A/HRC/38/6 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-ninth session from 15 to 26 January 2018. The review of Romania was held at the 3rd meeting, on 16 January 2018. The delegation of Romania was headed by the Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alexandru Victor Micula. At its 10th meeting, held on 19 January 2018, the Working Group adopted the report on Romania. 2. On 10 January 2018, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Romania: Iraq, Nigeria and Ukraine. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Romania: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/29/ROU/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/29/ROU/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/29/ROU/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, Brazil, Czechia, Germany, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America was transmitted to Romania through the troika. These questions are available on the website of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation stated that Romania had held presidential, parliamentary and local, as well as European Parliament elections, since its second universal period review in 2013. During the reporting period, the Government had taken several measures to improve its institutional and legislative framework relating to the protection of human rights. 6. The national report was structured in line with the recommendations from the second review, a large number of which concerned protection from discrimination, particularly against the Roma. The national report highlighted the importance that the authorities attached to that subject and provided information on several achievements in that regard. It outlined the main measures that had been taken to end segregation in education, integrate Roma culture into the school curricula, and improve the access of the Roma to the labour market and the health-care system. The strategy for the inclusion of Romanian citizens belonging to the Roma minority 2015–2020 took into account recommendations from the European Union. 7. Furthermore, Romania had continued to invest in social housing programmes for Roma communities. The eviction of tenants and the demolition of buildings constructed without authorization on State land had been carried out in accordance with the national legislation, providing a judicial review and legal guarantees against forced evictions. The Government had also taken several special measures to address barriers that the Roma had been facing in the area of housing. 8. Romania had continued to pursue a policy aimed at preventing and sanctioning all forms of discrimination. The Government had developed and adopted the “Equality, Inclusion, Diversity” Strategy 2016–2020, based on the recommendations of the Council of Europe and the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. It built on the 2