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Violence against women 1998, para. 4
- Paragraph text
- Proposes, in order to accelerate the implementation of the strategic objectives of chapter IV.D:
- Body
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Document type
- CSW Agreed Conclusions / Declaration
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Women
- Year
- 1998
Paragraph
Implementation of article 2 by States parties 2008, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- The principle of non-discrimination is a basic and general principle in the protection of human rights and fundamental to the interpretation and application of the Convention. Non-discrimination is included within the definition of torture itself in article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention, which explicitly prohibits specified acts when carried out for "any reason based on discrimination of any kind…". The Committee emphasizes that the discriminatory use of mental or physical violence or abuse is an important factor in determining whether an act constitutes torture.
- Body
- Committee against Torture
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2008
Paragraph
Implementation of article 2 by States parties 2008, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- Articles 3 to 15 of the Convention constitute specific preventive measures that the States parties deemed essential to prevent torture and ill-treatment, particularly in custody or detention. The Committee emphasizes that the obligation to take effective preventive measures transcends the items enumerated specifically in the Convention or the demands of this general comment. For example, it is important that the general population be educated on the history, scope, and necessity of the non-derogable prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, as well as that law enforcement and other personnel receive education on recognizing and preventing torture and ill-treatment. Similarly, in light of its long experience in reviewing and assessing State reports on officially inflicted or sanctioned torture or ill-treatment, the Committee acknowledges the importance of adapting the concept of monitoring conditions to prevent torture and ill-treatment to situations where violence is inflicted privately. States parties should specifically include in their reports to the Committee detailed information on their implementation of preventive measures, disaggregated by relevant status.
- Body
- Committee against Torture
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2008
Paragraph
Embrace diversity and energize humanity 2017, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- At this juncture, the report will now turn to various key underpinnings which interrelate closely with violence and discrimination. Two are singled out for special attention and they are presented below. Other underpinnings will be dealt with, incorporating recent inputs from stakeholders, in future reports of the Independent Expert in 2018.
- Body
- Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Embrace diversity and energize humanity 2017, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- The Independent Expert follows and responds closely to the mandate established by resolution 32/2. The post of the Independent Expert is pro bono. Key elements emanating from the mandate can be summarized under five main areas as follows: implementation of international instruments, with identification of good practices and gaps; awareness of the violence and discrimination issue, and linkage with root causes; engagement, consultation and cooperation with States and other stakeholders; identifying multiple, intersecting and aggravated forms of violence and discrimination; and support for international cooperation and related services to assist national efforts. The Independent Expert offered an analysis of those elements in his first report and in the present report will update them with recent developments.
- Body
- Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- Aside from by a small, though growing, number of civil society organizations, insufficient attention is being paid to research and documentation of cases of attack and discrimination against persons with albinism. This paucity can be attributed in part to the fact that the human rights issues faced by persons with albinism have come to the attention of States and the international community only recently. While the primary duty of documenting crimes and ensuring justice for victims belongs to the State, the indispensable supplementary work of civil society in this regard remains crucial. However, a majority of non-governmental organizations focusing on the issue are relatively new, continue to face resource shortages and are still developing their capacity to carry out research and robustly engage with relevant national, regional and international mechanisms.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Vision for the mandate 2016, para. 45c
- Paragraph text
- [The Independent Expert intends to identify and consolidate the measures to end and prevent attacks to persons with albinism in consultation with States, civil society, international and regional bodies and agencies as well as other stakeholders. The specific measures identified will be based on those already identified, particularly those adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, namely:] Prosecution of perpetrators of attacks against persons with albinism;
