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Mandate of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- Welcoming also in this regard the ongoing work to address witchcraft-related harmful practices as one of the root causes of human rights violations and abuses perpetuated against persons with albinism, and to engage with stakeholders and carry out analytical studies in order to enable States to take effective action,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2018
Paragraph
Mandate of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- Welcoming also the recent work of the Independent Expert in preparing analytical studies and holding discussions on harmful practices relating to witchcraft as a particular risk to persons with albinism in some countries and as one of the root causes of attacks perpetrated against them,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2018
Paragraph
Mandate of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- 2. Takes note with appreciation of the thematic report of the Independent Expert,1 which deals, in particular, with attacks and human rights violations in countries where certain harmful practices, including witchcraft-related practices, have served as one of the root causes of attacks, and in this regard welcomes the Regional Action Plan on Albinism in Africa (2017-2021) to end attacks in Africa;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2018
Paragraph
Rights of the child: protection of the rights of the child in humanitarian situations, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- 26(d) Mainstream prevention of and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, child, early and forced marriage, female genital mutilation and violence against children, including sexual and gender-based violence, into emergency and humanitarian responses, and address the underlying factors that make children, especially girls, particularly vulnerable to these practices;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2018
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- Attacks against persons with albinism for the purpose of obtaining and using body parts in muti or juju as well as accusations of witchcraft match these criteria for harmful practices. In the publication on harmful practices issued by her Office, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, quoting the UNICEF study, reported that "discrimination, violence and harmful practices against children with albinism have reached alarming proportions". She added that there were no cultural or religions justifications for such practices.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- That being said, given the extent of witchcraft practices and the diversity of victims of related harmful practices, including persons with albinism, a transversal approach is timely. This could be in the form of a guiding document that takes into account the several recommendations made to date, including by the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Constitutional Law Reform Commission of Papua New Guinea and the preliminary conclusions of the Independent Expert.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- International commercial surrogacy is a growing phenomenon quickly overtaking the number of intercountry adoptions. The international regulatory vacuum that persists in relation to international commercial surrogacy arrangements leaves children born through this method vulnerable to breaches of their rights, and the practice often amounts to the sale of children and may lead to illegal adoption. Indeed, several countries do not recognize such arrangements and, in order to establish a parent-child relationship, national laws often require parents to legally adopt the child born through international commercial surrogacy. However, if the international commercial surrogacy arrangement is found to amount to the sale of a child, the adoption too will consequently be illegal under international standards. Such a situation underscores the need for States to ensure that they are not inadvertently legitimizing the sale of children born through international commercial surrogacy by granting adoption orders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Harmful Practices
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- Encourages States to promote open dialogue with all parties concerned, including religious and community leaders, women, girls, men and boys, parents, legal guardians, and other family members, as well as humanitarian and development actors in order to address the concerns and specific needs of those at risk of child, early and forced marriage within humanitarian settings, and to address social norms, gender stereotypes and harmful practices that contribute to the acceptance and continuation of the practice of child, early and forced marriage, including by raising awareness of its harm to the victims and the cost to society at large;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Humanitarian
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- Encourages relevant existing mechanisms of the Human Rights Council to give due consideration to the issue of child, early and forced marriage, including in humanitarian settings, during the exercise of their mandates;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to create a web portal to bring together and collate information relating to child, early and forced marriage, including in humanitarian settings;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Noting with concern that the incidence and risk of child, early and forced marriage is highly exacerbated in humanitarian settings by various factors, including insecurity, gender inequality, increased risks of sexual and gender-based violence, breakdown of the rule of law and State authority, the misconception of providing protection through marriage, the use of forced marriage as a tactic in conflict, lack of access to education, the stigma of pregnancy outside marriage, absence of family planning services, disruptions in social networks and routines, increased poverty and the absence of livelihood opportunities,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Harmful Practices
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- The forced sterilization of girls and young women with disabilities represents a widespread human rights violation across the globe. Girls and young women with disabilities are disproportionately subjected to forced and involuntary sterilization for different reasons, including eugenics, menstrual management and pregnancy prevention. Women with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, as well as those placed in institutions, are particularly vulnerable to forced sterilization. Despite the limited data on current practices, studies show that the sterilization of women and girls with disabilities continues to be prevalent, and up to three times higher than the rate for the general population.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Girls and young women with disabilities are disproportionately affected by different forms of gender-based violence, including physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse; bullying; coercion; arbitrary deprivation of liberty; institutionalization; female infanticide; trafficking; neglect; domestic violence; and harmful practices such as child and forced marriage, female genital mutilation, forced sterilization and invasive and irreversible involuntary treatments (see A/HRC/20/5, paras. 