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Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 115
- Paragraph text
- In Japan, the Law on Special Measures for Dowa Projects, enacted in 1969 and in force until 2002, was aimed at improving the living conditions in identified Buraku districts (Dowa districts) by improving access to welfare, employment and education, and providing redress in cases of discrimination against Buraku people.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- In Yemen, the Muhamasheen mainly reside in underdeveloped neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the capital. More than half of their households rely on external water sources such as dams, streams or wells; only two out of five households have latrines.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- In Yemen, the Muhamasheen ("marginalized ones"), also known as Al Akhdam, constitute a minority group subjected to descent-based discrimination. There are no official data, but unofficial sources estimate their number at between 500,000 and 3.5 million. Their occupational roles include garbage collection, street sweeping and cleaning toilets and drains. They suffer from social stigma and discrimination, which exacerbate their socioeconomic exclusion and poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 28c
- Paragraph text
- [Caste and analogous systems present distinguishing characteristics:] (c) Untouchability practices: a set of collective behaviours and norms stemming from the belief that contact with individuals from lower castes is "polluting";
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 107
- Paragraph text
- Traditional and new media have the potential to promote intercultural dialogue between Roma and non-Roma communities. The media should promote non-stereotypical portrayals of Roma, including through providing greater visibility to Roma self-representation, history and culture.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 106
- Paragraph text
- Successful Roma-controlled programmes that address issues of health, education and other areas of concern in ways that are culturally appropriate and adapted to local needs should be supported and replicated.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- The dispossession of and discrimination against Roma over centuries has led to a situation of intergenerational disadvantage that has often engrained hopelessness in Roma individuals and communities. Across the regions, however, the Special Rapporteur observes that insufficient effort has been made to foster long-term durable intercultural dialogue or to develop initiatives that build trust and foster relationships of mutual respect.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- In Colombia, Decree 2957 of 2010 was adopted to set up a legal framework for the protection of the rights of Roma in Colombia, recognizing collective rights for Roma people. The same year, the National Commission for Dialogue for Roma People (Comisión Nacional de Diálogo para el Pueblo Rom) was created to coordinate action between governments and local communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- In Brazil, 24 May was declared National Roma Day by Presidential Decree in 2006 and has been acknowledged by Roma communities as an important public recognition of the existence of the Brazilian Roma community.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- Roma may be intentionally or de facto restricted from participation. Barriers include the lack of political will to dismantle structural discrimination, including the persistence of negative stereotypes assuming that Roma have no interest and no skills for engaging in politics.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- Many Roma in North America also face stigma and prejudice that originated in and are perpetuated by limited knowledge of Romani culture or history, or of the persecution Roma faced during and after the Nazi regime.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- The Dom is an ethnic minority in the Middle East that shares similarities with Roma; its presence in the region dates back to the eleventh century. There is scant official information on the number of Roma in that region. Unofficial estimates indicate there may be significant populations in Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Syrian Arab Republic.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- Roma groups are also present in Central Asian countries, where they are known collectively as Lyuli. While those groups are distinct from American and European Roma, they share the experience of exclusion and marginalization from local majority populations. Due to a lack of up-to-date data, there are no precise figures on the number of Roma in Central Asia.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- In Nigeria, discrimination against Osu descendants persists. Osu people were historically considered a property of the local deities among communities in Igboland, in south-east Nigeria. The Osu were dedicated and "sacrificed" to these gods and forced to live on the outskirts of the villages. In 1958, the Osu Abolition Law was passed, but members of the Osu are still subjected to social exclusion, segregation and mistreatment, and discrimination in employment and marriage.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Those discrepancies call into question how well States have developed procedures that allow the expression of Roma ethnicity in a way that best reflects personal identities and embraces the principle of self-identification. The Special Rapporteur therefore notes that it is essential that all States make an effort to provide meaningful and respectful ways to encourage Roma communities to self-identify in order to generate more accurate data on Roma communities worldwide.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- Ethics codes play an important role in guiding press workers on how to report objectively and responsibly. The Press Ethics Code of Benin emphasizes that "Journalists must refuse to publish any incitement to tribal, racial and religious hatred. They must make a stand against all forms of discrimination" (art. 10). Singapore's Internet Code of Practice considers as prohibited material that "glorifies, incites or endorses ethnic, racial or religious hatred, strife or intolerance" (art. 4 (2)(g)).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- The Government of Colombia consulted with Roma communities in the context of drafting national development plans for the period 2014 to 2018 and committed to implementing strategies to increase Roma visibility, improve their quality of life and provide for improved access to their social, economic and cultural and political rights. In Argentina, a local Roma NGO has been successful in initiating dialogues between civil society and the State, which has proved to be key in promoting the visibility of Roma culture.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 2
- Paragraph text
- The term "Roma" refers to heterogeneous groups, the members of which live in various countries under different social, economic, cultural and other conditions. The term Roma thus does not denote a specific group but rather refers to the multifaceted Roma universe, which is comprised of groups and subgroups that overlap but are united by common historical roots, linguistic communalities and a shared experience of discrimination in relation to majority groups. "Roma" is therefore a multidimensional term that corresponds to the multiple and fluid nature of Roma identity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- There are electoral systems where voters can vote for more than one candidate from different parties, ranking them in order of choice, and the lower-order preferences are taken into account if no candidate reaches a threshold number of votes on the first-preference votes. This system may facilitate minority representation and is also thought to promote inter-group cooperation as parties seek second-preference votes from other parties' supporters. It may also encourage mainstream parties to take up minority issues.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and effective political participation: a survey of law and national practices 2010, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- The Court has long asserted that minority protection justifies the application of a different electoral system within the State in order to ensure better minority representation in the legislature. Nevertheless, it has established that, "any electoral system must be assessed in the light of the political evolution of the country concerned", and, as a result, "features that would be unacceptable in the context of one system may accordingly be justified in the context of another".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minorities and discrimination based on caste and analogous systems of inherited status 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- In Japan, feudal society stratification during the Tokunaga regime (1603-1867) placed two groups at the bottom of the system, referring to them as the senmin (humble people): the eta (extreme filth) and hinin (non-human). Although the Emancipation Edict was promulgated in 1871 to include the senmin in mainstream society, the Burakumin, as their descendants are now known, continue to be considered as an outcast group, subjected to prejudice and discrimination, including in employment, education and marriage, and physically segregated in Buraku districts. Official figures estimate the total Buraku population to be 1.2 million; however, unofficial figures place the number at almost 3 million.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- The marginalization experienced by Roma is often interconnected with disadvantage in the area of economic and social rights, often stemming from, or leading to, further impediments in civil and political rights and vice versa. However, the Special Rapporteur has observed a tendency of Roma programmes to focus on short-term, issue-specific projects that fail to adopt an integrated approach that addresses multisectoral disadvantage. Many measures and instruments focus exclusively on one policy area and are delivered through uncoordinated projects with insufficient connection to other, interconnected policies and funds. For example, housing programmes that tackle issues of adequacy, including ghettoization and segregation, that are not linked to employment opportunities will have little prospect for long-term sustainability. Comprehensive solutions should take account of intersecting discrimination that Roma face and ensure that programmes are developed in genuine consultation with affected communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- The National Institute to Combat Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism (Instituto Nacional contra la Discriminación, la Xenofobia y el Racismo - INADI) of the Government of Argentina coordinates the "Discrimination Map" project in collaboration with several universities. In 2013, the situation of the Roma was specifically addressed and Roma were found to be among the most discriminated groups in Argentina. One priority of INADI is establishing a dialogue with the Roma community in order to better understand their needs and challenges. INADI also sponsored a book on Roma history, legends and traditions and the documentary film "Roma - Gelem, Gelem" in 2015 with the goal of introducing a shift at the cultural level to combat racism against Roma.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- Nevertheless, across the regions, negative stereotypes of Roma persist, describing them as criminal, unworthy, unclean or aggressive. The Special Rapporteur has explained how hate speech, including negative stereotyping of Roma, is widespread in the media, including social media, and in public political discourse, and how Roma rarely have access to media or other means necessary to challenge those perceptions. Hate speech is not only a denigration of Roma identity, but impacts negatively on Roma community members' sense of inclusion in the national psyche. The Special Rapporteur therefore understands a key aspect of pillar 2 to include addressing hate speech through systematic intervention and condemnation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism 2015, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- The protection and promotion of Roma identity means that States have the obligation not only to protect Roma from forced assimilation, but must adopt positive measures that promote the distinctive characteristics of Roma culture, including language, history and tradition. That should be achieved through financial and technical assistance to preserve the Romani language, art, poetry, dance, music and traditions, including their promotion through the media. Roma history and the cultural contribution of Roma must also be recognized and taught in school curricula. In that regard, Roma must be given opportunities for self-interpretation and self-representation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- Studies reveal that poor reporting by the media on features such as ethnicity and religion involves, inter alia, labelling, selected use of data, generalizing incidents, negative stereotyping, giving one side of a story, use of derogatory words, mixing facts and views, absence of fact checking, and mismatching of the content of the text and headlines, images and sound. Lack of knowledge about ethnic and religious issues by media reporters, absence of in-house training, poor financial situation of media outlets, heavy workload and scarce time to prepare reports were highlighted as obstacles to good, unprejudiced reporting.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred against minorities in the media 2015, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- It is difficult to talk about upholding the values of democracy and equality if certain groups are completely excluded from participating in or shaping that democracy in practice. If marginalized communities lack access to public platforms and communication channels, they have no possibilities to influence public opinion or to seek and obtain justice. Roma communities struggle to respond to hate speech in mass media from far-right groups and political parties, since Roma are almost completely excluded from mainstream media platforms. Where communities are regarded as inferior in any society, their voices will also be treated as inferior, regardless of how loudly they shout and how valid their concerns.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Ensuring the inclusion of minority issues in post- 2015 development agendas 2014, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque, focused her 2012 report to the Council (A/HRC/21/42) on stigmatization in the realization of the rights to water and sanitation. The report examines different manifestations of stigma in the context of the human rights to water and sanitation and explores recommendations for policymaking and solutions to prevent and respond to human rights violations resulting from stigma. The Special Rapporteur found that stigma pushes people to the margins of society and results in the rejection, avoidance and marginalization of certain groups. Access to water and sanitation for many Roma communities is notoriously precarious. Similarly, the report highlights that Dalit habitations are often systematically excluded from service provision.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Minority rights-based approaches to the protection and promotion of the rights of religious minorities 2013, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Some States demand the declaration of religious affiliation on identity cards and other official documentation. The enjoyment of rights may then be precariously conditional on ascription to a closed list of particular religions or be utilized to ensure the impossibility of conversion and the denial of the existence of any other beliefs. Refusal to abide by such requirements may result in the denial of a number of basic rights: from the registration of births, marriages and deaths; school and university entrance; obtaining passports, driving licences, bank accounts and property; access to health provisions; and so on. The restrictions amount to violations that destroy the very foundations of minority rights. Compelling people to identify religion or belief on official documents undermines the explicit assertion developed by the United Nations Human Rights Committee that no one can be compelled to reveal his thoughts or adherence to a religion or belief.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The role and activities of national institutional mechanisms in promoting and protecting minority rights 2012, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- The National Cohesion and Integration Commission of Kenya was created in 2008, following ethnically based election violence, to "facilitate and promote equality of opportunity, good relations, harmony and peaceful coexistence between persons of different ethnic and racial backgrounds". It advises the Government, and its activities address discrimination on ethnic grounds and seek to promote respect for religious, cultural and linguistic diversity. The Ethnic Relations Commission of Guyana was created following ethnic violence between Indian and Afro-Guyanese communities to monitor and improve ethnic relations and observe political activities. It held cross-country, multi-stakeholder forums prior to 2006 elections, recognizing that elections had become an ethnic and political flashpoint.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph