Human Rights Council holds clustered interactive dialogue on violence against women and on internally displaced persons

Human Rights Council
MORNING/MIDDAY/AFTERNOON

17 June 2015 

Hears Address from Minister for Human Rights of Yemen, Concludes Interactive Dialogue on Transnational Corporations and on Trafficking in Persons

The Human Rights Council today held a clustered interactive dialogue with Rashida Manjoo, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, and with Chaloka Beyani, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons.  The Council also concluded its clustered interactive dialogue with the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, and the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, and heard an address by Ezzedin Al-Asbahi, Minister for Human Rights of Yemen.

Ms. Manjoo, in her opening remarks, provided some guidance on legal standards on violence against women in the African, European and Inter-American regional human rights systems, and called for the creation of a binding international instrument on violence against women and girls.  She spoke about her missions to the United Kingdom, Honduras and Afghanistan. 

Mr. Beyani presented his analysis of internal displacement in the context of the post-2015 development agenda and underlined the necessity to view displacement not only as a humanitarian issue, but also a key development issue that required urgent action by the international community.  He spoke about his visits to Azerbaijan, Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Ukraine, Central African Republic, Iraq and Syria.

In the interactive dialogue that followed, speakers expressed concerns about the increase of violence against women and girls, including harmful practices and in conflict zones, and presented their domestic and regional initiatives to combat and prevent this phenomenon.  Speakers expressed different views regarding the necessity of the creation of a specific international convention on this issue.  

With regard to internally displaced persons, speakers expressed concerns about the number of internally displaced persons in the world and underlined the vulnerability of internally displaced women.  Speakers agreed that internally displaced persons deserved additional international attention and should be explicitly included in the post-2015 development agenda.

In her concluding remarks, Ms. Manjoo reiterated her call for a specific and specialized legally binding international convention addressing violence against women, and insisted on her responsibility to identify normative gaps on this issue.  She also regretted the lack of political will to create a stand-alone development goal which addressed violence against women and girls.

Mr. Beyani welcomed the support he had received regarding the necessity to include indicators on the situation of internally displaced persons in the post 2015 development agenda, and highlighted the need to revisit the protection framework within the United Nations and involve all of the United Nations in this matter.  The inclusion of internally displaced persons and their participation in the implementation of development plans was critical.

Speaking on violence against women and on internally displaced persons were the European Union, Algeria on behalf of the African Group, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Tunisia on behalf of the Arab Group, Ecuador on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Greece, Mexico, Finland, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Botswana, Belgium, United States, Sudan, Slovenia, Syria, Paraguay, Qatar, Togo, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Council of Europe, Brazil, Thailand, Norway, Ireland, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, Canada, Estonia, Ghana, Republic of Korea, Bangladesh, Italy, Chile, Austria, Georgia, Portugal, Luxembourg, Russian Federation, Philippines, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Latvia, Tajikistan, Poland, Argentina, France, Namibia, Mali, Albania, International Committee of the Red Cross, South Africa, Ecuador, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Morocco, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, China, State of Palestine, Egypt, Colombia, Tunisia, Burundi, Cuba, Angola, Mozambique, Iraq, Algeria, Iceland, Honduras, Armenia, Benin, Viet Nam, Côte d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Djibouti, Panama, Republic of Congo and Japan.

Afghanistan, Honduras, United Kingdom, Azerbaijan, Haiti and Ukraine spoke as concerned countries. 

The following national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations also spoke: Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Indian Law Resource Centre, Centre for Reproductive Rights, Action Canada for Population and Development and the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, International Lesbian and Gay Association, Lutheran World Federation, OCAPROCE Internatonale, Association for Progressive Communications, International Federation for Human Rights Leagues, Social Service Agency of the Protestant Church in Germany, International Humanist and Ethical Union, Verein Sudwind Entwicklungspolitik, Khiam Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture, Human Rights Now and Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy.

The Human Rights Council also heard an address from Ezzedin Al-Asbahi, Minister for Human Rights of Yemen, who updated the Council on recent developments in his country.  He said Yemen was being subjected to terror aimed at abolishing democracy and orchestrated by foreign forces.  What was happening in Yemen would destabilize the entire region and become a historic precedent of crimes against humanity if the United Nations did not take steps against militias.  Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) should be a starting point for bringing about a political solution. 

At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its clustered interactive dialogue with the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, and the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children.  This dialogue started on 16 June and a summary can be seen here.

In concluding remarks, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, insisted on the importance of access to remedies, assistance and protection of victims, and on including workers’ rights in the post-2015 agenda.  She underlined the links between trafficking and immigration policies or xenophobia and between conflict and exploitation, as well as the necessity for transnational corporations to hold suppliers using forced labour to account.

Michael K. Addo, Chairperson and Rapporteur of the Working Group on transnational corporations and other businesses, made his concluding remarks yesterday.

Speaking on transnational corporations and on trafficking in persons were the following non-governmental organizations: Human Rights Now, Caritas International, Conectas Direitos Humanos, International Service for Human Rights, Asian Legal Resource Centre, Franciscans International, Verein Sudwind Entwicklungspolitik, International Humanist and Ethical Union, Centre Europe – Tiers Monde, Arab Commission for Human Rights, Liberation and Associazione Communità Papa Giovanni XXIII.

The Council is holding a full-day of meetings today.  At 5:30 p.m., it will hold a clustered interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteurs on the right to freedom of opinion and expression and on the right to peaceful assembly and association.

Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations and Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons

Human Rights Now was concerned about the situation of labour rights in China and Cambodia where workers endured dangerous conditions in factories supplying  international brands, and urged these Governments to strengthen their efforts  to enforce their labour laws and provide effective mechanisms to ensure workers’ fundamental rights.  Caritas International said human trafficking in conflict and post-conflict situations was a growing phenomenon, and lacked attention from humanitarian aid agencies.  It was necessary to improve prevention, victims’ identification and protection, and to strengthen legislation and sensitization.  Conectas Direitos Humanos called the Council’s attention to a grave risk of human rights violation in Brazil, where transnational pharmaceutical companies were attacking the country’s legislation on patentability requirements, which were created to protect human rights.  International Service for Human Rights shared the Working Group’s concerns regarding the detention of human rights defenders in Azerbaijan, and regretted that the Working Group had sent very little individual communications compared to other Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. 

Asian Legal Resource Centre drew the attention of the Working Group to human rights violations in the mining industry in Indonesia.  Those violations involved also confiscation of land by the Government from farmers and indigenous peoples and allocating it to investors, which was in violation of the decision of the Constitutional Court.  Franciscans International said that instead of adopting a human rights based approach, the zero draft of the post-2015 development agenda had failed to hold businesses accountable and threatened to entrench the very business, trade and investment practices that had been systematically undermining human rights.  Verein Sudwind Entwicklungspolitik drew the attention of the Special Rapporteur to the selling and trafficking of Iranian women and girls.  Many were trafficked to Pakistan, Turkey, Persian Gulf Countries, Iraq, Malaysia, France, Germany and the United Kingdom for commercial sexual exploitation.  International Humanist and Ethical Union said that there were well-documented reports of extremely poor working conditions of the migrants building the 2022 FIFA World Cup facilities in Qatar.  This was exacerbated by the kafala system which was conducive to the exaction of forced labour.  Also, up to 10,000 Iraqi women and girls were trafficked for sexual slavery.

Centre Europe – Tiers Monde drew attention to the world’s most serious pollution case which was taking place in Ecuador and which demonstrated big corporations’ disregard for the well-being of local populations.  The Council should adopt a declaration to deal with the human rights violations committed by businesses.  Arab Commission for Human Rights reminded that the Arab world had seen sweeping revolutions since 2011, directed against despotism and corruption, yet illegal transactions continued to find safe haven in foreign countries.  The Council should consider what measures could be implemented to recover the looted funds and provide relief from the heavy burden of debt and of the financial burden that prevented citizens from enjoying their rights.  Liberation underlined the importance of the right to education and of ensuring that it was available to everyone.  However, there still existed barriers for access to education, especially by poorer families.  In India there was great concern over trafficking of girls, as a result of backward classes’ exclusion from education.  Associazione Communità Papa Giovanni XXIII agreed that trafficking of persons should be seen as a crime and as an economic and social phenomenon, linked with global economic trends.  As such, combatting trafficking required addressing the systemic and underlying social factors that created vulnerabilities in victims and potential victims of human trafficking. 

Concluding Remarks by the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons

MARIA GRAZIA GIAMMARINARO, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and girls, speaking in concluding remarks, confirmed she would try to keep a geographical balance in her country visits.  She considered access to remedies as a key part of her work, and insisted that trafficked persons were rights-holders.  Assistance and protection of victims had to be unconditional to the result of an investigation or judicial proceeding.  Supply and demand of cheap labour or sexual services both had to be addressed in parallel at the same time.  The prevention of trafficking and workers’ rights in general should become an integral part of the post-2015 agenda.  Some root causes of exploitation originated not only in countries of origin, but also in countries of destination.  Migration policies and xenophobia in northern countries fuelled trafficking in persons.  She underlined that children were an essential component of the issue of exploitation related to conflict and post-conflict situations.  Sexual exploitation of girls was a direct consequence of all conflicts.  With regards to a question relating to the implementation of regional action plans, the Special Rapporteur suggested the creation of mechanisms monitoring what participating States were doing and challenges they faced.  In response to remarks made by non-governmental organizations, she underlined the necessity to operationalize the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to prevent trafficking and to force transnational companies to hold suppliers using forced labour into account. 

Documentation

The Council has before it the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (A/HRC/29/27)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences on the Mission to Honduras (A/HRC/29/27/Add.1)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences on the Mission to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (A/HRC/29/27/Add.2)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences on the Mission to Afghanistan (A/HRC/29/27/Add.3)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (A/HRC/29/27/Add.4)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (A/HRC/29/27/Add.5)

The Council has before it the report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (A/HRC/29/34)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons on the Mission to Azerbaijan (A/HRC/29/34/Add.1)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons on the Mission to Haiti (A/HRC/29/34/Add.2)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons on the Mission to Ukraine (A/HRC/29/34/Add.3)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (A/HRC/29/34/Add.4)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (A/HRC/29/34/Add.5)

The Council has before it an addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (A/HRC/29/34/Add.6)
 
Presentation of Reports by the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons

RASHIDA MANJOO, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, said that her thematic report attempted to provide some guidance on legal standards on violence against women in African, European and Inter-American human rights systems.  The specific provisions on violence against women in the African system reflected provisions found in the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, but the challenges which faced the African Commission such as resource constraints, delays in decision-making, or lack of trust in regional human rights systems, resulted in perceptions of the African system lacking effectiveness in the promotion and protection of human rights of women.  The European Union and the Council of Europe were two major political-legal bodies that had addressed the issue of violence against women.  The recent Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence, which came into force in 2014, addressed violence against women as a human rights violation and a form of gender-based discrimination, thereby strengthening the human rights obligations imposed on States.  The Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention Belem do Para 1994) expressly recognized the relationship between gendered violence, discrimination and women’s human rights, as well as the critical link between women’s access to adequate judicial protection and the elimination of violence and discrimination that perpetuated it.  The report continued to call for the creation of a binding international instrument of violence against women and girls, with its own dedicated monitoring body, which would ensure that States were held accountable to legally binding standards and would provide a clear normative framework for the protection of women and girls globally.

Turning to the visit to the United Kingdom, the Special Rapporteur said that the Government had declared combatting violence against women a priority and had developed a strategy in 2010 to address the problem; it had set up inter-agency mechanisms to inform the State’s response at the central level.  The national Group on Sexual Violence against Children and Vulnerable People had been set up to prevent sexual abuse.  Despite many positive developments, the elimination of violence against women remained a challenge and women continued to suffer violence, sexual assaults and harassment, forced and early marriages, female genital mutilation, honour-related violence and trafficking.  Honduras had developed legislative and institutional measures, including the recent amendments to the Penal Code to incorporate gender-related killings of women (femicide) as a specific crime.  The adoption of the Domestic Violence Law in 1997 and its amendments had not provided adequate legislative to domestic violence which remained the leading cause of reported crimes against persons at the national level.  The climate of fear in the public and private spheres, and the lack of accountability for violations of human rights of women was the norm rather than the exception, and violence against women was widespread, systematic and in many cases not reported.  Over the past 15 years Afghanistan had made several legislative and institutional advances towards the promotion and protection of human rights, including the adoption of the Elimination of Violence against Women Law in 2009 which included both civil and criminal remedies.  Broader security concerns and the general climate of fear impacted the levels of violence experienced by women and girls, and there was a continuing prevalence of different manifestations of violence perpetrated by husbands and other relatives, violence linked to early or forced marriages, incest, so called honour-crimes and self-immolation and self-harm due to domestic violence and forced marriage practices.

CHALOKA BEYANI, Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, said he had devoted his annual report to an analysis of internal displacement in the context of the post-2015 development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.  He stressed that the numbers of internally displaced persons were the highest since the Second World War.  As of the end of 2014, 38 million persons worldwide were internally displaced by armed conflict, general violence and human rights violations.  In 2013 alone, an additional 22 million persons became internally displaced by disasters.  This situation had to galvanize more than ever the collective resolve to prevent mass displacement crises and to protect civilians in need.  As the average duration of conflict-induced displacement today was a staggering 17 years, for the majority of displaced populations, protracted displacement had become a way of life.  More often than not, prospects for durable solutions remained a distant prospect for them.  It was thus necessary to view displacement not only as a humanitarian issue, but also a key development issue that required urgent action by affected States and by the international community to promote resilience, early recovery and reconstruction.

The year of 2015 was a symbolically significant year, as it represented both the end of the Millennium Development Goals and the promise of a new global development agenda.  It was timely to look back at the strengths and weaknesses of the Millennium Development Goals and their impact on internally displaced persons, and to look forward to ensure that the post-2015 development agenda and the future sustainable development goals were fully inclusive.  The international community had to understand where and why the goals had failed to benefit internally displaced persons and some of the most vulnerable groups.  The reality was that millions of internally displaced persons were excluded from development programmes.  The 17 sustainable development goals proposed in August 2014 and subsequent targets did not explicitly refer to internally displaced persons.  However, several of them had the potential to impact that population positively, including through new or enhanced focus areas, such as reduction of inequality, making cities and settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, and through combatting of climate change and its impacts. 

While it was essential to include internally displaced persons in the negotiated list of beneficiaries and partners in development programmes and strategies, this would not suffice in itself.  Therefore, Mr. Beyani provided an analysis of some of the proposed Sustainable Development Goals from an internal displacement perspective, and by applying displacement standards, to demonstrate a clear rationale for dedicated attention to internally displacement persons.  If the post-2015 development agenda was to live up to its pledge of securing a life of dignity for all and to leave no one behind, attention to internally displaced persons had to be an integral part of it.  He encouraged States affected by internal displacement to set their own national targets and indicators that were fully inclusive of internally displaced persons.  States should ensure that durable solutions for internal displacement were included in national and local plans for development, poverty reduction, economic reconstruction and urban development, and to closely monitor and evaluate the impact of development programmes on internally displaced persons.  

The Special Rapporteur also provided an update on his visits to Azerbaijan, Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Ukraine, Central African Republic, Iraq and Syria.  On Azerbaijan, he said the Government must take measures to improve the inclusion and full participation of internally displaced persons in decisions affecting them, including development planning strategies.  On Côte d’Ivoire, he said that while the majority of internally displaced persons had returned to their areas of origin, continued support was needed to secure their basic needs and rebuild their lives in a sustainable way.  On Haiti, he said many challenges remained.  Despite the reduction in the number of internally displaced persons in camps and the closing of most of the camps, durable solutions had yet to be found for most internally displaced persons.  On Ukraine, he said it was essential that internally displaced persons were assisted to access safe locations and then had the right to choose where they would settle in the short, medium and long-term.  On the Central African Republic, he said no internally displaced persons should be prevented from moving to safe locations best suited to their protection needs and situation and their choices must be fully supported and respected.  On Iraq and Syria, he was gravely concerned by the complexity and magnitude of the situation of displacement in both countries and the strong possibility for further deterioration and fragmentation due to ongoing conflicts. 

Statement by the Minister for Human Rights of Yemen

EZZEDIN AL-ASBAHI, Minister for Human Rights of Yemen, said that this morning saw extremely worrying news from Yemen.  Houses of some negotiators currently present in Geneva had been attacked overnight.  Yemen was subjected to terror which aimed at abolishing democracy; the message was that everyone who sought peace would face the same fate.  The Minister said he himself was a victim of human rights violations ongoing in Yemen.  The conflict in Yemen was being orchestrated by foreign forces, which were supporting rebel forces.  The Minister had been cut off from his family for months; his daughter could no longer attend school because it was used by militias.  Tens of thousands of Yemenis had become internally displaced in recent weeks due to bombardments. There was still hope that the Human Rights Council could come to the aid of Yemen through diplomatic channels.  Yemen was being killed twice, first by bullets of rebels, and then by the silence of the international community.  Such a situation ought to be brought to an end.  Yemen was asking for help in restoring the constitutional order and protecting civilians. 

The situation was threatening to destabilize the entire region.  What was happening in Yemen would become a historic precedent of crimes against humanity if the United Nations did not take steps against militias.  There were at least 10 documented cases of enforced disappearances, pummelling of medical facilities, and fuel for hospitals was being deviated for military use.  Some 20 million Yemenis needed humanitarian aid, many amongst them children.  The Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) should be a starting point for bringing about a political solution.  All perpetrators of crimes ought to be brought to justice, and impunity had to be ended.  The blockade imposed on cities in Yemen needed to be lifted today.

Statements by Concerned Countries

Afghanistan, speaking as a concerned country, said the Government of Afghanistan was committed to the promotion and protection of women’s rights, and welcomed the findings of the Special Rapporteur’s report highlighting progress achieved in this field.  Afghanistan was also thankful for the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur, and recalled the deterioration of the situation of women during the Taliban period.  Following the fall of the Taliban, the new Government had made progress towards equality and the elimination of violence against women.  The Government was working actively on women’s empowerment and access to education, health, economic development and political participation.  The legacy of war and the insecurity constituted the main challenges to the protection of human rights.  The implementation of reforms and human rights programmes relied on support and cooperation from the international community.  Women’s rights, gender equality and the elimination of harmful practices remained nonetheless a top priority for the Government of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, in a video message, noted considerable development for the protection of women’s rights, and called for a strong political commitment from the Government to better protect and empower women.  It encouraged the Government to continue its efforts for the implementation of international conventions and recommendations, to consider gender equality whenever drawing up new policies, and to enable women’s access to justice and end impunity for perpetrators of gender-based violence.  It also called on the Government to adopt as soon as possible the National Action Plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325, and urged the international community to maintain its assistance to Afghanistan in the field of human rights.  

Honduras, speaking as a concerned country, said it was facing enormous challenges in terms of citizens’ security.  The Government was working hard on strengthening State institutions to fight organized crime, particularly gangs.  Honduras was firmly resolved to fight all kinds of violence against women and girls.  There was a special prosecutor for women, to whom they could resort for protection.  Honduras was promoting the removal of cultural patterns and stereotypes impeding women’s equality in various aspects of life.  Services of access to justice were also being strengthened, and there were gender units in the police forces and other related bodies, with which the Special Rapporteur had had an opportunity to work.  Honduras had a national plan on violence against women for 2014-2022, which had been prepared in cooperation with civil society.  Honduras agreed with most conclusions presented in the report; the conclusions and recommendations were an essential contribution to the process of combatting violence against women and girls in Honduras.

United Kingdom, speaking as a concerned country, said that the Special Rapporteur rightly noted how the United Kingdom had made the protection of women and girls one of its priorities.  Forced marriage had been criminalized, and mandatory reporting on female genital mutilation was being introduced.  Stalking was also being looked into.  Significant resources were being dedicated to protecting women and girls, and supporting women who had experienced violence.  The gender pay gap was currently at the lowest level on record; the Government was dedicated to eliminating it once and for all.  The Government had devolved responsibilities to local areas, which were best placed to estimate needs and take actions.  In Wales, for example, a recent act introduced a comprehensive approach in dealing with the whole range of issues of violence and offences against women.  A new victims’ law was envisioned with the view of bringing further focus on the rights and protection of victims.  The United Kingdom was making the largest single ever donation to the global fight to eliminate female genital mutilation, which was achievable within a generation.

United Kingdom’s National Human Rights Institution agreed with the Special Rapporteur’s assessment that violence against women and girls was a pervasive challenge.  A number of improvements were required before the United Kingdom could guarantee full compliance with the Istanbul Convention.  Providing training to frontline professionals in the field of justice was essential.  The Government should implement a comprehensive strategy to combat violence against women and girls, and introduce an effective mechanism to monitor its effectiveness.

Azerbaijan, speaking as a concerned country, thanked the Special Rapporteur on internally displaced persons for his report which had been prepared in full cooperation with the national authorities.  Azerbaijan had assumed full responsibility for the improvement of the living conditions of internally displaced persons and the search for durable solutions.  Azerbaijan welcomed the recommendation by the Special Rapporteur that the full realization of the human rights of internally displaced persons required the solution to the conflict in Nagorny Karabakh, parts of which still remained under the occupation of a neighbouring country.  Azerbaijan had undertaken a number of measures to address the situation of refugees and internally displaced persons, including significant investment in housing and employment generation schemes for this group. 

Haiti, speaking as a concerned country, noted that the report of the Special Rapporteur had taken into account the efforts of the Government and international organizations in improving the situation of internally displaced persons.  In addition to those, Haiti had undertaken additional efforts in the area of re-housing: it had postponed the decision of evictions of internally displaced persons living in the camps, implemented the law on free registration of births, and implemented poverty reduction measures and social protection throughout the territory.  More remained to be done to provide care for internally displaced persons and housing and land ownership were at the centre of its attention.  There was a need to conduct an assessment into the situation of internally displaced persons to better understand it

Ukraine said that the problem of internally displaced persons was among the most acute problems in the country and as of June 2013, over 1.3 million persons had been registered as persons displaced from the conflict-affected areas of Donetsk and Luhansk.  Ukraine had passed a comprehensive internally displaced persons law, had amended the State budget to increase targeted assistance to internally displaced persons, and had established a special inter-agency coordination headquarters on internally displaced persons.  The national programme for support, social adaptation and reintegration of internally displaced persons, and the comprehensive programme of employment and vocational training for internally displaced persons for 2015-2016 were currently being developed.  But the root causes of the continuously growing internally displaced persons flows must be tackled, namely the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the conflict on Donbas, which were still fuelled by the neighbouring State, despite the agreements reached in Minsk.

Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights was monitoring the situation of rights of internally displaced persons, and persons in temporarily occupied territories and in the areas of counter-terrorism operations.  The Commissioner had also addressed the Government of Ukraine in May 2014 to provide by statute the status of internally displaced persons and their social benefits, designate coordinating authority and develop common approaches to keeping a register and meeting the needs of this category of citizens.  Parliament had adopted in May 2015 the draft law on strengthening guarantees of the rights and freedoms of internally displaced persons.  The Commissioner had also instituted a position of the Special Rapporteur of the Ombudsman of Ukraine on the rights of internally displaced persons. 

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons

European Union was appalled by numerous serious instances of violence against women and girls in recent years, especially in situations of conflict and humanitarian crises.  By the end of 2014, there had been a record high of 38 million internally displaced people.  How could the response of the United Nations system as a whole be further strengthened?
Algeria, speaking on behalf of the African Group, said that violence against women was practiced in various forms and manifested in different contexts, including at work, at home and on the street.  The number of internally displaced persons around the world was a matter of concern.  The African Union, in line with the Kampala Convention, was trying to deal with the causes of displacement.  Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, believed that relevant international instruments addressed the problem of violence against women.  There were gaps in implementation and protection; strategies should be formulated by Member States in that regard.  Displacement posed a number of challenges, including loss of property and employment and the lack of access to basic services.  Tunisia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, stated that violence against women was a scourge which affected the entire international community.  In armed conflicts, violence against women was used as a means of war.  Tunisia was in favour of strengthening of all organizations working in that area, and creating a social environment favourable of gender equality.