12-27). Many of those forms of violence are a consequence of the intersection between disability and gender, and might happen while a girl or young woman with disabilities performs daily hygiene, receives treatment or is overmedicated. Gender-based violence occurs at home, in institutions, in schools, in health centres and in other public and private facilities, and perpetrators are frequently relatives, caregivers and professionals on whom the girl or young woman may depend.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The girl child 2017, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Urges all States to enact, uphold and strictly enforce laws and policies aimed at preventing and ending child, early and forced marriage and protecting those at risk and to ensure that marriage is entered into only with the informed, free and full consent of the intending spouses, to enact and strictly enforce laws concerning the minimum legal age of consent and the minimum age for marriage, to raise the minimum age for marriage, engage all relevant stakeholders, including girls, where necessary, and ensure that these laws are well known, to further develop and implement holistic, comprehensive and coordinated policies, plans of action and programmes and to support already married girls and adolescents and ensure the provision of viable alternatives and institutional support, especially educational opportunities for girls, to ensure the survival, protection, development and advancement of the girl child in order to promote and protect the full enjoyment of her human rights and to ensure equal opportunities for girls, including by making such plans an integral part of her total development process;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Women in development 2017, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Stresses the need to take action to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls, including in the world of work, through the strengthening of institutional mechanisms and legal frameworks, given that violence and discrimination, including multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, against women and girls in private and public spaces are a major impediment to the achievement of the empowerment of women and girls and their social and economic development that no country has managed to eliminate, and encourages the adoption of specific preventive measures to protect women and girls, youth and children from violence, abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, exploitation, harassment, trafficking in persons and harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation, taking into account the need to address negative social norms, structural barriers and gender stereotypes that affect women in the world of work and to develop measures to promote the re-entry of victims and survivors of violence into the labour market;
- Body
- United Nations General Assembly
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- From the sociological and anthropological perspectives, the following definition for witchcraft has been proposed by Marc Augé: witchcraft is "a set of beliefs, structured and shared by a given population that addresses the origin of misfortune, illness and death, and the set of practices for detection, treatment and punishment that corresponds to these beliefs". Often, the diagnostic aspect of witchcraft often pinpoints an individual person as the source of the misfortune within the family, place of employment or community.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- UNICEF extends this definition by adding that "witchcraft is a theory that explains and justifies a conception of the universe". With both conceptualizations, witchcraft could also be described as a religion or belief. In various countries affected by attacks against persons with albinism, witchcraft beliefs and practices are widespread. Adherents are found across various strata of society, transcending socioeconomic class, the urban-rural divide and levels of education.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- Countries with records of attacks against persons with albinism, including both countries visited this year by the Independent Expert, demonstrated the challenge of the ambiguity between the two practices. This problem has already been identified by the Independent Expert as a root cause of attacks. The issue is further complicated by the lack of effective oversight over the practice of traditional healers, the secrecy that often surrounds witchcraft practice and the absence of a clear national policy position on the issue.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- The fact that intercountry adoptions are mediated by private agencies means that they too can enable illegal practices. This is particularly true in respect of private agencies that are not authorized to work as adoption accredited bodies. Such agencies usually finance their operations by charging fees to prospective adoptive parents. As those fees will not be forthcoming unless the agency secures children for adoption, some agencies employ methods or accept conditions that encourage the commission of illegal acts and illicit practices. In some instances, the demand for adoptable children creates an unhealthy competition among agencies. Adoption agencies often claim that they lack knowledge of illicit practices or that they lack control over intermediaries in countries of origin. However, the financial gain behind the illicit practices, which is often linked to money-laundering, often puts such claims into question.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Harmful Practices
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 2
- Paragraph text
- Calls upon States, with the participation of relevant stakeholders, including girls, women, religious and community leaders, civil society and human rights groups, humanitarian actors, men and boys, and youth organizations, to develop and implement holistic, comprehensive and coordinated responses, strategies and policies to prevent, respond to and eliminate child, early and forced marriage, including in humanitarian settings, and to support already married girls, adolescents and women, including through the strengthening of child protection systems, protection mechanisms, such as safe shelters, access to justice and legal remedies, and the sharing of best practices across borders, in full compliance with international human rights obligations and commitments;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- There has been progress on these issues in Malawi, including the adoption in 2015 of the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act, which increased the minimum age of marriage to 18 years; the Government's commitment, in November 2016, to align the Constitution with that legislation and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; and the crucial role played by traditional leaders in mobilizing their communities to prevent the early and forced marriage of girls and to ensure their return to school to pursue their education.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Harmful Practices
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing that child, early and forced marriage constitutes a serious threat to the full realization of the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health of women and girls, including but not limited to their sexual and reproductive health, significantly increasing the risk of early, frequent and unwanted pregnancy, maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, obstetric fistula and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, as well as increasing vulnerability to all forms of violence,
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Study on illegal adoptions 2017, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- In all cases of systemic illegal adoptions, States must ensure redress for victims through remedies that include reparation for victims and support to adoptees in their search for their origins. The experiences of adoptees trying to establish the truth behind their "abandonment" and illegal adoption are telling, as are the obstacles they encounter and the good practices of competent authorities. Gradually, efforts are being made to facilitate the search process. For example, an adoption manual has been developed by the adoption service and the Ministry of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea, containing information on the steps to be taken searching one's birth family. The search for truth and origins is one of the main issues addressed by associations of intercountry adoptees. Such initiatives are still rare, however.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Harmful Practices
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
The right to mental health 2017, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Special attention should be paid to women, who suffer disproportionately from mental health practices that are based on paternalistic and patriarchal traditions, inappropriate and harmful gender stereotypes, medicalization of women’s feelings and behaviour, and coercion. Women who have suffered from violence and inequalities within their families, communities and societies, and who have mental health conditions very often face situations in mental health settings that amount to violence, coercion, humiliation and disrespect for their dignity. It is unacceptable that after suffering from violations in family and other settings, women suffer from violations again within services that are supposed to promote their mental health. In that regard, it is very important to emphasize that violations of sexual and reproductive health rights have a direct, negative impact on the mental health of women.
- 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)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian settings 2017, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- Urges States to enact, enforce, harmonize and uphold laws and policies aimed at preventing, responding to and eliminating child, early and forced marriage, protecting those at risk, including in humanitarian settings, and supporting already married women and girls, and to ensure that marriage is entered into only with the informed, free and full consent of the intending spouses and that women have equality with men in all matters pertaining to marriage, divorce, child custody and the economic consequences of marriage and its dissolution;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- In October 2016, in Malawi, the Special Representative promoted the further implementation of the policy agenda launched during her previous visit undertaken in response to the findings of the 2015 violence against children survey. During the follow-up visit, she paid special attention to the prevention and abandonment of harmful practices, helping to focus national attention on the prevalence of child marriage, abuse associated with sexual initiation ceremonies, attacks against children with albinism and other practices compromising the rights of children, particularly girls.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19 2017, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Violations of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, such as forced sterilization, forced abortion, forced pregnancy, criminalization of abortion, denial or delay of safe abortion and/or post-abortion care, forced continuation of pregnancy, and abuse and mistreatment of women and girls seeking sexual and reproductive health information, goods and services, are forms of gender-based violence that, depending on the circumstances, may amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
- Body
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Rights of the child: protection of the rights of the child in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2017, para. 22e
- Paragraph text
- [Urges States to take all the measures necessary to implement fully the objectives of the 2030 Agenda to contribute to the realization of the rights of the child by, inter alia:] Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all young women and girls by ending all forms of discrimination and violence against them in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation, and eliminating all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation, including by attaining all Goals and targets related to Goal 5;
- Body
- United Nations Human Rights Council
- Document type
- Resolution
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Harmful Practices
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- Evans-Pritchard distinguishes between "witchcraft" and "sorcery". According to his definition, witches have supernatural powers and operate in secret, in order to harm victims by devouring their life essence. In contrast, a sorcerer is someone who does harm by using plant substances and rituals. The use of body parts of persons with albinism in amulets, charms, potions or other preparations could arguably fall under either category. Therefore, in the present report, the Independent Expert will use the term "witchcraft" to denote both concepts. She will not use the term "magic", which has been employed in some cases to describe attacks against persons with albinism, because it seems to have a dual quality of both benevolence and malevolence, and may therefore be misunderstood. Since the report intends to capture witchcraft in the broader sense and its negative impact on persons with albinism, the term "magic" - in its malevolent form - will be understood to be subsumed by the term "witchcraft".
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- In her report to the General Assembly (A/71/255), in which she provided a preliminary overview of the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism, the Independent Expert showed how interrelated factors, including the mythologization of albinism and a related lack of understanding of the scientific bases of the condition, poverty, witchcraft practices and other aggravating factors all contributed to ongoing outbreaks of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism. In the present report, the Independent Expert refers to "witchcraft" as "phenomena", to reflect the plurality of concepts, terms, practices and beliefs encompassed by the term.
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph