Lithuania
118.
The Committee considered the initial report
and the second periodic report of Lithuania
(CEDAW/C/ LTU/1 and 2) at its 472nd, 473rd
and 480th meetings, on 16 and 22 June 2000
(see CEDAW/C/SR.472, 473 and 480).
Introduction by the State party
119.
In introducing the report, the representative
of Lithuania informed the Committee that the
priority of State policy was to ensure equal
opportunities for men and women. The principle
of equality was based on respecting all the
fundamental human rights of men and women
irrespective of gender, race, nationality,
language, religion or social status. All fundamental
human rights were provided for in the Constitution,
which also guaranteed fundamental civil rights.
He indicated that, as a member of the Council
of Europe and an applicant for membership
of the European Union, Lithuania was in the
process of bringing its national legislation
into compliance with that of the European
Union Directives. Lithuania had also acceded
to a whole range of other international human
rights instruments and had completed all necessary
internal legal procedures for the signature
of the Optional Protocol to the Convention.
120.
The representative informed the Committee
that the Law on Equal Opportunities for Women
and Men had come into force on 1 March 1999.
The definition of discrimination in the Law
fully corresponded to the definition in article
1 of the Convention. The Law had also introduced
the concepts of positive discrimination, equal
opportunities and sexual harassment. He noted
that the monitoring of the implementation
of the Law had been delegated to the Office
of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman, which
had been established by the Parliament on
25 May 1999.
121.
The representative informed the Committee
about the institutional structures that existed
to address women's issues. They included the
Office of Adviser to the Government on the
issues of equal opportunities, a subdivision
on women's issues within the Ministry of Social
Security and Labour, a gender statistics section
established in the Department of Statistics,
as well as a group of women parliamentarians
and the Commission of the Parliament on Family
and Children. In addition, in March 2000,
the Government had established a permanent
Inter-Ministerial Commission on Equal Opportunities
for Women and Men. The representative further
emphasized the important role that non-governmental
organizations were playing with regard to
women's issues. The number of women's non-governmental
organizations had expanded to 63 in 1999 from
50 in 1997. He noted that the Information
Centre on Women's Issues was the most active
women's organization that collected and studied
statistical data on women in the areas of
education, health, and employment, inter alia.
122.
The representative informed the Committee
about the increase of women's participation
in political life. Women currently constituted
18 per cent of all members of the Parliament
in comparison with 7 per cent in 1992. Women
were also taking a more active part in local
elections to municipalities. In 2000, women
made up 30 per cent of all nominees, compared
to 24 per cent in 1995.
123.
The representative informed the Committee
about the situation of women in the areas
of education, employment and health. He noted
that, in Lithuania, women and men had equal
access to education and attained high educational
qualifications. Women constituted 58.6 per
cent of university and 70 per cent of high
school graduates. Women's share in the labour
force continued to rise: in 1998, women made
up 48.5 per cent of the total number of the
employed population. However, women had been
negatively affected by the economic and financial
difficulties in the country, which had led,
in many cases, to a change of the nature of
employment or loss of jobs. Many women had
entered the informal sector or had started
their own business. The Government was trying
to address the concerns and needs of women
in the labour market, including the needs
of rural women and women entrepreneurs. In
2000, for instance, the Credit Line was established
to assist women in small business. The Law
on the National Health System provided for
free health care and services for everyone
in the national network of health care. All
women had free access to maternity and child
health care and were entitled to paid ante-
and post-natal maternity leave. In addition,
either parent was entitled to childcare allowance
until the child reached his or her first birthday.
124.
The representative informed the Committee
that the Government was paying serious attention
to the issue of violence against women, especially
domestic violence. The Government was working
in close collaboration with the local authorities,
police and non-governmental organizations
to prevent violence against women and to provide
comprehensive assistance to the victims of
violence. In 1999, the Government, with the
support of UNDP, had launched a project on
training police officials to deal with those
issues. The Police Department had established,
in the Academy of Law, a special course on
preventive measures to combat violence against
women and children. In addition, the Government
had translated Strategies for Confronting
Domestic Violence: A Resource Manual3 into
Lithuanian, and distributed it in secondary
schools.
125.