Ecuador, speaking on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, underscored that gender equality, the fight against gender-based violence and the empowerment of women should be imperative for States.  The plan for action adopted by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and the European Union provided for various funds to fight gender-based violence, investigating and trying perpetrators.  Greece said it was deeply concerned about the high percentage of domestic violence against women and girls, as well as in the context of displacement.  Displaced women often faced double discrimination as women and displaced women, which required the most efficient reaction.  Mexico considered that regional systems played an important role in fighting violence against women.  A reform of laws in relation to violence against women, including sexual violence and violence against indigenous women, was taking place in Mexico.  It asked for international streamlining of measures.  Finland stressed that States had to show real commitment in order to eliminate violence against women.  It asked the Special Rapporteur to elaborate on the main normative gaps in an internationally binding instrument that would end violence against women.

Spain was very interested in the drafting of an international binding instrument on violence against women and asked the Special Rapporteur which should be the priority issue to be addressed by the group tasked with the monitoring of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence. 
Saudi Arabia said it had in place a system of protecting women from violence and any act of violence against women must be brought to the court, even if committed by tutors of husbands.  Several hundred centres had been established to receive complaints and provide care to victims.  Botswana welcomed efforts at the regional level to tackle violence against women and said it had passed the Domestic Violence Act in 2008 which criminalized acts of gender-based violence and provided protection to the victims.  Botswana agreed that internally displaced persons should be explicitly included in the post-2015 development goals.  Belgium was developing its sixth national action plan on gender-based violence 2015-2019 which would focus on partner violence, sexual violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriages and so-called honour-related violence.  Those would be addressed by an integrated approach involving policy, prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership.  Did the Special Rapporteur have concrete suggestion for the elaboration of such plans?

United States believed that internally displaced persons should be included in development indicators in the post-2015 development agenda.  What role did the Special Rapporteur envisage in that process? Was there evidence that violence against displaced women and girls dropped once they had access to leadership?  Women were also at risk of violence while on their way to collect rations from humanitarian distribution centres.  Sudan stated that it was necessary today to review the collective vision on violence against women in order to provide more effective solutions.  Sudan supported recommendations on the protection of internally displaced persons.  It was clear that peace and sustainable development were necessary to help resolve their situation.  Slovenia said that, regrettably, no region in the world could claim that it had vanquished violence against women.  Violence against women was a human rights violation, and all forms of violence, including marital rape, ought to be prohibited and punished.  How would a legally binding international document strengthen the protection of women in that regard?  Syria said that countries confronted by terrorism, such as Syria and Iraq, needed support in dealing with the issue of internally displaced persons.  Development efforts ought to be undertaken to bring communities to the pre-conflict living levels.  

Paraguay noted that inequality between women and men was a true obstacle to bringing development and peace globally.  Economic and social discrimination should be considered as a form of violence against women.  States had to prevent violence against women in private and public spheres, as the right to live without violence was an essential human right.  Qatar said that regional mechanisms should strengthen international standards on violence against women, taking into account regional, cultural and social specificities.  It was the responsibility of States to eliminate violence against women, and the Government of Qatar had adopted relevant programmes and policies to that end.  Togo said that violence against women was a major social problem and to that end the Government of Togo had taken measures to fight gender-based violence, reduce poverty in the family, punish perpetrators, and to elaborate a national programme to eliminate adolescent pregnancies and marriage.  Fiji said that it was surprising that in many regions of the world violence against women was not classified as a human rights violation.  Instead, gender-based violence was relegated to a declaration.  Fiji supported the development of an international convention on violence against women and girls because it would take the issue out of the shadow.

Australia recognized the critical importance of addressing violence against women and girls, and described national policies to eradicate this phenomenon.  Australia asked what legislation could be adopted to prevent violence against women.  New Zealand said violence against women was characterized by isolation and secrecy, and noted that it could also be emotional and verbal in addition to physical.  New Zealand noted the importance of addressing violence against women within indigenous communities.  Council of Europe said it had created instruments and mechanisms to address violence against women, including the Istanbul Convention, which was the most advanced treaty relating to violence against women.  The Council of Europe underlined the necessity to share good practices to eliminate female genital mutilation.  Brazil expressed its commitment to the implementation of international and regional standards to combat violence against women, and believed further discussions were needed before deciding on the necessity of a new international convention on this matter. 

Thailand said that despite the non-existence of legally binding provisions on violence against women in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region, the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Violence against Children in 2013 and the drafting of the Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Women had strengthened the commitment and ensured its translation into actions.  Norway was deeply concerned about the high prevalence of violence against women across the world which was unacceptable and said that all must work together to end violence against women and girls in all its forms.  What concrete measures could the international community undertake to address normative gaps within the existing international legal framework?  Ireland said that violence against women remained a deeply disturbing global problem, affecting one in three women, and asked how a dedicated international instrument on violence against women and girls could assist States in fulfilling their existing human rights obligations.  Resolving internal displacement was essential for peaceful and inclusive societies, agreed Ireland and asked about good examples of disaggregated data collection, profiling and needs assessment of internally displaced persons.  Sierra Leone remained deeply concerned about impunity of perpetrators of violence against women in situations of conflict and asked the Special Rapporteur how to address the ongoing violations of human dignity and integrity of women in conflict areas.  Sierra Leone noted with appreciation the collaborative efforts between the Special Rapporteur on internally displaced persons and the African Union with regard to ratification and implementation of the Kampala Convention which should form the blueprint to address internal displacement worldwide.

Switzerland encouraged States to actively cooperate with the Special Rapporteur on internally displaced persons.  The fact that the average period of displacement was 17 years was of particular concern.  Displaced persons should be integrated in the post-2015 development agenda.  As for violence against women, the biggest problem was the absence of implementation of relevant international standards by States.  Canada supported the Special Rapporteur’s mandate through the Canada-led annual resolution on accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women at the Human Rights Council, which in 2015 focused on eliminating domestic violence.  Estonia said that the legal status of internally displaced persons required additional attention, as it was essential for achieving sustainable development.  Estonia was deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, and the growing number of internally displaced persons there.  In 2015 Estonia contributed more than 200,000 euros in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.  Ghana thanked the Rapporteur for keeping the issue of violence against women high on the agenda.  Ghana had reformed its legislation on sexual violence and rape.  As for internally displaced persons, Ghana welcomed the Special Rapporteur’s work in that domain.

Republic of Korea took note that existing human rights treaties demanded that States parties reported on the state of their domestic legislation criminalizing violence against women, and demanded that the right to justice and reparation of comfort women be ensured by the relevant governments.  The Republic of Korea agreed on the importance of development in tackling concerns around internal displacement.  Bangladesh said it had a zero tolerance policy concerning violence against women, and had enacted a number of laws to protect and empower women.  Bangladesh said existing international norms and standards provided elements for the protection of women from violence.  Italy said it had ratified the Istanbul Convention and had recently finalized a national action plan to combat violence against women, characterized by integrated, participatory and multidisciplinary measures.  With regard to internally displaced persons, Italy asked what mechanisms could be identified to promote a systematic integration between humanitarian and development actors.  Chile was alarmed at the number of internally displaced persons, and underlined the necessity to incorporate this topic in the post-2015 development agenda.  Chile was concerned that the most common form of violence against women was domestic violence, insisted on the pressing need to eradicate female genital mutilation, and noted the importance of awareness raising and the role of the media to help challenge stereotypes. 

Austria agreed that violence against women and girls was a human rights violation and asked Ms. Manjoo to explain her concern that the Istanbul Convention saw domestic violence as a gender-neutral phenomenon.  Austria asked Mr. Beyani how the international community could adequately respond to the deeply disturbing global crisis of displacement, and what would be the role of the Human Rights Council in this regard.  Georgia drew the attention of the Council to the situation of displacement and the violation of rights of internally displaced persons, whose return to occupied regions was further delayed by the recently signed agreements between Russia and the separatist regimes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  Portugal said it was the third country to ratify the Istanbul Convention and advocated for the establishment of a stand-alone goal on preventing violence against women and girls in the post-2015 development agenda.  Would there be a link between the proposed legally binding international instrument on violence against women and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and their Convention? 
Luxembourg had recently undertaken a study on causes of domestic violence which would be the basis for more targeted measures and policies.  The struggle against violence against women should be taken as a specific goal in the post-2015 development agenda.  Luxembourg asked whether the legally binding international instrument on violence against women would duplicate the already existing treaties.

Russian Federation said that the existing international standards in the fight against violence against women were insufficient because they were not binding.  The creation of a new separate mechanism would be a solution to the problem.  However, the Special Rapporteur’s proposal had to be re-evaluated.  As for the issue of internally displaced persons, the Russian Federation regretted that the Special Rapporteur’s visit did not ensure that Kiev implemented its obligations.  Philippines said that violence against women was rooted in discriminatory practices and stereotypical views that women were inferior to and therefore deserved less than men.  The empowerment of women through better access to education and health services, justice and equal employment opportunities was among the basic steps towards the elimination of violence against women.  Venezuela stated that more progress should be made to eliminate all forms of violence against women.  The phenomenon affected millions of women worldwide and was a flagrant human rights violation.  In 2007, Venezuela had adopted a law on the right of women to life without violence.  In August 2014, the National Assembly adjusted the law and included the crime of femicide in it.  Costa Rica welcomed the fact that in the region of the Americas there existed a convention that included guarantees for access to justice for victims of violence.  It urged that more be done against violence against women in line with international standards.  The lack of a specific binding mechanism hampered progress in that respect.

Latvia welcomed the European Union’s latest instruments in place since January 2015, which included recognition of civil, criminal or administrative protection orders throughout the European Union as a significant tool to protect women victims of violence.  Latvia asked whether the Special Rapporteur had found regional factors that could undermine the aspiration to protect victims.  Tajikistan described national efforts to improve the situation of women, including in terms of access to justice and protection of victims.  Tajikistan had also undertaken efforts to prevent young people from taking drugs.  Poland said it had recently ratified the Istanbul Convention, which recognized that the eradication of violence against women and the achievement of gender equality were closely interlinked.  Poland asked for the Special Rapporteur’s opinion on the influence of human rights education at school on women’s empowerment.  Argentina welcomed the Special Rapporteur’s focus on regional mechanisms to combat violence against women, and asked her opinion on Inter-American mechanisms.  Argentina underlined the importance of the collection of data on violence against women, including domestic violence. 

France said that the number of internally displaced persons had reached a record high, including in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine, and called on States to protect internally displaced persons within borders.  The priority in the elimination of violence against women should be on the effective implementation of the existing international instruments, including the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Istanbul Convention.  Namibia remained seriously concerned about violence against women and gender-based violence and said that its approach to address the phenomenon involved all stakeholders.  The National Gender Policy aimed to reduce violence and increase protection for women and girls, while two laws criminalized violence against women.  Mali said that the occupation of the part of the country by jihadists in 2012 had led to serious human rights violations, including violence and heinous crimes against women.  Mali was committed to investigating those crimes in line with international standards and provisions and bringing the perpetrators to justice.  Albania was deeply concerned about violence against women in conflict and said that patriarchal structures of societies must be addressed in the quest to eliminate violence against women and girls.  The post-2015 development agenda was an opportunity to address the situation of internally displaced persons, particularly in the search for durable solutions.

International Committee of the Red Cross agreed that internally displaced persons should be included among those who benefitted from the Sustainable Development Goals.  Responding to humanitarian challenges in conflicts was the best way to prevent the reversal of years of development efforts.  States had to bear the primary responsibility for implementing a holistic response to the needs of victims of sexual violence, which constituted a medical emergency.  South Africa said that the promotion of gender equality was the central part of its quest for a society based on equal enjoyment of all human rights, freedoms and life opportunities, including the empowerment of women.  However, violence against women had not disappeared and a fundamental transformation of social attitudes and mind sets would be required to eliminate the problem.  Ecuador stated that Ecuador was the country with the highest number of refugees in the region, with 60,000 registered refugees at the end of 2014.  The Government was dedicated to settling refugees in other countries, but also to naturalizing them and providing them with access to basic rights.  Democratic Republic of the Congo said States had the responsibility to protect the rights of displaced persons.  Women were particularly disadvantaged among the displaced population in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, suffering expulsion and violence.  The Government was fostering better conditions for the lives of women through various programmes and actions, such as the 2014 campaign “Zero Tolerance towards Sexual Violence against Women.”

Morocco shared the view of the Special Rapporteur on the need to incorporate internal displacement in the 2015 development agenda, and insisted on the importance of development in preventing conflicts.  Regarding violence against women, Morocco said it was important to identify the shortcomings in prevention and victims’ protection, and explained that Morocco had established a national observatory on the issue of violence against women.  Rwanda agreed with the view that addressing internal displacement should be viewed as a development issue and included in the post-2015 development agenda.  Rwanda had established laws and policies to combat violence against women, and supported the establishment of a new international convention dealing with this issue.  Burkina Faso expressed concerns about violence against women and stressed the importance of combatting the root causes of this phenomenon, including combatting negative stereotypes and strengthening legal frameworks.  Nigeria was worried about the neglect that internally displaced persons continued to suffer due to the lack of adequate funds to cater for their needs, and underlined the importance of conflict prevention.  Nigeria had a large number of internally displaced persons as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency, and was committed to strengthen their protection with the support of donor countries. 

China said that the international community should strengthen cooperation in an effort to address the root causes of violence against women and provide victims with protection and access to justice.  The causes of displacement were highly complex, said China and called on all Governments to address the root causes and take holistic measures to eliminate causes of displacement.  State of Palestine said that since its birth, Israel had forcibly displaced Palestinians from their homeland, and persisted in its policies of occupation, colonization and apartheid.  More than 750,000 had been displaced during the “Nakba”, the tragedy in 1948, and more than 100,000 people in Gaza remained displaced following destruction of their homes during previous Israeli aggressions.  Egypt acknowledged the valuable contribution of regional mechanisms towards reinforcing international human rights law and in particular to the elimination of violence against women, especially as they effectively captured particular challenges faced by specific regions.  The phenomenon of displacement affected a diverse multitude of human rights and Egypt agreed that it should be viewed as a development challenge rather than a humanitarian emergency.  Colombia condemned all forms of violence against women, including in conflicts and at home.  The role of the international community should focus on building national capacities and Colombia was ready to share its national experiences in this regard.

Tunisia thanked the Special Rapporteur for her analysis of the mechanisms for the protection of women against violence.  Tunisia recognized that violence against women in itself was a human rights violation and the Government had therefore embarked on a dynamic implementation of a national strategy in that regard.  All legislation would remove any discriminatory provisions.  Burundi said that gender-based violence had been very apparent during the conflict in the country.  However, thanks to the involvement of civil society and the Government’s efforts, it was declining.  The Government had established focal points to deal with gender-based violence.  The establishment of the National Forum for Women had also contributed to the positive trend.  Cuba said that legally binding mechanisms to deal with violence against women needed to be revisited by all States and Cuba would participate in the relevant talks.  Consideration of the multifaceted nature of the displacement problem and its root causes would make it possible to reduce the number of affected people.  Angola stated that human rights were universal and interdependent and thus international and regional mechanisms had to play a major role in fighting violence against women.  Technical cooperation and capacity building were welcome in that respect.  Angola had embarked on a process to combat inequality between men and women through income generating activities and other development actions.

Mozambique said it attached great importance to the protection of internally displaced persons, and agreed that their situation had to be addressed in order to achieve the development goals.  Mozambique also agreed that humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons was vital, but had to be accompanied with development policies.  The prevention of conflict remained the priority.  Iraq said the number of internally displaced persons had reached three million in Iraq, and that their situation remained a priority.  Iraq provided protection, humanitarian assistance and free healthcare to internally displaced persons.  Iraq pointed at ISIS’ horrendous abuses against women and girls.  Algeria said the problem of internally displaced persons required a sustainable solution based on the prevention of its root causes, including conflict and climate change.  Algeria had recently adopted a law making all types of violence against women a crime, including economic violence.  Iceland said violence against women continued to be widespread everywhere, and insisted on the need for prevention and education policies, as well as on the importance of including men and boys in the solutions.  Iceland asked how an international binding instrument on violence against women would reinforce the already existing framework. 
  
Honduras agreed that internal displacement deserved a development based approach.  It was a global crisis that needed to be tackled urgently.  It also had especially adverse effects on women and children.  Armenia regretted that the Special Rapporteur did not recognize in his report that the return of persons from the Nagorno-Karabakh region was regulated by the Minsk process.  Hope was expressed that Azerbaijan would respect its international commitments.  Armenia advised the Special Rapporteur to be more careful  when dealing with the sensitive questions of the conflict.  Benin stated that the post-2015 development agenda was an opportunity to better address gender equality and thus also deal with violence against women.  Benin reiterated its commitment to gender equality and urged the international community to promote and protect women and their rights.  Viet Nam said that strong political will and resources were needed to combat violence against women, especially domestic violence.  Viet Nam had adopted national legislation to that end, as well as supporting policies and programmes.  The country played an important role in establishing the sub-regional norms in that domain.

Côte d’Ivoire welcomed the Special Rapporteur’s idea to discuss a legally binding framework to fight violence against women, and supported the holding of workshops to share views and good practices.  Côte d’Ivoire agreed that sustainable solutions were needed to address the vulnerability of internally displaced persons.  El Salvador had a national legislative framework fully recognizing the rights of women as well as gender-based crimes.  El Salvador had taken important steps to assist women with all discrimination and other problems they may experience, and was seeking to increase women’s representation and independence.  Djibouti called upon the international community to promptly deliver humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons to fully access their entitlements pursuant to what was prescribed under the provisions of international humanitarian law. 
Panama recognized the urgent need for the implementation of the rights of women and the creation of the necessary conditions for them to enjoy their rights.  Panama said systematic violence during armed conflict and femicide required a strong response from the international community, as well as actions to ensure accountability and protection of victims. 

Republic of Congo said that the position of women in the country had improved, especially with respect to obtaining jobs.  However, obstacles still remained in exercising their rights.  Between 2012 and 2014, the Government had organized a zero tolerance policy towards gender-based violence in the country.  Training sessions were held for those who provided support to victims of gender-based violence.  Japan said that the Japanese Prime Minister had addressed the issue of the so-called comfort women during the Second World War and expressed regret.  The twenty-first century should be a century free of human rights violations.  Accordingly, in 2014, the Japanese Prime Minister had promised to take the lead in eliminating sexual violence in conflict.  In 2015, Japan had donated $ 2.5 million to that end. 

