address the problem of violence against women;

Increase its overseas development assistance from 0.2 per cent of GDI in 2013 to aim at achieving the agreed target of 0.7 per cent.

In conclusion, Sierra Leone would like to thank Italy for its financial contributions to OHCHR and to urge it to adopt the 1961Convention on Statelessness and to submit its outstanding reports to the Human Rights Committee and CAT.

Mr President,

I thank you.

The Mum

2014-10-27

Valeriano De Castro

Private