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- In addition to the problem of the legal gap, it is particularly difficult to establish that any body parts found are linked to an attack, given that such crimes are often not reported and the limited technical and financial means of law enforcement, particularly in the area of forensics, as well as the time and distance between the place where the alleged attack occurred and the place where the body parts were found. As a result, barring clear evidence that the body part was obtained from an attack or a graveyard robbery, affected States have resorted to laws that address mere illicit possession of body parts that, however, tend to carry penalties perceived to be too weak and fail to encompass the overall context of the crimes.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- The proportion of reported cases that have been prosecuted is small. This is due to the interplay of several factors, including lack of resources and specialization on the part of law enforcement, such as the absence of electronic databases and the need for enhanced forensic capacity. Similarly, where investigation has an international element, such as cross-border trafficking of persons or body parts, complications often arise, highlighting the lack of international law enforcement cooperation. Such factors are detrimental to a coherent judicial response. Police corruption has also been reported as a factor in the unwillingness to prosecute cases.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- The Independent Expert has received reports that demand for body parts for the purpose of muti or juju has led to the existence of a black market, at the national, regional and international levels, for body parts of persons with albinism. While there is often evidence of trafficking and attempted trafficking of body parts, evidence of the market for the parts is more indicative than substantive at present. It is therefore important to conduct further investigative studies and research to map patterns of trafficking of body parts, including on the alleged markets or points of sale, and on the international networks that may be involved.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- In 2008, the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking convened a workshop on human trafficking for the removal of organs and body parts, at which it was stressed that the Protocol does not take trafficking in human organs into full consideration: it addresses trafficking in organs only for the purpose of organ removal. It does not cover the transfer of organs (for profit) alone, a situation that is analogous to the trafficking of body parts of persons with albinism.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- The specificities of attacks against persons with albinism and their relationship to witchcraft have shed light on the inadequacy of domestic laws in some affected States. Criminal law and laws dealing with trafficking in persons often do not take into consideration the practice of trafficking for witchcraft purposes human body parts that are not organs. The key legislative framework, including criminal law, faces several challenges in the prosecution of cases involving the phenomenon of witchcraft, as criminal charges have often been viewed as falling short of capturing the reprehensibility of witchcraft practices and of deterring them. Witchcraft also poses problems for the rules of evidence and fair trial because of the supernatural aspect of the phenomenon. This has often resulted in the use of "the best available" laws, which provide neither adequate criminal charges nor sentences deemed proportionate to crimes of this nature. When charges are deemed weak, sentences are perceived to be lenient, or affordable in the case of fines, and their deterrent capacity is weakened because the perpetrator is still able to foresee an overall gain or profit from his or her crime.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention 2014, para. 1. (3)
- Paragraph text
- 3. The definition of forced or compulsory labour contained in the Convention is reaffirmed, and therefore the measures referred to in this Protocol shall include specific action against trafficking in persons for the purposes of forced or compulsory labour.
- Body
- International Labour Organization
- Document type
- International treaty
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention 2014, para. 2 (a)
- Paragraph text
- [The measures to be taken for the prevention of forced or compulsory labour shall include:] (a) educating and informing people, especially those considered to be particularly vulnerable, in order to prevent their becoming victims of forced or compulsory labour;
- Body
- International Labour Organization
- Document type
- International treaty
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention 2014, para. 2 (b)
- Paragraph text
- [The measures to be taken for the prevention of forced or compulsory labour shall include:] (b) educating and informing employers, in order to prevent their becoming involved in forced or compulsory labour practices;
- Body
- International Labour Organization
- Document type
- International treaty
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Priorities of the new mandate holder 2014, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- The mandate calls for a coherent global response, involving evidence-based analysis, together with technical assistance to Member States which are committed to eradicating the scourge of contemporary slavery from their labour markets. It requires strengthening of the global partnership, involving unions, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, human rights advocates, the private sector, the legal sector and the judiciary, governments and public-sector institutions, United Nations agencies and mechanisms, academic and research institutions, as well as international foundations committed to research and advocacy.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Eradicating contemporary forms of slavery from supply chains 2015, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Given the gravity of slavery and slavery-like practices as gross human rights violations, judicial remedies are a key form of securing accountability for business-related human rights abuses. Access to justice for victims in this context is, however, often constrained by legal rules limiting the liability of a corporation for human rights violations not directly arising from its business operations. This is a problem in global supply chains whereby the business enterprise sourcing the product is not directly implicated in the exploitation that occurs lower down the supply chain, but is complicit as a result of failing to comply with its human rights due diligence obligations. Also, vicarious liability rules prevent corporate liability for management conduct in many instances which arise in the disarticulation in the supply between the global retailer and the many small subcontractors at the lowest tier.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Eradicating contemporary forms of slavery from supply chains 2015, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Despite notable improvements in recent years, gaps in legal and regulatory protection for the human rights of victims of contemporary forms of slavery exist in a number of countries. This has a significant impact on enforcing corporate legal liability. In many cases, States also lack an integrated approach to criminal, labour and human rights laws, which impedes law enforcement and prevents effective investigation and prosecution of abuses. Where the legislative framework does exist, in some instances this is affected by lengthy legal proceedings and corruption, including bribery, which means that access to remedy is slow and victims are reluctant to come forward as a result.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Challenges and lessons in combating contemporary forms of slavery 2013, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- Some countries have taken proactive efforts to form multi-stakeholder initiatives to ensure more effective efforts to combat contemporary forms of slavery. This includes multi-stakeholder committees responsible for combating contemporary forms of slavery, which include members of civil society. These committees are important in holding Governments accountable for enforcing laws on contemporary forms of slavery. In cases in which the Government fails to carry out its commitments, it is necessary for these stakeholders to engage the media, form alliances and mobilize public support in order to exert pressure on the authorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Manifestations and causes of domestic servitude 2010, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- The mechanization of agriculture, rural-urban migration and the development of labour-intensive export industries, coupled with the erosion of workers' rights outside the traditional bonded labour context, have led to the emergence of patterns of "neo-bondage", whereby destitute people commit themselves to working off loans or wage advances obtained from their employer and cannot default on this debt, not least due to a fear of extrajudicial enforcement. In this context, researchers note an increasing feminization of bonded labour and some of the victims end up in bonded domestic servitude.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Debt bondage as a key form of contemporary slavery 2016, para. 44b
- Paragraph text
- [Despite the efforts of various countries to eradicate and prevent debt bondage, there are still challenges in implementing adequate measures in this regard, including:] The lack of implementation or absence of legal measures that could prevent reprisals against victims of debt bondage when the criminal law is being used to punish perpetrators (e.g. a summary procedure in cases of debt bondage), particularly when victims and perpetrators are part of the same community;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Challenges and lessons in combating contemporary forms of slavery 2013, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- There are a number of institutional deficits that may prevent the full enforcement of laws against contemporary forms of slavery. Although countries may have ratified laws and international conventions that explicitly prohibit and sanction such exploitation, many Governments have not taken adequate action to enforce these laws. In some cases, central Governments' failure to recognize the existence of contemporary slavery severely limits their enforcement activities. For example, the Government of the Dominican Republic has not recognized the existence of forced labour in any economic sector in the country, including sugar. For this reason, there are no plans or programmes designed to combat the abuse.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Eradicating contemporary forms of slavery from supply chains 2015, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- Global businesses have the capacity and resources to address, jointly with relevant stakeholders, the root causes of contemporary forms of slavery, particularly structural issues relating to discrimination, poverty and inequality and should use this leverage more prominently. There is also the need for increased dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders working on the issue of contemporary forms of slavery in supply chains, also within the international community, in order to combine their efforts to ensure its eradication, including in relation to the 2016 International Labour Conference general discussion on the issue of decent work in global supply chains.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Eradicating contemporary forms of slavery from supply chains 2015, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- An example of good practice is the multi-stakeholder public-private platform Project Issara initiated by Anti-Slavery International to tackle modern slavery in South-East Asia, with an initial focus on forced labour in the export-oriented industries of Thailand that affect global supply chains. Another well-known example of a multi-stakeholder private-public initiative is the National Pact for the Eradication of Slave Labour in Brazil, which brings companies together to combat slave labour with the assistance of ILO, non-governmental organizations (including Repórter Brasil and Ethos) and support from the Government. Over 400 companies and trade associations had signed the pact as of May 2014, including large companies such as Walmart Brazil, committing not to do business with people and companies involved with slave labour.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Debt bondage as a key form of contemporary slavery 2016, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- Debt bondage is a complex and multidimensional form of contemporary slavery that impacts on individuals across the world. In order to be effective in eradicating and preventing debt bondage, Governments must develop comprehensive and integrated programmes of action based upon international human rights standards, as well as on the views of those affected. Such approaches must be multifaceted and include legislative and policy measures that are effective in eradicating debt bondage and preventing such abuse, by decreasing individual vulnerability and further developing the legal and institutional framework. The vision of the Special Rapporteur for such an integrated, human rights-based approach is outlined below.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Priorities of the new mandate holder 2014, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- Another area of focus for the Special Rapporteur is the role of business, in particular transnational corporations, in promoting and using forced labour in global supply chains. Recent estimates suggest that the total profits obtained from the use of forced labour in the private economy worldwide amount to US$ 150 billion per year. Victims of forced labour exploitation, including in domestic work, agriculture and other economic activities, such as construction, manufacturing, mining or utilities, generate an estimated US$ 51 billion in profits per year.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Child slavery in the artisanal mining and quarrying sector 2011, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- Third, geographical challenges also contribute to the lack of proper enforcement of the law and Government programmes. Mines and quarries are usually found in remote, hard-to-access areas of the country. Those who live in remote areas establish "frontier communities". In some instances, Governments refer to difficulties in accessing these areas owing to internal armed conflict, organized crime or poor transport infrastructure. Remoteness also contributes to lawlessness in these communities, as perpetrators of violence and exploitation know that they are not within the reach of the law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Challenges and lessons in combating contemporary forms of slavery 2013, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- Some countries have developed national strategies or action plans against contemporary forms of slavery. These initiatives can take various forms, including high-level interministerial commissions or new departments within existing government agencies. During her missions, the Special Rapporteur has encouraged countries to develop national action plans that incorporate country-level efforts into wider regional and international initiatives, which should be adapted to each country's context, and incorporate all relevant stakeholders. In-country research in Peru indicates that the Ministry of Labour's new National Plan to Combat Forced Labour for 2013-2017 includes many of these elements, as well as a number of other advances. This new plan includes improved definitions of forced labour; explicit acknowledgement of forced labour in the country; a baseline study to address a lack of statistics; pilot interventions to combat forced labour; and strategic, progressive and measurable goals. In Brazil, the National Commission for the Eradication of Slave Labour was established in 2003 to bring representatives of the legislative, executive and judiciary branches of the Government of Brazil together with representatives of the United Nations and civil society to combat contemporary forms of slavery. This well-funded, permanent Commission, which is responsible for developing national plans to combat slavery and carrying out national awareness-raising campaigns, has been considered a leading example of successful efforts to combat slavery.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Eradicating contemporary forms of slavery from supply chains 2015, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- In the context of transparency, the most often cited legislation is the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010, which came into effect on 1 January 2012. Under the Act, all retailers and manufacturers with annual global revenues of over US$100 million doing business in California, whether or not they have their headquarters there, are required to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their direct supply chains for tangible goods offered for sale. While an important development, the law is judged to be insufficient because it only requires companies to report on what, if anything, they are doing to address contemporary forms of slavery, using five specific categories: verification, auditing, certification, internal accountability and training, and no specific preventive actions need to be taken nor does it call to improve conditions for those vulnerable to abuse in the supply chain.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Challenges and lessons in combating contemporary forms of slavery 2013, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- Consumer countries and countries in which companies are headquartered have also taken action to prevent contemporary forms of slavery. In the United States, the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, which took effect on 1 January 2012, states that human trafficking and forced labour are state, federal and international crimes. The Act requires that all retailers and manufacturers with annual worldwide revenues in excess of USD 100 million disclose information about their efforts to eradicate contemporary forms of slavery from their supply chains so that consumers' purchasing decisions can be better informed. These disclosures must be posted on the companies' websites and include information about efforts to eradicate slavery from their supply chains, including verification, supplier audits, certifications, accountability standards and training. Failure to disclose this information by 30 November 2012 could allow for legal actions brought by the Attorney General of California.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph