E/2002/27 E/CN.6/2002/13 Report of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women 9. At its 10th, 11th, 13th, and 15th meetings (closed meetings), on 13, 14, 15 and 25 March, the Commission considered the report of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women (E/CN.6/2002/CRP.6). 10. At the 15th meeting, on 25 March, the Commission decided to take note of the report of the Working Group, as amended during the discussion, and agreed to include it in the report of the Commission (for the text of the decision, see chap. I, sect. C, decision 46/102). The Commission also agreed to include in its report statements of reservation made by delegations during the discussion of and action on the decision (see annex III). The report of the Working Group follows: Report of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women 1. The Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women was guided in its deliberations by the mandate given by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 76 (V), as amended by the Council in its resolutions 304 I (XI), 1983/27 and 1992/19. 2. The Working Group considered the list of confidential communications (E/CN.6/2002/SW/COMM.LIST/36). There was no list of non-confidential communications concerning the status of women since no such communications had been received by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. 3. The Working Group considered the six confidential communications received directly by the Division for the Advancement of Women of the United Nations Secretariat and the 17 confidential communications received by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights concerning the status of women. It also took note of the fact that no confidential communications concerning the status of women had been received by other United Nations bodies or the specialized agencies. 4. The Working Group noted the grave violations of women’s human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and the discrimination against women. It also noted the violence against women and girls and their exclusion from full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Working Group also noted cases of the failure of authorities to take appropriate action regarding violations of women’s human rights. 5. The Working Group noted discrimination against women, including through restrictions on their freedom of movement, stemming from law and custom. It noted that in some cases foreign domestic workers had been arbitrarily detained, denied access to defence lawyers, tortured and sexually abused in detention by police officers, subjected to cursory trials and denied protection and redress from the authorities for rape, physical and verbal abuse and beatings by their employers. 6. The Working Group noted a great number of persons, including women and children, who have been compelled to carry out forced labour for weeks 48