A/HRC/31/56
Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues
Contents
Page
I.
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................
3
II.
Activities of the Special Rapporteur ................................................................................................
3
A.
Country visits ...........................................................................................................................
3
B.
Communications ......................................................................................................................
3
C.
Additional activities .................................................................................................................
3
D.
Update on the Forum on Minority Issues.................................................................................
4
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status ................
5
A.
Introduction .............................................................................................................................
5
B.
Definition and characteristics of caste-based discrimination ...................................................
6
C.
Global overview of caste-affected groups ...............................................................................
7
D.
International legal framework ..................................................................................................
10
Specific areas of impact of discrimination in caste-based and analogous systems ..........................
12
A.
Civil and political rights ..........................................................................................................
12
B.
Economic, social and cultural rights ........................................................................................
14
V.
Situation of caste-affected women and girls ....................................................................................
19
VI.
Initiatives and good practices to address caste-based discrimination ...............................................
20
A.
United Nations system .............................................................................................................
20
B.
National legislation and special measures ...............................................................................
21
C.
Civil society initiatives ............................................................................................................
23
Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................................................
23
III.
IV.
VII.
2