CZECH REPUBLIC: Children's Rights in the UN Special Procedures' Reports

Summary: This report extracts mentions of children's rights issues in the reports of the UN Special Procedures. This does not include reports of child specific Special Procedures, such as the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, which are available as separate reports.

Please note that the language may have been edited in places for the purpose of clarity.

UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, Mr Glele-Ahanhanzo, Mission to Hungary, Czech Republic and Romania

(E/CN.4/2000/16/Add.1)

Country visit: 19-30 September 1999
Report published: 7 February 2000

Discrimination in education: The education system tends to relegate Roma children to "special" schools, considered by some to be institutions for the mentally handicapped or for children suffering from what is regarded as a social behaviour. The government estimates that 70 to 80 per cent of Roma children attend institutions of this type. As a result, a large number of Roma children leave school without primary school qualifications, since education completed at special schools is not considered as completed primary education, nor is completion of a grade lower than eighth. Uncompleted primary education makes studies at secondary school impossible and even precludes attainment of a qualification in regular apprenticeship. The lack of qualifications among adult Roma is one of the main reasons for their difficulties finding jobs, their dependence on social benefits, and the general marginalization of the entire Roma community. Over time, this "parallel" system of education has separated Roma children from the majority of Czech children from their earliest age, which is hardly conducive to social harmony between the different components of the Czech population. (paragraph 15)

Equality measures taken by the government: The Czech government will undertake measures to achieve equality by 2020. These actions will cover access to education and higher qualifications for members of the Roma community and for individuals from similarly affected groups. In its actions the Czech government will make use of special classes, preparatory classes and courses, extra pay for teachers who work individually with students in such groups, remunerated additional instruction, scholarships for Roma students and certain preferential treatment of Roma companies in placing orders. However, the Government will not use quotas determining the percentage of Roma among applicants admitted to schools. (paragraph 35)

At the same time, within the scope of such additional education and training activities, the government does not want to give preferential treatment only to members of the Roma community, nor does it intend to favour all members of the Roma community. Criteria for selection of those who would benefit from the equality measures will be specified so as to include all persons in need, irrespective of nationality, race, ethnic origin, etc. Terms already in use, such as: "persons that are difficult to place on the labour market", "children with specific educational and training needs", etc. will be defined; the equality measures will be directed at groups defined in that way. About 80 per cent of persons to whom the equality measures will apply will be members of the Roma community and at least 70 per cent of the members of that community will need such specific help. (paragraph 36)

Educational measures taken by the government: The government will introduce changes in the educational system in order to ensure that Roma children are as successful as others. In order to achieve this goal, it will use various methods, including dismantling language barriers, preparatory classes, using the Romany language as a supplementary teaching language, employing Roma assistants at schools and, in particular, taking an individual approach to students. The system by which a large majority of Roma children pass through special schools and are thus assigned to the least qualified work for the rest of their lives will be replaced by a system of flexible and equality-directed classes at elementary schools with a smaller number of pupils than in normal classes. (paragraph 37)

Recommended educational measures: Preparatory classes, the presence of Roma assistants at schools and equality-oriented classes are creditable methods. However, what is most important is individual care, which requires fewer students in classes and special preparation of teachers. In order to achieve such individual care, it is necessary to provide additional training for teachers and to reduce the number of students, particularly in the early grades. Pedagogical and psychological advice centres will decide which children are having educational and training difficulties. In the first phase experienced teachers from special schools who have acquired special education and experience with individual care of children could be recruited to teach at elementary schools. (paragraph 38)

The segregation of Roma schoolchildren should be stopped through steps to ensure equality of opportunity for this population and equitable access to education for all. (paragraph 142)

Measures taken by the government to promote Roma culture and encourage tolerance: The government will ensure that education and training at all schools will be multicultural, that it will be education for tolerance, and that the objective of such education will be a multicultural society. Education and training in State and State-subsidised schools remains monocultural; at school, children learn only about the history and culture of the Czech nation; where they learn about the history and culture of other nations, these are usually large nations that have their own States. If the information is in some way related to the Czech nation and State, it is usually tendentious and one-sided. (paragraph 41)

Measures to increase Roma security: The Special Rapporteaur highlighted the positive steps made on a local level - the city of Brno in Moravia – to combat racism, which has a strategic plan to improve inter-ethnic relations between the majority population and the Roma minority. This plan is aimed at the integration of the 16,000 Roma in the city, and includes cultural programmes and educational and vocational training projects. The Special Rapporteur visited Roma House, which is a meeting and activity centre, providing educational support and vocational training for Roma, furnishing advice and psychological support to persons in need and also offering recreational facilities for children of Roma families. The local government also employs a Roma adviser to help in designing and implementing its projects. (paragraph 52)

Action by civil society: Several non-governmental organisations and community associations provide legal or social support to the Roma in an effort to find solutions to their problems. The Roma Movement concerns itself with child education; it organises seminars on the problems involved in educating Roma children. In 1997, the R-Mosty civic association initiated a campaign in Prague schools on the subject of "Education for tolerance and against racism". Many talks on the subject have been given in schools. (paragraph 54)

The European Roma Rights Centre, a regional non-governmental organisation, has been conducting in-depth studies of the various manifestations of racism and racial discrimination in the country and furnishes legal aid to victims. In June 1999, the Centre also filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court against the municipality of the town of Ostrava and the Ministry of Education for segregating Roma children in special schools for the mentally handicapped. (paragraphs 55 & 56)