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Children deprived of their liberty from the perspective of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 2015, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- In addition, many child migrants suffer appalling and inhuman conditions while detained including overcrowding, inappropriate food, insufficient access to drinking water, unsanitary conditions, lack of adequate medical attention, and irregular access to washing and sanitary facilities and to hygiene products, lack of appropriate accommodation and other basic necessities. In some cases, detention centres refuse to keep migrant children with their families also being detained, and have denied migrant children's right to communicate with their families. Such practices effectively isolate child detainees from social support groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Movement
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Common violations of the human rights to water and sanitation 2014, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Violations also result from decisions to deprive stigmatized groups, such as homeless people, undocumented migrants, occupiers of informal settlements or prisoners, of water and sanitation as a form of punishment for unlawful or undesired activity. The Special Rapporteur on torture has documented that detainees have been forced to rely on water to drink delivered by their families, or on water from toilets. The Special Rapporteur on water and sanitation has also voiced concerns that limiting access to water and sanitation may be used as a, sometimes excessive, form of punishment for prisoners. In cases of secret detention, Special Rapporteurs and the Council of Europe have expressed concern about detainees being forced to wear diapers, which is "offensive to the notions of dignity".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Detention of migrants in an irregular situation 2012, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- Information gathered by the Special Rapporteur indicates that migrants are sometimes detained in unacceptable substandard conditions in overcrowded facilities with poor hygiene, limited or no sanitation and infrequent meals. The Special Rapporteur has also been made aware that mental and physical health of migrant detainees is often neglected. Doctors and nurses are not always available and may not have the authority to properly treat their patients, inter alia when they need hospitalization. Furthermore, reproductive health care for women, especially pregnant women, is not available in all places of detention.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Detention of migrants in an irregular situation 2012, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Substandard detention conditions may potentially amount to inhuman or degrading treatment, and may increase the risk of further violations of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health, food, drinking water and sanitation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Food & Nutrition
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- In Rakhine State in Myanmar, conflict between the Rakhine Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya communities erupted in 2012 and resulted in the killing of hundreds, the destruction of homes and property and the internal displacement of over 130,000 people, mostly minority Muslims. Tens of thousands of displaced people, and many thousands of others in villages affected by the conflict and insecurity, now have no access to livelihood activities or income, are dependent on humanitarian assistance for food, shelter, health care, education and water and sanitation. The conflict has had a catastrophic impact on their rights, access to essential services and development, forcing many into a condition of extreme poverty and insecurity. The Government of Myanmar does not recognize the Rohingya as citizens with implications for their enjoyment of all their human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Gender perspectives on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment 2016, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Of particular concern are a lack of specialist care, including access to gynaecologists and obstetric health-care professionals; discriminatory access to services like harm-reduction programmes; lack of private spaces for medical examinations and confidentiality; poor treatment by prison health staff; failures in diagnosis, medical neglect and denial of medicines, including for chronic and degenerative illnesses; and reportedly higher rates of transmission of diseases such as HIV among female detainees. The absence of gender-specific health care in detention can amount to ill-treatment or, when imposed intentionally and for a prohibited purpose, to torture. States' failure to ensure adequate hygiene and sanitation and to provide appropriate facilities and materials can also amount to ill-treatment or even torture. It is essential to engage in capacity-building and adequate training for detention centre staff and health-care personnel with a view to identifying and addressing women's specific health-care and hygiene needs.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Human rights of internally displaced persons in the context of the Post-2015 development agenda 2015, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- During his visit to Azerbaijan in May 2014, the Special Rapporteur highlighted the difficulties IDPs encountered in accessing health services due to limited availability and supplies in IDP communities. Limited access to reproductive health services was also raised. During his visit to Ukraine in September 2014, the Special Rapporteur learned that IDPs lacked access to essential medicines, which were not available free of charge. Those IDPs requiring urgent medical care or maternal health care and those with chronic health conditions are particularly vulnerable. Congested or cramped living conditions, poor hygiene and sanitation breed and spread diseases. The psychological impact of displacement and proximity to conflict often requires specialist care, rarely available to IDPs.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Human rights of internally displaced persons in the context of the Post-2015 development agenda 2015, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- Secure access to safe water and sanitation can be a matter of life or death for IDPs. While national and international actors have achieved much in terms of emergency humanitarian provision of water, sanitation and hygiene for all, barriers to the provision of safe water and sanitation continue to create and exacerbate disease, illness and death among IDPs. Once humanitarian actors leave or step down their activities following conflict or disaster, the degradation of emergency water and sanitation systems remains a significant challenge for many IDPs.