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The role of minority rights protection in promoting stability and conflict prevention 2011, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Economic exclusion and denial of access to quality education bring about a sense of despair, destroy hopes of upward mobility and are often a central grievance and a source of tensions. International standards on non-discrimination place an obligation on States to institute affirmative action policies to correct historical patterns of exclusion and enable members of minorities to achieve equality. Many States have recognized the corrosive nature of inequalities and have implemented such measures. Affirmative action programmes can, however, be a point of contention for majority communities, in particular when poorer members of majority communities perceive that they are losing out. It is important that Governments exercise leadership in educating the larger public, demonstrating that such programmes are based on the principles of justice and equal opportunity and result in fairer and more stable society.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- The theme of the third session of the Forum was minorities and effective participation in economic life. Minority women are often excluded from the labour market or are at greater risk of unemployment. Barriers to minority women's access to labour markets include lack of professional education and formal qualifications, limited knowledge of the official language, low awareness of job opportunities, geographical location of jobs distant from their place of residence, lack of public infrastructure for child care, and financial difficulties. Cultural traditions and gendered societal roles may further discourage the involvement of minority women in employment or severely limit their options in this regard.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Minorities in the criminal justice system 2015, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Multiple forms of discrimination which may further curtail access to justice can also arise from within the minority community. Minority women may face multiple stigmas in relation to their ethnic or religious background, their sex, and the nature of the crime of which they were the victim. In India, for instance, Dalit women subjected to violence reportedly face unnecessary delays and pressure to drop charges, which are linked to a combination of their gender and minority status. In some countries of Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia, parental attitudes can limit minority children's access to justice: girls in particular are expected to remain silent about problematic family situations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- The Government of Brazil has established institutional attention to Afro-Brazilians in recognition of discrimination and the disproportionate socioeconomic disadvantage of Afro-descendants, including through its ministry dedicated to promoting policies for racial equality, the Secretaria de Políticas de Promoção da Igualdade Racial (SEPPIR). A statute of racial equality (law 12.288), adopted in 2009, reinforces State obligations to guarantee equal opportunities to Afro-Brazilians. Affirmative action projects combat structural inequalities, in particular in respect of access to education, health and employment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- Customary law used by minorities, as well as laws in general, may disadvantage minority women, and entrenched gender roles may leave them highly vulnerable, particularly with regard to ownership of land or property, inheritance rights and access to credit, technology or markets. Displacement as a result of a wide range of reasons, such as war, men having been forced to flee or killed in a conflict, increased poverty and climate change have had the effect of loss of land and property, as well as putting minority women at risk of, inter alia, kidnapping, sexual exploitation, violence and HIV/AIDS.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Two side-events on issues related to the rights of minority women and girls were organized in the margins of the fourth session of the Forum. The first side event on 29 November, organized by OHCHR, focused on empowering minority women to claim their rights within their communities as well as organizational and institutional bodies and mechanisms that can be effective in empowering and building the capacity of minority women. Panellists included Mercedes Barquet (Mexico), member of the Working Group on Discrimination against Women in Law and in Practice; Atieno Junnipher Kere (Kenya), Women In Fishing Industry Programme; Renu Sijapati (Nepal), Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO); Beata Bislim Olahova (Slovakia), Roma Education Fund; and Leonardo Reales Martinez (Colombia), AFROLATINOS and ECODESARROLLO.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 130
- Paragraph text
- Comprehensive national action plans and budgets to combat discrimination based on caste and analogous systems should be urgently developed and implemented in caste-affected countries. Plans should have clear objectives and measures in a wide range of areas, including poverty reduction strategies, employment, health, housing, education and access to basic services, including water and sanitation. They should include specific attention to the issues of caste-affected women, be developed in coordination with affected groups and local organizations working with them and be provided with sufficient funding. Their progress should be regularly monitored.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Besides its National Human Rights Commission, Nepal also has a National Dalit Commission, which was established in 2002 in recognition of the fact that caste discrimination and untouchability practices continue. It promotes implementation of national and international law and advocated for the Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability Act, adopted in May 2011, which criminalized such discrimination in private and public spheres. Among its activities was the organization of a 100-day campaign against caste discrimination, in collaboration with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, launched in September 2011 by the President and the High Commissioner.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- In South Asia, violence against Dalits is reported to be widespread and driven by the effects of the caste system and the lack of justice for victims. Although official data are scarce, information from some States indicates that the number of reported crimes against Dalits is rising. For instance, data from the National Crime Records Bureau in India reveal that reported crimes against individuals from scheduled castes increased 19 per cent in 2014 from the previous year. In Nepal, Amnesty International reported that in 2014 victims of discrimination on the grounds of caste were subject to torture and other ill treatment, including sexual violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- As part of her ongoing engagement with the treaty bodies in relation to the Forum, the independent expert held her first official dialogue with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women during its forty-fifth session in New York on 5 August 2009. She was invited to discuss the Forum on Minorities and education and its recommendations, as well as preparations for the second annual Forum. The Committee welcomed the opportunity for collaboration and agreed that collaboration would continue and an expert member would attend the second session.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- Targeted affirmative action policies for addressing the economic and social exclusion of minorities, including specific social and economic development plans for marginalized groups and the regions in which they live are required. Where appropriate, dedicated institutional attention should be given to minorities in the States where they live, including through designated ministries, departments or units, focal points, ombudspersons, commissions etc in order for national action plans to be implemented with the necessary attention given to minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- In Nepal, official data indicate that the Dalit population comprises approximately 3.6 million people, although civil society organizations estimate that number at 5 million. In Bangladesh and Pakistan, where most Dalits belong to the Hindu minority, the figures are also contested. In Bangladesh, unofficial data estimate the Dalit population to range between 3.5 and 5.5 million people. In Pakistan, the most recent official data, from 1998, estimate the Dalit population to be 330,000, but researchers calculate that the actual number could be at least two million.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 103
- Paragraph text
- In particular, the international community should continue to support national Governments' humanitarian response capacity, through training, technical assistance, financial commitments, with a view to strengthening national protection and response mechanisms on minorities in situations of crises; addressing the immediate humanitarian and protection needs of affected minorities; and promoting durable solutions for affected minorities. Just as humanitarian agencies have gender focal points and gender policies, it could be useful to establish similar organizational structure and policies for minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Roma women and girls may also be vulnerable to multiple, intersecting forms of discrimination and to violence, including gender-based violence and trafficking. Roma women are also allegedly stereotyped as promiscuous, which exposes them to a heightened risk of exploitation and sexual and gender-based violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 102
- Paragraph text
- Outside South Asia, information on caste-affected women and girls is scarce. In Japan, a survey by the Buraku Liberation League revealed that Buraku women experienced discrimination in a wide range of areas, including marriage, employment and health care, and approximately 30 per cent had suffered from sexual violence. In Mauritania, Haratine women are reported to be at greater risk of violence, in both the public and private spheres, and to suffer from high levels of sexual violence, including rape and marital rape, domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 101
- Paragraph text
- Women from caste-affected communities, particularly in rural areas, are often excluded from political processes and relegated to secondary or subordinate roles in decision-making. It is reported that rural Dalit women holding seats in the local panchayat (town assembly) have been forced to stay at home and be represented by their husbands at meetings. Those who have attempted to speak in the panchayat have been subjected to backlash, and even violence, against members of their caste.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- In 2009, of the world's 101 million children out of school, an estimated 50-70 per cent were from minorities or indigenous peoples. In Central Africa, the great majority of Batwa and Baka have not had access even to primary education. Only 13 per cent of children in sub-Saharan Africa have access to primary education in their mother tongue. In South Asia, Dalit girls are prevented from pursuing their education not only because of poverty, but through discrimination and sexual violence. Literacy levels are commonly much lower among Dalit girls. For example, in the Mushahar Dalit community in India, barely 9 per cent of women are literate. In Latin America, millions of indigenous and African descendant children work in fields, plantations or mines instead of being in school.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Gender
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 97
- Paragraph text
- Institutions or departments working on women's issues should establish specialist units or focal points for minority women and girls so as to ensure adequate attention to their issues and should recruit minority women.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- The issues and concerns of minority women frequently receive a lower priority than the efforts made to ensure minority rights for the group in general. Women belonging to minority groups often struggle within their communities to advocate for their rights, which can be set aside as a result of the prioritization of the general concerns of the group. Barriers to the empowerment of some minority women, including lack of social or economic contact, networks or minority women's support groups, and scarcity of female minority role models have an important impact on the enjoyment by minority women and girls of their human rights. Minority women may hesitate to voice their gender-specific grievances even within their groups, let alone outside them. Minority women's rights could also benefit from increased attention by the broader movement for women's rights. In turn, the women's rights movement would also benefit from the specific experiences of minority women in their overall struggle for equality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- Caste-affected groups tend to be outvoted and unable to secure proportional representation. For instance, in Mauritania, where the Haratine comprise 40 to 60 per cent of the population, according to statistics collected by the Initiative pour la Résurgence du Mouvement Abolitionniste Mauritanie, only 11 of 147 members of Parliament are Haratine. In Yemen, the Muhamasheen have no political representation at the national level.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- Caste-based discrimination confines Dalits in South Asia to certain occupations associated with their caste, which often involve the most menial tasks, such as sanitation jobs. In Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, street cleaning and the handling of human waste and animal carcasses are almost exclusively performed by Dalits.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Water & Sanitation
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- In India, manual scavenging constitutes a caste-designated occupation that is mainly imposed upon Dalits, particularly Dalit women, who represent 95 per cent of manual scavengers. Despite the passing of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act in 2013, the practice reportedly persists, institutionalized through State practice, with local governments and municipalities employing manual scavengers.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- Women in lower castes present the worst health outcomes. For instance, a study in India demonstrated stark disparities between Dalit and non-Dalit women in terms of life expectancy and access to prenatal and postnatal care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- In 2009, a survey by the Ministry of Health in Nepal found that the maternal mortality rates for Dalit women and women from the Therai and Madhesi castes were significantly higher than those for women from higher castes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Caste-affected groups have also been identified in other countries, such as Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali and Sierra Leone.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur notes that, due to the scant or total lack of information received from countries outside Europe, it was difficult for her to provide a balanced assessment of initiatives regarding Roma programmes across the regions. Nevertheless, she attempts to highlight some key examples using the pillar framework.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 104
- Paragraph text
- Governments, the United Nations and its specialized agencies, and other international and regional organizations should mainstream Roma rights into all aspects of their programming and make efforts to include Roma within their staff.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- The International Federation of the Red Cross has also developed a Strategic Framework on Gender and Diversity for 2013-2020 which includes some important points regarding the inclusion of minorities in humanitarian relief work. The Framework specifically notes the importance of diversity, and highlights that through embracing diversity, it is possible to reduce the impact of many other humanitarian problems, including violence, inequitable health care and the negative consequences of disasters.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- Dalit women face obstacles in accessing formal justice systems. These include the refusal by police officers to register criminal complaints or delays in filing complaints, lack of proper investigation into complaints of violence and ill-treatment, and insensitivity by law enforcement officials.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 116
- Paragraph text
- In the United Kingdom, the passing of the 2010 Equality Act brought the caste discrimination issue into the public arena. Since its amendment in 2013, the Act now includes caste as an aspect of race, following advocacy from civil society organizations and the recommendation of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its 2011 review of the State.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph