Data collection to counter intersecting forms of discrimination against women and girls (HRC36, 2017, OS)

September 25, 2017

IMADR statement on “Data collection to counter intersecting forms of discrimination against women and girls” at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here

———

IMADR Oral Statement: 36th session of the Human Rights Council

Panel Discussion on the impact of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence in the context of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the full enjoyment of all human rights by women and girls

25 September 2017

Speaker: Madeleine Cowper

Thank you Mr. President,

Although the Human Rights Council acknowledged that “many women and girls… are disproportionally affected by aggravated forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”[1] in its 35th session, we are concerned that we have seen little action to gather information on the affected groups. For example, very little data exists regarding Dalit and Buraku women and girls, groups that have been traditionally discriminated against. Buraku women face stigma when marrying, have little access to employment and encounter healthcare issues.[2] Dalit women are at a higher risk of sexual violence,[3] trafficking[4] and forced marriage[5] but have little legal recourse as they also experience serious difficulties in accessing the formal justice systems[6] and are excluded from political processes.[7]

Discrimination is a truly crosscutting issue and we are deeply concerned by the fact that there has been a significant lack of effort to address intersectional discrimination in a holistic, comprehensive way. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has repeatedly inquired about disaggregated data and stressed its crucial role in combatting discrimination. All governments should account for the situation of women and girls of marginalised communities in all measures taken to address discrimination and explicitly create provisions tailored to ensure their rights whenever possible.[8] The OHCHR can strengthen its role in assisting States in this regard. We would like to ask a question to the panellists: how do you propose that the OHCHR increase coordination of its efforts to ensure a more complete approach to intersectional discrimination?

Thank you Mr. President.

———

[1] A/HRC/35/10 UNGA

[2] “What the survey findings tell us: Buraku Women” in Minority Women Rise Up: A Collaborative Survey on Ainu, Buraku and Korean Women in Japan (IMADR, 2004), sect. 1.2.

[3] See A/HRC/26/38/Add.1, para. 15, and A/HRC/26/38/Add.2, para. 16. “Dalit women speak out, violence against Dalit women in India” (National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, 2006), pp. 3-4.

[4] See A/HRC/26/38/Add.1, para. 28.

[5] See A/HRC/29/40, para. 23.

[6] Minority Rights Group International, written contribution to the general discussion on access to justice at the fifty-fourth session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (2013).

[7] Navsarjan Trust and others, “The situation of Dalit rural women”, submission to the general discussion on rural women of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (2013), p. 3.

[8] https://idsn.org/uploads/media/UN_Principles_And_Guidelines_-_IDSN.pdf

Share on:

Related Content

Newsletter E-CONNECT No.40 is out

Feature story CERD 107th session From 8th to 30th August 2022, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) held its 107th session and reviewed implementation status of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in Azerbaijan, Benin, Nicaragua, Slovakia, Suriname, United States of America, and Zimbabwe. The Committee also sent letters to Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Colombia under its Early Warning and Urgent Action procedure, and released a statement on the events at the Moroccan-Spanish border. On 23 August 2022, the Committee held its Day of General Discussion on racial discrimination and right to health as a part of drafting process of its General Recommendation N° 37. More>> Passing away of Professor Mushakoji Professor Kinhide Mushakoji has exerted himself […]
December 6, 2022
Imadr Logo

Newsletter E-CONNECT No.39 is out

On the 20th of May, we released our new issue of E-CONNECT. If you have not subscribed to our newsletter, you can do it from here! Back number is also available. Feature story CERD 106th session From 11th to 29th April 2022, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) held its 106th session and reviewed implementation status of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in Cameroon, Estonia, Kazakhstan and Luxembourg. CERD also examined follow-up reports of Czech Republic, Ireland and Peru. A statement on the lack of equitable and non-discriminatory access to COVID vaccines was adopted under the Committee’s Early Warning and Urgent Acton […]
May 20, 2022
Imadr Logo

Newsletter E-CONNECT No.38 is out

On the 14th of December, we released our new issue of E-CONNECT. If you have not subscribed to our newsletter, you can do it from here! Back number is also available. Feature story New! Child-friendly International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and its standards On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), IMADR and Child Rights Connect launched the child-friendly ICERD and its standards. Developed through consultations with children from various regions, the document is designed as a practical tool to promote awareness of the general public, especially children and youth, on the international human rights […]
December 14, 2021
Imadr Logo

Newsletter E-CONNECT No.37 is out

On the 14th of October, we released our new issue of E-CONNECT. If you have not subscribed to our newsletter, you can do it from here! Back number is also available. Feature story Regressing trends in accountability for enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka At the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the  the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence presented his follow-up report on Sri Lanka. Together with Amnesty International and Forum Asia, IMADR raised alarm over a series of negative developments in accountability for enforced disappearances in the country, including the independence and function of the Office on Missing Persons […]
October 14, 2021
TOP