The Council of Europe has asked Andorra to launch a comprehensive program against racism and LGTBIphobia, as well as allow foreigners residing in the country to vote in local elections. The report of the Commission against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe (ECRI), published this Monday, notes that, despite the “progress achieved” since the previous evaluation in 2016, there remain “some concerns.”
Specifically, it recognizes that since 2017 the mandate of the Andorran Ombudsman (the Raonador del Ciutadà in Catalan) was expanded to include complaints of racial discrimination, but the Commission requests that the means and mandate of that institution be strengthened so that can fulfill all its functions.
It also recognizes that same-sex couples have access to civil marriage from January 2023 and that the public health system charges the health costs of gender affirmation therapies.
However, the report regrets that a psychiatric report is still required to access these therapies and also considers it “problematic” that a mandatory two-year waiting period and a judicial procedure are necessary for the recognition of gender and name change. .
The Commission recommends that Andorra strengthen legislation on gender recognition and a “rapid and transparent” administrative procedure. The report in turn points out that hate speech is not very common in Andorra, although “on several occasions” hate comments have been detected online against migrants, Muslims and LGBTI people.
For this reason, the ECRI calls on Andorra to increase its efforts to combat online hate speech and for racist and anti-LGBTI motivations to be considered in judicial procedures.
“Abusive practices” towards Latino workers
It also emphasizes that Latin American workers in the construction sector have suffered “abusive practices.” Given this, he insists that the authorities provide sufficient resources to the labor inspection to prevent racism and racial discrimination in employment.
The report finally asks Andorra to grant foreigners with legal residence in the country the right to vote and to be elected in local elections, in accordance with the principles of the Council of Europe and as is already done in many other countries on the continent.
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