Czech Gov't reviewing bill to compensate illegally sterilized women

Czech Human Rights Minister Jiří Dienstbier is submitting a bill to the cabinet that legislates an apology, CZK 300 000 (EUR 11 000) in compensation, and coverage of medical treatment for women who have been illegally sterilized. Czech Deputy Human Rights Minister Martina Štěpánková, who informed Czech Television of the legislation today, estimated that several hundred women might get the chance to receive compensation.
Štěpánková acknowledged that the estimated the number of illegally sterilized women ranges from several dozen to several thousand. Illegal sterilizations were first systematically described in 2005 in a report by then-Czech ombud Otakar Motejl.
In 2009 the Government expressed its regret to illegally sterilized women in general and the current cabinet has decided to crown the process by adopting a law to compensate them. Should the law be approved it would take effect as of mid-2016 and women would be able to apply to the Czech Health Ministry with requests for compensation.
The Health Ministry would establish a commission to decide the individual cases. During the legislative commentary process, several ministries raised objections to the bill.
The Czech Agriculture Ministry says the amount of compensation is disproportionately high compared to compensation paid to victims of the communist regime, who received CZK 100 000 (EUR 4 000). The Czech Finance Ministry is concerned that some cases will fail to meet the "burden of proof" and is also refusing to give the Health Ministry more money for the work of the commission.
Some other ministries asked for a more precise estimate of the total costs, which for now are estimated at between CZK 79 million and CZK 2.5 billion (EUR 3 million and EUR 92 million). Štěpánková responded to those commentaries in an interview for Czech Television.
The Deputy Human Rights Minister said the amount of compensation is based on decisions by both the Czech courts and the European Court of Human Rights in such cases. She acknowledged that the "burden of proof" could be a problem because some of the cases happened decades ago.
As far as the budget goes, she explained that it cannot yet be made more precise because the actual number of illegally sterilized women will not be clarified until individual applicants come forward. For the time being only estimates are available.
Don't miss:
- Czech Republic: Victims of illegal sterilizations could receive CZK 300 000 in compensation
- Czech Government should have forced sterilization compensation plan outlined in six months
- Czech Govt tells UN that law to compensate forced sterilization will be ready in one year
- Gwendolyn Albert: Seven UN agencies issue joint statement on stopping forced, coercive, and involuntary sterilization
- Czech Helsinki Committee, Human Rights Minister draft law to compensate forced sterilization victims
- Elena Gorolová: Illegal sterilization
- Romania: Police investigate group offering Romani women money for sterilization
- The sterilization of Roma women: a serious threat to the fundaments of a democratic society
- As many as 1 000 women could be compensated for wrongful sterilizations in Czech Republic
- Leading international ob-gyn organization issues new ethical guidelines on sterilization
- Roma activists discuss Czech Police, forced sterilization with US Embassy representatives
- Roma women harmed by forced sterilization in Czech Republic welcome Council of Europe approach to the issue
- CEDAW: Czechs must report progress on forced sterilizations in two years
Related articles:
- Czech MPs support bill to compensate illegally sterilized women
- Czech Constitutional Court agrees with politician who sued over nickname ridiculing him in the press
- Czech Government Commissioner for Human Rights files report of crime over media coverage of her past
- Czech Government adopts neutral position on bill to compensate women who were illegally sterilized
- Czech MPs draft bill to compensate women who have been forcibly sterilized
- Slovak Fascists want to change laws about online media to prevent libel
- Czech Republic's governing party tries to spin real estate market fluctuation as proof of its "success" at tackling ghettoes
- Indebted minors could enjoy easier conditions for relief if Czech amendment passes
- Czech court sentences Romani man to six months in prison for hate speech against the Czech President and others
- Czech Constitutional Court says father's anonymous, racist e-mail about a non-white doll at nursery school was blackmail
- Czech Constitutional Court upholds requirement for supermarket chains to donate to food banks
- Czech Education Minister disagrees with free lunches for all primary schoolchildren
Tags:
Jiří Dienstbier, sterilizace, Verdikt, zákon, Romské ženyHEADLINE NEWS
