Universal Periodic Review Working Group – 40th Session

Universal Periodic Review of Lithuania

Statement by Australia

26 January 2022

Thank you [President/Vice-President],

Australia commends Lithuania’s ongoing efforts to protect human rights, particularly improvements made to conditions in prisons and detention centres, and ongoing actions to implement previous Universal Periodic Review recommendations.

Australia welcomes Lithuania’s progress in continuing to address violence and discrimination against women and girls, as well as LGBTI persons through better education programs.

Australia recommends that Lithuania:

1. Strengthen efforts to ensure the protection of all persons against sexual violence, regardless of age or gender, through possible legislative reform and establishing effective and safe avenues for reporting abuse.
2. Enact legislation to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation by ensuring equality for diverse families and same-sex couples, including recognition of foreign same-sex unions.

[116 words]