UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 68) Romania’s legal framework ensures the respect of human rights for all persons, without discrimination of any form, as provided by the Romanian Constitution that also mentions the respect and protection of private life. The antidiscrimination law in Romania (Ordinance no. 137/ 31 August 2000, Art. 2.1) is among the most extensive and inclusive, defining discrimination in a very large sense, including discrimination based on sex and sexual orientation. Since 2000 the law includes provisions on combating incitement to hatred and fighting all discrimination forms. Civil society organizations promoting the respect of the rights of LGBTI persons are active in Romania for watchdog, support and rights promotion activities for the LGBTI community in Romania/Bucharest especially. Yearly, Bucharest hosts the annual festival dedicated to support the rights of the LGBTI persons – Pride Week, including a March for Diversity – Pride parade.
Para 69) In Romania, the persons having HIV or AIDS are legally perceived as persons with disabilities. Thus, they benefit from all protective measures specifically aimed at this mentioned group. HIV-positive pregnant women are monitored in nine Regional HIV Infection Surveillance Centers where, after HIV infection has been confirmed, any person, regardless of age, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, is recorded, clinically and biologically monitored and provided specific antiretroviral therapy immediately after diagnosis. The management of HIV-positive child and adolescent patients complies with the 2013-2014 Guidelines for ARV Therapy, containing a separate chapter for this age group. Between May 2014 and August 2016, ‘Prof. Dr. Matei Balș’ National Institute of Infectious Diseases from Bucharest, as Project Promoter, under the coordination of the Ministry of Health as Program Operator, implemented the project ‘Improving HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B and C Prevention and Control in Romania”, as part of the 2009-2014 Norwegian Financial Mechanism.

UN Compilation:
Para 11) CRC was concerned that …, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children … continued to face discrimination with regard to access to education, health care and employment, and to their standard of living.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 7) Save the Children Romania (SCR) stated that Roma children, children … who had identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons continued to be discriminated in sectors such as education or health care.
Para 8) Equality and Human Rights Action Centre (ACTEDO) noted that Roma and LGBT+ persons had reportedly been target of hate speech.
Para 13) EU-FRA stated that the 2011 Civil Code prohibited same-sex partnership and marriage and prohibited the recognition of such partnership and marriages concluded in other countries. Despite this, ACCEP and ACTEDO reported on an initiative to hold a referendum in order to amend the Constitution to specify the legal definition of family as a marriage between a man and women. ACTEDO noted a high level of intolerance displayed towards LGBT+ persons by many public figures during the referendum campaign.
Para 14) ACCEPT stated that gender identity was not explicitly included in the list of criteria of non-discrimination and that the rights of transgender people remained largely ignored by the authorities. There were no official medical protocols and training for professionals on providing healthcare services for transgender persons and very few psychologists and medical professionals were available to provide such services. Medical interventions were not covered by the public healthcare insurance. The legislation on name change obliged transgender persons to go through court procedures. In the absence of clear regulations and laws, the courts issued contradictory interpretation of the law on aspects of gender affirming surgery.
Para 31) JS3 stated that health care units refused to treat women living with HIV for obstetrics and gynaecological needs, leading to cases when patients did not receive adequate medical treatment, resorted to self-medication or unsafe abortion, were subject to discrimination and did not declare their HIV status when accessing healthcare services. Cases of discrimination against persons living with HIV in healthcare services remained unpunished and undocumented.

National Report:
Para 62) A matter under the serious attention of the Romanian authorities is human trafficking (see recommendation 12). In the period of 2010 - 2011, the Romanian Police elaborated and launched the Project with the title "Strengthening the capacity of judicial authorities for investigating the cases of human trafficking", on which 230 police officers, gendarmerie officers and prosecutors were trained.

Para 65) As far as the trafficking of children is concerned, which is directly linked to the exploitation of children and even more, to the sexual exploitation thereof, the Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2011 on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting was adopted and has as deadline for its transposition into domestic legislation 6 April 2013.

UN Compilation:
Para 24) The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences took note of information indicating that Romania continued to be a country of origin for human trafficking. She highlighted a decrease in trafficking for sexual exploitation but an increase in trafficking for forced labour ...