[Human Rights Council] Statement by IPPF

Human Rights Council, 26th Session

Item 6: Consideration of Macedonia’s UPR Outcome

Statement by the International Planned Parenthood Federation

June 2014

Thank you Mr. President

My name is Drashko Kostovski and I make this statement on behalf of the Health Education and Research Association and the International Planned Parenthood Federation.

We welcome many of the positive recommendations from the Human Rights Council regarding the human rights situation in the Republic of Macedonia, especially those that raise sexual and reproductive health and rights issues.

Specifically, we welcome the recommendations for immediate step up of the efforts of the State to eliminate all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender and gender identity and to strengthen the anti-discrimination law by explicitly prohibiting discrimination on these grounds. It is an imperative that the state take effective measures to combat violence and discrimination against LGBTI people by opening prompt, impartial and effective investigations into attacks on LGBTI individuals or organisations.

We welcome the recommendation to ensure access to the highest attainable standard of health for Roma people, by increasing the coverage with health insurance, elimination of discrimination in health care, ensuring availability of gynaecological services and increase the coverage for vaccination.

We express our gratitude to the governments for the recommendations to the State to fully implement the recommendations of the CEDAW Committee with respect to violence against women. We urge the Government to take measures for strengthening the system of services and shelter centres for protection of victims of all forms of violence.

We were disappointed to see few recommendations relating to the health of people living with HIV. Although we thank the State for the recent increase of the antiretroviral therapy budget we ask for reliable mechanism for providing antiretroviral medicines under the National Health Insurance Fund.

We also urge the Government to prioritise women’s health and sexual and reproductive health of drug users, sex workers and people with disabilities. We ask the government to introduce of system for comprehensive sexuality education for young people and improving access to modern contraception

Thank you.