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Human rights of internally displaced persons in the context of the Post-2015 development agenda 2015, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- Humanitarian programmes have achieved essential results. In the Darfur region of the Sudan displacement has affected an estimated 2.7 million Darfurians since 2013. A 647 million euro project from April 2012 provided IDPs in targeted camps with 15 litres of safe water per day; established water collection points within safe walking distance; ensured access to adequate sanitation facilities and latrines; and ensured that targeted communities had knowledge of waterborne diseases and their prevention. Some 182,890 people were beneficiaries of the 12-month programme. While such results are impressive, the challenge remains to ensure sustainability and to transition from humanitarian responses to durable, development-led solutions as early as possible.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Migrants in detention are sometimes confined in overcrowded locations without adequate health care, food, sanitation or safe drinking water. Some are also subjected to prolonged or indefinite administrative detention, in conditions which have been denounced by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Integrating non-discrimination and equality into the post-2015 development agenda for water, sanitation and hygiene 2012, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- Human rights law requires that effective measures be taken to end discriminatory impacts based on sex/gender, disability, age and health status in all fields. States are obliged to take measures to enhance equality in all places where its impacts are felt, both public and private spheres. While human rights law does not require governments to directly provide water or to build sanitation facilities wherever they are lacking, it does oblige governments to take steps to ensure that everyone can access these rights without discrimination. It also requires States to provide basic services where individuals cannot access what they need, such as in displacement camps. In government-run institutions, such as primary schools, hospitals or places of detention, the direct provision of services will usually be required.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Integrating non-discrimination and equality into the post-2015 development agenda for water, sanitation and hygiene 2012, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- While household surveys do not capture information on settings beyond the household, other data sources include this type of information. Information about water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools and health-care facilities appears to be the most widely available, and an emphasis on improving monitoring in such settings is closely tied to the human rights obligations that States have concerning education and health. Data concerning water, sanitation and hygiene access in workplaces should be sought and used whenever possible. Finally, water, sanitation and hygiene data should also be gathered from prisons and other detention centres, since detainees often suffer deprivations of water and sanitation, even resulting in inhuman or degrading treatment. Although such data are not reliably captured around the world, global monitoring bodies should actively seek this information, since State obligations to both provide and monitor such access are at their apex in contexts where they are depriving individuals of their liberty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Labour exploitation of migrants 2014, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- Many migrants live in housing which lacks basic infrastructure and services including sanitation, electricity, potable water and adequate health-care services. The Special Rapporteur has seen shocking living conditions of migrant workers he encountered. The migrants, some with irregular migration status, lived in abhorrent conditions, in overcrowded houses, without proper sanitation. The Special Rapporteur learned that the wages received were often not sufficient to maintain an adequate standard of living. Some migrants are promised housing by their employers, but find out upon arrival that no housing accommodation has been made available.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Looking forward: addressing new challenges and consolidating gains 2011, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- Assistance to displacement-affected communities may however, require a different approach to humanitarian assistance, so that the concept of assistance extends to include early recovery and development interventions, such as those related to the rehabilitation of key infrastructure necessary for basic services, such as water, sanitation, health and education. In the same vein, communities of return, resettlement or local integration will often require similar assistance in addition to efforts related to livelihoods and reconciliation measures. Situations characterized by mass destruction and displacement either due to conflict or natural disasters, such as the case of Haiti, are examples of the need to think beyond camps and to support all displacement-affected communities; a strategy which will also avoid situations of protracted displacement where IDP residents are unable to leave for lack of alternatives, and where impoverished neighbours sometimes join the camp in order to have access to the basic services that it provides.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Migration and the right to adequate housing 2010, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Newly developed building programmes in Serbia also led to the forced eviction of hundreds of Roma. In 2009 more than 100 Roma families living under the Gazela Bridge in Belgrade (many of whom were migrants from Kosovo and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as well as from southern Serbia) were evicted and accommodated in metal containers on the outskirts of the city or in remote areas in the southern part of the country. The containers were overcrowded and cold and lacked proper access to water and sanitation. The evictions were part of a project for reconstructing and rehabilitating the Bridge, financed by the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, on the condition that the affected people would be supplied with alternative housing and that international safeguards would be respected (A/HRC/13/20/Add.1, para. 75).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- Reports indicate that discriminatory practices against Dalits in humanitarian response include priority given to dominant castes in rescue operations; denial of or unequal access to relief camps, food, water, health services, shelter, housing and education; segregation in camp facilities; prohibition of use of the common sanitation facilities; segregation in commensal groups; lack of compensation or restitution of assets due to lack of documentation to claim entitlements related to land and property; and lack of participation of affected communities in decision-making regarding reconstruction.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
New York Declaration For Refugees and Migrants 2016, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- We are committed to providing humanitarian assistance to refugees so as to ensure essential support in key life-saving sectors, such as health care, shelter, food, water and sanitation. We commit to supporting host countries and communities in this regard, including by using locally available knowledge and capacities. We will support community-based development programmes that benefit both refugees and host communities.
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Declaration / Confererence outcome document
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Occupational health 2012, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- The right to a healthy workplace environment is an integral component of the right to health. It requires States to improve all aspects of environmental and industrial hygiene, including housing, sanitation, nutrition and access to safe water. For example, there are significant concerns regarding environmental and industrial hygiene in agricultural work. These concerns are exacerbated by fact that many agricultural workers, particularly migrant workers who are involved in agricultural work in large numbers, are socially and economically disadvantaged and often lack adequate resources to protect their own health. The improvement of environmental and industrial hygiene is therefore critical to achieving the full realization of the right to occupational health, especially for agricultural workers. In many instances, the work environment is indistinguishable from the home environment. As a result, many agricultural workers reside in crowded and substandard accommodation with poor sanitation and inadequate access to safe and potable water. Many of them are also exposed to environmental hazards such as pesticides or other pollutants because of the proximity or overlap of their homes to their worksites. These conditions significantly contribute to the increased rates of infectious diseases seen amongst these workers. The right to health requires that States give particular attention to the needs of vulnerable and marginalized groups in the formulation and implementation of occupational health laws and policies. This includes an obligation to monitor and evaluate occupational health risks and diseases affecting vulnerable groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Outcomes and commitments on internal displacement of the World Humanitarian Summit 2016, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- There remains a vital need to increase direct, timely and predictable humanitarian financing across protection and related humanitarian sectors, including food, health, basic needs, water and sanitation. Funding must also be enhanced for neglected sectors, including livelihoods, social cohesion and early recovery. In the Syrian Arab Republic and Iraq significant funding shortfalls have reduced the ability of the United Nations to provide essential assistance, leaving internally displaced persons and others in dire need. As at 6 December, the 2015 Syrian Arab Republic humanitarian response plan had received only $1.17 billion (41 per cent) of overall funding requirements. The United Nations has raised its 2016 global humanitarian funding appeal to a record $21.6 billion from $19.7 billion. By the end of June, the 2016 appeal had so far received only a quarter of the total amount requested.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Penalization of people living in poverty 2011, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- Detention and incarceration can also have serious health implications for the poorest and most vulnerable, who are likely to be subject to the worst treatment and conditions, including overcrowded cells, inadequate hygiene facilities, rampant disease transmission and inadequate health care. In some cases, overcrowding in prisons can have such a severe effect on detainees that the conditions may even amount to a form of cruel and inhuman treatment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Planning for the realization of the rights to water and sanitation 2011, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- The overall targets on increasing access to water and sanitation must therefore be complemented by targets to reduce inequalities. As a first step, this requires States to identify vulnerable and marginalized populations, patterns of discrimination, and their underlying structural causes. In terms of access to water and sanitation, groups and individuals who have been identified as potentially vulnerable or marginalized include, inter alia, women, children, inhabitants of rural and deprived urban areas and others living in poverty, nomadic and traveller communities, refugees, migrants, people belonging to ethnic or racial minorities, elderly people, indigenous groups, persons living with disabilities, people living in water-scarce regions and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Recruitment practices and the human rights of migrants 2015, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- The precariousness of the situation of migrant workers can additionally lead to abuses of their economic, social and cultural rights. Housing can often lead to various human rights issues. In cases where employers offer housing, this can be used as an opportunity for further exploitation, as migrants are easier to control than local labour. In other cases, exploitative employers in countries of destination provide housing but this can be used to further control and exploit migrants, as it makes them readily available to perform work. In other cases, migrants can be left to finance their living and food costs independently. The need to minimize costs can lead migrants to live in extremely poor housing conditions, with many living in accommodation lacking basic infrastructure and services, including sanitation, electricity and potable water. Recruiters and subagents can also play a role in arranging and charging for housing, which can further increase their control over and exploitation of migrants. Access to other forms of social protection can also be problematic for migrants. Some migrants have access to healthcare provided through their employment, but this is highly variable, leaving many highly vulnerable if they experience problems with their health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Responsibilities of local and other subnational governments in relation to the right to adequate housing 2015, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Local governments, on the other hand, tend to be assigned responsibilities for provision and management of services such as water, sanitation, electricity and other infrastructure; land-use planning, zoning and development, which relates to decisions regarding evictions, displacement and relocation; implementing programmes to upgrade informal settlements and inadequate housing; enforcing health, safety, environmental and building standards; providing local emergency shelter; putting in place or implementing disaster risk reduction and response policies; and regulating the use of public space. Even if programmes are designed and fully or partially funded by central governments, it is often local authorities that decide where housing will be built or upgraded, and determine who will be allocated housing units or receive social benefits or housing subsidy based on prescribed criteria.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Humanitarian
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Responsibilities of local and other subnational governments in relation to the right to adequate housing 2015, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- The former Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, in her report on the official visit to Mongolia (A/HRC/23/36/Add.2, para. 97 (aa)), recommended that local authorities should be allocated adequate resources to enable them to provide basic services to internal migrants from rural areas to informal settlements in cities. Similarly, the former Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, in her report on the official mission to Japan (A/HRC/18/33/Add.3, para. 69 (d)), recommended the adoption of a comprehensive law on water and sanitation delineating the responsibilities of the national and municipal levels, including provisions on quality standards, maximum tariff limits and the establishment of regulatory and complaint mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Responsibilities of local and other subnational governments in relation to the right to adequate housing 2015, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- The mandate on adequate housing regularly receives allegations that identify local, municipal and other subnational authorities as pertinent to the claims made by individuals and communities. Those submissions raise concerns of imminent threats, including alleged forced evictions, forced displacement or development-basis eviction without application of existing international standards; restrictions and other discriminatory practices on access to housing by specific populations groups, including refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, and ethnic, religious or other minorities; and changes in housing subsidies and welfare programmes directly impacting on people living in poverty, the unemployed, persons with disabilities or women. Complaints also refer to the lack of affordable housing, substandard housing, fuel poverty, and denial of or inadequate services, including water, sanitation and electricity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Rights of rural women 2016, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- For example, many migrant women workers in developed countries are employed in agriculture and often face serious violations of their human rights, including violence, exploitation and denial of access to services, including health care. In addition, the move to industrial farming in many developed countries has tended to marginalize small farmers, having a disproportionate impact on rural women. There is therefore a need to facilitate and support alternative and gender responsive agricultural development programmes that enable small-scale women producers to participate in and benefit from agriculture and rural development. In addition, while rural communities in developed countries may often be well connected to social services and have access to transportation infrastructure, water, sanitation, technology, education and health-care systems, among others, the situation is not equal across all rural communities. In many places, such access is noticeably lacking, and women living within those rural communities experience not only the deprivation of such rights but also an increased burden of care work as a result. This holds particularly true in peripheral or remote rural communities, including indigenous ones, which are isolated and tend to have higher levels of poverty.
- Body
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Stigma and the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation 2012, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- The silencing effect of stigma is pronounced in relation to prisoners, who are often forgotten and neglected. Prison conditions, including concerning water and sanitation, are notoriously substandard in many parts of the world. The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has noted that in many countries "authorities simply do not regard it as their responsibility to provide detainees with the most basic services necessary for survival, let alone for a dignified existence or ... an 'adequate standard of living' " (A/64/215 and Corr.1, para. 43). In one country he found that "it is the task of [the detainees'] families to bring them water in plastic bottles and food in plastic bags. Since there are no toilets, they must use the same bottles to urinate and the plastic bags to defecate" (ibid.). In another country he was confronted with "detainees [using] the water in the toilets for drinking" (ibid., para. 44). There is often a perception that prisoners "deserve" inadequate services and that scarce resources should not be used to improve prison conditions. The stigmatization of prisoners results in low priority given to their needs and a failure to meet basic human rights standards.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Stigma and the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation 2012, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- All over the world, toilets are associated with dirt, disease and disgust, and an occupation in this field correlates with lower social status. Sanitation workers are often insulted and attacked when carrying out their work and in some places are forced to work at night to conceal the nature of their tasks. Although sanitation workers in developed countries do not perform unhygienic work to the same extent, benefiting from protective gear and advanced sanitation systems, they also often face disrespect and rejection. Undocumented migrant workers often carry out jobs that no one else wants to do, such as sanitation work, and may lack the protections that apply to the working conditions of the formal work force.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Stigma and the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation 2012, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- For example, some Slovenian municipalities have taken measures in response to the lack of access to water and sanitation in many Roma communities. Previously, either ownership or authorized occupation of a home was required to receive municipal services, thus the unauthorized status of a settlement was a barrier to services. The municipalities of Prekmurje region have waived these strict regulations, which has resulted in all but 3 of the 38 Roma settlements gaining access to services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- Outside Europe, research indicates that Roma face similar challenges. Living conditions in the Roma villages in central and southern Iraq are reportedly among the most deplorable in the country. Many Roma live in windowless mud houses without electricity, clean water, health care or adequate food, and are cut off from social security services. In Brazil, many Roma settlements reportedly have no electricity and lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation, despite the fact that some families have been living there for over 20 years.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph