CRC/C/PRT/CO/5-6

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Portugal (CRC 09-12-2019)

The Committee considered the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Portugal (CRC/C/PRT/5-6) at its 2418th and 2419th meetings (see CRC/C/SR.2418 and 2419), held on 19 and 20 September 2019, and adopted the present concluding observations at its 2430th meeting (see CRC/C/SR.2430), held on 27 September 2019.

Concluding observations

C. General principles (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12)

Non-discrimination

  1. While welcoming the adoption of Law No. 93/2017 to prevent and combat discrimination on the grounds of racial and ethnic origin, colour, nationality, descent and country of origin and of the national strategy for equality and non-discrimination (2018–2030), the Committee recalls its previous concluding observations (para. 26) and recommends that the State party strengthen efforts to raise awareness among the public and civil servants, as well as law enforcement officials, on the importance of cultural diversity and inter-ethnic understanding, in order to combat stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination against girls, children with disabilities, children in migration, those of ethnic, religious and racial minorities, including Roma, people of African descent and Muslim children, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adolescents and intersex children.

E. Violence against children (arts. 19, 24 (3), 28 (2), 34, 37 (a) and 39)

Harmful practices

  1. With reference to the joint general recommendation No. 31 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women/general comment No. 18 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (2014) on harmful practices and taking note of target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee urges the State party to:

(a) Continue to provide preventive and protection measures, including the required social, psychological, medical and rehabilitative services and training of relevant professionals and awareness-raising programmes, to address female genital mutilation;                                        

(b) Continue to implement measures, including legal and administrative measures, to guarantee that no child, including intersex children, is subjected to unnecessary medical or surgical treatment during infancy or childhood, in line with the rights of children to bodily integrity, autonomy and self-determination, and provide social, medical and psychological services, where necessary, as well as adequate counselling, support and reparations to families with intersex children.

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