UPR Sexual Rights Database

Recommendations were made by CEDAW and CESCR to address their concerns at maternal mortality and the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls, particularly those who were internally displaced or working in less developed and conflict areas. Particular attention was drawn to the problem of teenage pregnancies and the need to review laws relating to abortion with a view to removing punitive provisions [Para 49]

... JS5 recommended the revision of the current legislation to provide clear and comprehensive provisions relating to trafficking, child prostitution and child pornography and adequate penalties for those offences ... [Para 30]

Ratify the optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (OP-CRC-IC), to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OP-CRPD) and to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP-ICESCR).

Since women head 23.4 percent of households in the North and East, in March 2015, the government set up a National Committee on Female-Headed Households (FHHs) and a National Centre for FHHs in Kilinochchi. These Committees have enabled FHHs to integrate into the workforce and access sustainable livelihoods. Cabinet approved a national policy on FHHs formulated by the MWCA, in consultation with relevant stakeholders including the civil society in October 2016 and which is currently being translated into a National Action Plan for WHH for the period 2017-2019. [Para 44]

Joint Submission 2 (JS2) noted that Articles 365 and 365A of the Penal Code prohibiting homosexual relations, described as “acts of gross indecency”, might put children in danger as these articles do not explicitly exempt children for the crime, hence a child might be treated as an offender instead of a victim in exploitative situations. [Para 74]

The Department of Probation and Child Care Services under the MWCASE conducts
programmes on creating and establishing rights-based environments for marginalized
children from urban, fishery, indigenous and Estate sectors. Already they have conducted
programmes to develop the psycho-social condition and leadership skills of these children,
to raise awareness among parents, elders, certify security to protect child rights, to develop
basic logistics of their schools and to issue birth certificates to children living in the Estate
sector. [Para 102]

Decriminalize same-sex relations by repealing Sections 365 and 365A of the penal code.

Step up efforts to enhance participation by women in political and public life.

The United Nations country team also underlined the need to strengthen public health programmes, which had been compromised during the pandemic, in order to revamp previous targeted preventative interventions to reach the most vulnerable, including ... persons living with HIV ... It also stressed the need to strengthen psychosocial services to antenatal and postnatal women, young persons and survivors of gender-based violence. [Para 52]

Intensify its policies and programs undertaken to ensure the protection of women and children.

... Strengthening measures to combat all forms of trafficking in women and children ... [Para 29]

JS16 highlighted recommendations ... on elimination of discriminatory laws, including Land Development Ordinance and the Vagrants Ordinance. [Para 15]