The representative informed the Committee
that the mass media had started to pay more
serious attention to women's issues. To further
raise the awareness of the media regarding
gender issues, the Office of the Ombudsman,
together with UNDP, was organizing a conference,
"Men and women: creation of negative stereotypes
by mass media", to be held on 30 June 2000.
126.
The representative informed the Committee
that since 1997 Lithuania had started to compile
all statistical data disaggregated by sex
in order to show the de facto situation of
women and men in all areas of life. Two annual
statistical compendiums entitled Women
and Men in Lithuania were published in
1997 and 1998. The 1999 edition was also completed
and ready for publication.
127.
The representative noted that Lithuania was
making steady progress towards achieving gender
equality and advancing the status of women.
The Government was committed to continuing
its work in that area and to overcoming the
obstacles that women of Lithuania were still
encountering.
Concluding comments of the Committee
Introduction
128.
The Committee expresses its appreciation to
the Government of Lithuania for submitting
its initial and second periodic reports, and
for engaging in a frank and constructive dialogue
with the Committee. The reports follow the
guidelines of the Committee and contain good
statistical data disaggregated by sex. The
Committee also commends the Government's efforts
to produce, in a short period of time, qualitative
and informative responses to the questions
posed by the Committee.
129.
The Committee welcomes the fact that the Government
of Lithuania followed the recommendations
of the Beijing Platform for Action and approved
two national action plans for 1996-1997 and
1998-2000, respectively, which are in accordance
with the priorities of the Platform for Action.
130.
The Committee welcomes the fact that Lithuania
has ratified the Convention without reservations,
and that it intends to sign the Optional Protocol
and to accept article 20, paragraph 1, of
the Convention concerning the time of meetings
of the Committee.
Positive aspects
131.
The Committee welcomes the fact that the Government
of Lithuania puts high priority on a policy
to ensure equal opportunities for men and
women. It welcomes the revision of various
legal provisions, the adoption of the Law
on Equal Opportunities and the establishment
of the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman.
The Committee also welcomes the broad mandate
of the Ombudsman to monitor the implementation
of the Law. It commends the fact that the
Law's definition of discrimination fully corresponds
to the definition articulated in article 1
of the Convention, that it allows for positive
discrimination according to article 4, paragraph
1, of the Convention, prohibits sexual harassment,
and allows for administrative sanctions to
be imposed on both private and public persons
and institutions. The Committee notes with
satisfaction that the Office of the Equal
Opportunities Ombudsman has close connections
with the Lithuanian Parliament, with State
institutions and with non-governmental organizations,
and that its budget significantly increased
in less than a year.
132.
The Committee notes with appreciation the
incremental development of several components
of a national machinery. The Committee commends
the creation of a group of women parliamentarians
from all political parties, as well as a parliamentary
commission on the family and the child. It
also welcomes the establishment of a permanent
Inter-Ministerial Commission on Equal Opportunities
for Women and Men and the fact that the meetings
of the Commission can be attended by the Ombudsman
as well as by representatives of non-governmental
organizations.
133.
The Committee notes with appreciation the
efforts by the Government to combat violence
against women, especially domestic violence.
It commends the creation, with the collaboration
of non-governmental organizations, of telephone
hot lines and crisis centres to provide information
and assistance to women victims of violence.
It also commends the training of police officials
in this regard.
134.
The Committee appreciates the willingness
of the Government to address the issues of
prostitution and trafficking in women and
girls, which has resulted in various changes
of and amendments to the Criminal Code of
Lithuania, some of which, however, are still
to be adopted. It commends the National Programme
on Control and Prevention of Prostitution
and Trafficking, to be launched soon and to
be implemented by ministries and governmental
and non-governmental institutions.
135.
The Committee notes with satisfaction that
both the Government and the Parliament of
Lithuania recognize the important role of
the increasing number of non-governmental
organizations working on women's issues.
136.
The Committee notes with satisfaction the
efforts of the Government to collect and publish
annually all statistical data disaggregated
by sex.
Factors and difficulties affecting the implementation
of the Convention
137.
The Committee notes that the political and
economic transition in the last decade has
posed serious challenges to the effective
implementation of the Convention, as women
have been disproportionately affected by the
restructuring processes.
Principal areas of concern and recommendations
138.
The Committee is concerned about the persistence
of traditional stereotypes regarding the role
of men and women in the family, in employment
and in society. The Committee is also concerned
about the lack of targeted educational programmes,
mass media campaigns and temporary special
measures in education, employment and politics
to eliminate these stereotypes. It is also
concerned that provisions in the current draft
Code of Advertising Ethics may not be sufficient
to address advertisements that utilize and
support traditional sex-role stereotypes.
139.
The Committee urges the Government to design
and implement comprehensive programmes in
education and the mass media in order to promote
roles and tasks of women and men in all sectors
of society. It also recommends that the draft
Code of Advertising Ethics be amended in order
to cover not only the prohibition of the promotion
of discrimination against women and men, or
of the alleged superiority of one sex over
the other, but also of the more subtle utilization
of and support for traditional role stereotypes
in the family, in employment and in society.
140.
The Committee is concerned that a clear understanding
of temporary special measures according to
article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention
and the Lithuanian Law on Equal Opportunities,
as well as the reason for their application,
seems to be lacking in large parts of Lithuanian
society and in the government bureaucracy.
141.
The Committee recommends that the Government
raise public awareness about the importance
of such measures and programmes by pointing
to the positive example of Vilnius University
and encourage similar programmes in various
areas, especially that of political decision-making.
The Committee also recommends that the Government
introduce such special provisions in the educational
field, including admission to disciplines
in which one sex is under-represented, in
government commissions and in public administration.
Such provisions should be designed with measurable
goals or quotas and time lines in order to
accelerate the achievement of de facto equality
between women and men in those areas.
142.
The Committee is concerned about the situation
of women in the labour market, and in particular
about the fact that the official unemployment
statistics do not take account of the hidden
unemployment of women or of their informal
employment and underemployment. While the
official overall unemployment rate of women
is slightly lower than that of men, such general
statistics hide the fact that there tends
to be a higher number of women among the long-term
and the higher-educated unemployed, and in
the older age groups that more women than
men are unemployed.
143.
The Committee requests the Government to include
precise information and data in its next periodic
report on women's unemployment rates differentiated
according to age groups and educational and
professional levels, as well as on their representation
in the various training programmes. It further
recommends that the Government design and
implement specific targeted programmes for
different groups of unemployed women, addressing
their training needs in different employment
areas with a view to future-oriented jobs.
It also recommends the monitoring of the increasing
number of women's businesses in regard to
their viability.
144.
The Committee also notes with concern that
the position of women in the labour market
is characterized by discrimination, in particular
of women with children, and by a strong occupational
segregation with a concomitant wage differential.
The Committee is also concerned that there
may be hidden discrimination against women
in the training programmes offered by the
Labour Exchange Offices.
145.
The Committee recommends that efforts be made
to eliminate occupational segregation through
efforts in education, training and retraining.
There should be additional wage increases
in female-dominated sectors of public employment
to decrease the wage differential in comparison
with male-dominated sectors.
146.
The Committee is concerned at the increase
of poverty among various groups of women,
in particular of female-headed households.
147.
The Committee recommends that the Government
closely monitor the poverty situation of women
of various groups, including those of various
ages, and implement effective poverty alleviation
programmes.
148.
The Committee is concerned that the existing
national mechanisms do not have sufficient
capacity or funding to promote effectively
the advancement of women and gender equality.
149.
The Committee requests the Government to consolidate
and strengthen the existing governmental national
mechanisms for women, including through the
provision of financial and human resources
to carry out effectively their mandates. It
further recommends that the Government continually
review the budgetary needs of the Office of
the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman.
150.
The Committee expresses its concern about
violence against women, especially domestic
violence.
151.
The Committee urges the Government to amend
article 118 of the Criminal Code in order
explicitly to define rape as sexual intercourse
without consent. The Committee also urges
the Government to continue to pay serious
attention to domestic violence against women,
including through ongoing training of police
officials, future lawyers and judges and through
easy access to courts by the victims of domestic
violence. It recommends the introduction of
a specific law prohibiting domestic violence
against women, which would provide for protection
and exclusion orders and access to legal aid
and shelters.
152.
The Committee recognizes the efforts made
by the Government in addressing the issue
of trafficking in women and girls, but notes
with concern that the size of the problem
is not reflected in the information provided
in the report. The Committee draws attention
to article 6 of the Convention, and in this
regard notes that criminal penalties imposed
only on prostitutes entrench sexual exploitation
of women.
153.
The Committee requests the Government to include
in its next periodic report detailed information
on the impact and results of the intended
legal changes regarding prostitution, as well
as of the intended National Programme on Control
and Prevention of Prostitution and Trafficking.
It also recommends that the Government increase
its collaboration with other countries of
origin, transit and destination of trafficked
women and girls and to report on the results
of such collaboration. It further recommends
the creation of reintegration programmes for
victims of prostitution and trafficking in
cooperation with non-governmental organizations.
154.
The Committee notes with concern the insufficient
funding of non-governmental organizations,
including women's non-governmental organizations,
which makes it difficult for them to build
their capacities to fulfil their various roles
and functions in supporting human rights of
women.
155.
The Committee recommends that the Government
develop clear criteria for rendering and ensuring
governmental financial support on the national
and local level for the work of women's non-governmental
organizations. It also recommends that the
Government increase awareness among individuals
and corporations regarding possible donations
to women's organizations.
156.
The Committee expresses its concern at the
fairly low rate of women holding parliamentary
seats and political office at the municipal
and national levels.
157.
The Committee recommends that the Government
strengthen its efforts in offering or supporting
special training programmes for current and
future women leaders and conduct, on a regular
basis, awareness-raising campaigns regarding
the importance of women's participation in
political decision-making. The Committee also
recommends that the Government involve the
mass media in promoting positive images of
women leaders.
158.
The Committee is concerned that the Government
has not addressed the health needs of Lithuanian
women by taking into account the life-cycle
approach recommended by the Beijing Platform
for Action and as stated in the Committee's
general recommendation 24 on article 12, relating
to women and health. The Committee also notes
with concern the high rate of abortion among
women and a lack of access to various methods
of family planning, including contraceptives,
especially among women in rural areas. The
Committee is concerned with the increase of
tuberculosis and mental diseases among women,
as well as with the high rate of anaemia among
pregnant women.
159.
The Committee recommends that the Government
fully implement a life-cycle approach to women's
health. It further recommends comprehensive
research into the specific health needs of
women, the financial and organizational strengthening
of family planning programmes and the provision
of wide access to contraceptives for all women,
including rural women. The Committee urges
the Government to introduce programmes of
sexual and reproductive education for both
girls and boys as a regular part of the school
curriculum.
160.
The Committee expresses its concern with the
fact that the Government does not have enough
information on the situation of rural women,
especially older rural women, as concerns
their cash income, health situation, access
to free health care services and social and
cultural opportunities.
161.
The Committee requests the Government to provide
more information and data on the situation
of rural women in its next periodic report.
The Committee recommends that the Government
monitor existing programmes and develop additional
policies and programmes aimed at the economic
empowerment of rural women, ensuring their
access to productive resources and capital
as well as to health care services and to
social and cultural opportunities.
162.
The Committee is concerned with the situation
of older women, who constitute a large proportion
of the population. The Committee recommends
that the Government design and implement gender-sensitive
policies and programmes that address the specific
needs of older women. It also recommends that
social workers be provided with gender-sensitive
education and training in order to be able
to recognize and meet those needs.
163.
The Committee urges the Government to sign
and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention
and to deposit as soon as possible, its instrument
of acceptance of the amendment to article
20, paragraph 1, of the Convention on the
time of meetings of the Committee.
164.
The Committee requests that the Government
respond in its next periodic report to the
specific issues raised in these concluding
comments.
165.
The Committee requests the Government to disseminate
widely the present concluding comments in
Lithuania and to support their public discussion,
in order to make politicians and government
administrators, women's non-governmental organizations
and the public at large aware of the steps
required to ensure de jure and de facto equality
for women. It also requests the Government
to continue to disseminate widely, and in
particular to women's and human rights organizations,
the Convention and its Optional Protocol,
the Committee's general recommendations, the
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action,
and the results of the twenty-third special
session of the General Assembly entitled "Women
2000: gender equality, development and peace
for the twenty-first century".