UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 21) A legislative compliance review of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was conducted in 2012 and a comprehensive Legislative Compliance Review of the laws of Samoa was completed in April 2015. There is an intention to reform laws to domesticate CRPD. The legislative compliance review is near complete and trainings have been conducted and are still ongoing in relation to CRPD.

Para 125) Samoa is considering ratifying CRPD. The Attorney General's Office has provided advice for Samoa to ratify following a legislative compliance review of CRPD. Samoa is working towards finalising the legislative compliance review so that Government is able to establish legal frameworks that will support full implementation of the Convention. Following this, the Convention will be ratified. Lack of technical expertise in this area is a problem although other Ministries and NGOs provided technical support towards completing the compliance. Samoa is looking at legal options towards protecting the rights of persons with disabilities whether in the form of a model law or piecemeal amendments.

Para 126) Since signing the CRPD, Samoa is currently undertaking a cost benefit analysis of CRPD and a legislative compliance review of CRPD. MWCSD is the focal point for CRPD. The challenge for Samoa is ensuring the accessibility in all public places, infrastructure (disability friendly facilities at the correctional facilities) and representation in public forums, steering committees, delegations to overseas meetings.

UN Compilation:
Para 3) The country team noted that Samoa had signed the CRPD in September 2014, and that the Government was in the process of moving towards ratification ...

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 6) Goshen Trust noted that while the Government has signed the CRPD, it has not yet ratified it ...

National Report:
Para 16) The following important international human rights instruments were ratified within the framework of the Council of Europe in the last five years: … Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (ratified in 2016), …
Para 37) The already mentioned Law no. 57/2016 has introduced, in compliance with the provisions set out in the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention, new crimes relating to violence against women, gender and domestic violence. In particular, the offences of forced marriage, female genital mutilation and forced sterilisation have been introduced. Moreover, Article 235 of the Criminal Code has been amended in relation to family maltreatment, also introducing the offence of domestic violence, and Article 179 bis of the Criminal Code has been supplemented with the prohibition to discriminate based on gender identity.
Para 38) Delegated Decree no. 56 of 17 May 2018 has introduced a series of provisions to provide the Authority for Equal Opportunities with operational tools aimed at coordinating all stakeholders involved in the prevention and protection of victims of violence. In recent years, the Authority has been providing information on and raising awareness of the provisions of the Law and has signed, in collaboration with the Social Security Institute, important agreements with reception facilities outside the territory to ensure effective support for victims of violence.
Para 39) Numerous initiatives aimed at preventing and combating violence against women and gender violence have been organised in collaboration with the Authority and the Department of Human Sciences of the University of San Marino, and in synergy with public and private bodies. Among these, worth mentioning are the following: (a) training courses for police forces, educators and health and social personnel on the correct application of the legislation on violence against women and gender violence; (b) Education to Affectivity Project, developed by the Observatory on Young People (“Osservatorio Giovani”), according to the guidelines of the Council of Europe’s Pestalozzi Project; (c) training theatre workshops linked to the wider project "Theatre and Citizenship", which were developed with a view to prevention, with the aim of hindering the emergence of problematic situations and promoting forms of self-protection of the younger generations by increasing their personal and social resources; (d) multidisciplinary activities for young people developed in collaboration with the Cultural Institutes, which aim to investigate diversity, starting from gender differences, to reflect on the possibility of recognising and enhancing them, to prevent discrimination and violent behaviour; (e) seminars to "recall" the new legislation on the fight against gender violence destined to schools but accessible to all operators involved in the network of services, in collaboration with the San Marino Association of Lawyers and Notaries.
Para 55) In 2016, the Department of Human Sciences of the University of San Marino, in collaboration with the Authority for Equal Opportunities, organised an in-depth seminar aimed at all San Marino teachers of all levels to provide them with adequate training in the prevention and suppression of violence against women and gender violence, as well as violence against children. The aim of the seminar was to provide teachers with up-to-date training in the light of San Marino laws and the Istanbul Convention, and to offer them useful tools for the prevention, identification and reporting of violence. With regard to the prevention and repression of violence against women and gender violence, in addition to school staff, the University of San Marino is called to train categories such as those related to law enforcement, the judiciary, professional associations and health and social services.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 62) CHR of CoE observed that San Marino signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in April 2014, but had not ratified it yet. Para 63) CHR of CoE particularly welcomed the adoption in 2008 of a Law for combatting violence against women and gender-based violence. In addition to thoroughly modifying criminal law provisions (for example by establishing injury, rape or murder committed by a partner or a member of the household as aggravating circumstances and by defining trafficking-related offences, as well as persecutory acts such as stalking or mobbing), the law also introduced several protective measures for the victims.
Para 64) CHR of CoE observed that private carers (badanti) for older persons or persons with disabilities might be in a particularly vulnerable situation. Private carers are mostly women from third countries, who live in the households where they work and who were found to be potentially vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation by the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA). A particular issue concerned the fact that their stay permits are valid for a maximum period of 11 consecutive months per year. The obligation to leave San Marino after the expiry of the 11-month stay permit, even if the person could come back one month later, is seen as putting these women at a disadvantageous and precarious situation.
Para 65) However, CHR of CoE The Commissioner was pleased to note that the authorities acknowledged the need to address some of these issues and that they were examining, for instance, means of facilitating co-operation between services responsible for private carers and services used by the latter, and measures to make it easier for the badanti to turn to trade unions, courts and the Equal Opportunities Commission for protection.
Para 66) CHR of CoE noted that San Marino abolished only relatively recently some dated legal provisions, such as those in the citizenship legislation, removed in 2004, preventing Sammarinese women from transmitting citizenship to their children at birth. Important progress has nevertheless been made in recent decades, including regarding women’s participation in the labour market. As of 2015, women made up around 45% of the workforce, most being employed in the public sector. However, according to official employment statistics, the unemployment rate for women was 11.56% as of May 2015, significantly higher compared to the rate for men (6.43%).
Para 67) OSCE/ODIHR observed that while women were well represented in the election administration, they were underrepresented in elected office. The impact of the gender quota on candidate lists can be limited due to the system of preferential voting.
Para 68) CHR of CoE observed that the representation of women in politics remains very weak, despite some legislative measures to bolster it.

National Report:
Para 20) The problem of delays in the submission of periodic reports by San Marino to the monitoring bodies of the United Nations is now well known and numerous recommendations were made to San Marino for the submission of outstanding national reports.
Para 21) In the period under consideration, San Marino unfortunately managed to present only one national report, i.e. the report under the ICCPR, whose discussion before the Human Rights Committee was held on 19 and 20 October 2015.