UN tells Mexico to stop forced sterilizations

From news reports:

GENEVA (AFP) - A UN anti-discrimination committee strongly urged Mexico to stop forced sterilizations of indigenous people and comply with an international convention.

The Committee against Racial Discrimination, comprised of 18 independent experts, told Mexico to "adopt all the necessary measures to put an end to this practice, to investigate it impartially, (and) to try and punish the perpetrators."

The Mexican government admitted to the committee that forced sterilizations continue in some poor states, but denied being involved and said it was trying to put a stop to the practice.

The committee also made recommendations to improve the rights of the country's some 12 million indigenous people, representing around one tenth of the total population, and to eradicate discrimination against them in the media.