Indian Law Resource Centre, in a joint statement, noted that women and girls suffered from multiple forms of discrimination.  Violence against indigenous women was a global phenomenon.  Indigenous women in Alaska suffered from the highest violence rate in the Americas.  Centre for Reproductive Rights noted that Honduras was one of the most violent countries in the world, with particularly high rates of sexual violence.  Impunity for sexual violence in all countries in the world was the norm.  States’ failure to integrate the full range of reproductive health services into domestic violence programmes further undermined women’s ability to break the cycle of abuse. 

Action Canada for Population and Development and the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, speaking in a joint statement, said a root cause of violence against women was the control of women and girls’ sexualities and bodies by State and non-State actors, including families.  Action Canada asked the Special Rapporteur how States could implement the principle of due diligence to ensure women and girls’ freedoms.  International Lesbian and Gay Association highlighted the many forms of discrimination suffered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex women in terms of sexual violence as well as in employment and migration.  It called on States to repeal all laws, including State-enforced religious laws, which supported the patriarchal suppression of women both in families and the community at large.  Lutheran World Federation, speaking in a joint statement, said that despite having different religious traditions, most people shared a common vision to protect all women and girls from gender-related violence.  Religions and beliefs could work to tackle such violence, for example many faith leaders were speaking out to denounce gender-based violence and the use of religious teachings to justify it.  Organization pour la Communication en Afrique et de Promotion de la Cooperation Economique Internationale – OCAPROCE Internatonale drew the Council’s attention to the plight of women in Morocco who endured the abduction of their children.  The children were then deported to another country to be brought up by others, where they endured sexual exploitation and forced procreation as part of an inhumane policy to increase the population. 

Association for Progressive Communications said that technology-related violence against women was a growing concern and a manifestation of gender-based discrimination.  The development of effective responses to online violence was not sufficient, and should include monitoring and prevention and be part of a strategy to protect human rights online. 
International Federation for Human Rights Leagues shared the Special Rapporteur’s call for transformative change and said that laws criminalizing abortion were violent and must be abolished immediately.  In Egypt, there had been a surge in sexual violence perpetuated by security forces since 2009.  Social Service Agency of the Protestant Church in Germany spoke about violence against women in India, particularly in the areas under the rule of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958, where 620 women had experienced crimes against them since 2012.  Only a few perpetrators had been punished, while the large majority enjoyed impunity based on the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.  International Humanist and Ethical Union said that sanctioning of abortions in cases where pregnancy posed a risk to the life or health of the mother drove women to illegal abortions, and reminded the Council that in Africa alone, four million women underwent illegal abortion.

Sudwind regretted the lack of a United Nations monitoring instrument on violence against women and girls.  That concern was especially growing due to the violence against women and girls in conflict areas, which had a very negative impact on the situation of women.  There was a long way to go to eliminate violence against women.  Khiam Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture said that violence against women in Bahrain was well documented.  Women acquired a bigger share of leadership in civil society organizations in Bahrain and in public protests.   However, they were injured in public assaults during public protests and were threatened with torture and rape.  Human Rights Now said it was gravely concerned about the mistreatment of women in many regions of the world, as well as over impunity for sexual violence against women.  The international community should take concrete steps to eliminate discriminatory legal practices.  Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy noted that violence against women in India was rooted in social norms and economic dependence.  Discriminatory practices were underlined by laws favouring men.  Although female participation in public was increasing, more needed to be done to make Indian women equal citizens in their own country.  World Barua Organization spoke about the situation in the north-eastern parts of India where women were subjected to violence and rape by police and paramilitary forces; these practices were used as tools to intimidate the local populace.  The women victims complained of a selective justice system which never delivered for them.

Concluding Remarks

RASHIDA MANJOO, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, appreciated the openness of States and non-governmental organizations in their engagement with her report.  She welcomed the input of national human rights institutions and in particular the use of video technology that allowed an institution in Afghanistan to take part in the meeting.  On whether a new treaty on violence against women was needed or if it was more useful to focus on implementing existing treaties, the Special Rapporteur said that specificity was clearly important, as evidenced by the fact that there were 10 international human rights treaties with 10 treaty bodies in place to monitor their implementation.  Violence against women was the most pervasive human rights violation, said the Special Rapporteur, calling for a move from just  acknowledging that fact to a focus on specificity and specialization in tackling it.  The Special Rapporteur said she could envisage a comprehensive and binding instrument that addressed violence against women in all four spheres of her mandate.  She also regretted the lack of political will to create a stand-alone development goal which addressed violence against women and girls.  In conclusion, the Special Rapporteur thanked all stakeholders for their support over the six years of her mandate, which she said had been a privilege and an honour.

CHALOKA BEYANI, Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, thanked the delegations that had expressed support for the inclusion of internally displaced persons in the Sustainable Development Goals.  The major focal point on internally displaced persons was his mandate, Mr. Beyani said, noting that it was a struggle to cope with the increased numbers and reduced resources; there was a need to revisit the protection framework within the United Nations and involve all of the United Nations in this matter.  The Special Rapporteur called upon States which had expressed support for the inclusion of internally displaced persons in the post-2015 development agenda to send open letters to the Sustainable Development Goals Secretariat.  Good examples of disaggregated data existed in Serbia and Georgia, while Sri Lanka was working on such a project.  Answering the question of Switzerland concerning labour markets and livelihoods, the Special Rapporteur stressed the importance of imparting skills to internally displaced persons and creating special projects relating to their employment.  The inclusion of internally displaced persons and their participation in the implementation of development plans was critical, and coordination between States, local authorities and displaced persons leadership was necessary.  In terms of monitoring of internally displaced persons situations, follow-up visits were critical as was the engagement with national human rights institutions, civil society and the United Nations in relevant countries.  The effective protection of internally displaced persons supported the institution of asylum and it was important to say that they were mutually reinforcing.  The Special Rapporteur expressed concern about the situation in the State of Palestine and because dark clouds were gathering above Burundi, this country should take preventive measures with regard to internal displacement.

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