V. Situation of Caste-Affected Women and Girls
95. Caste is one of the factors that result in multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination against certain groups of women.93 Women and girls from low castes are particularly vulnerable to violation and denial of their rights in both public and private life.
96. They are often the victims of caste-based violence, particularly sexual violence.94 A study95 identified 12 major forms of violence against Dalit women: nine in the community (physical assault, verbal abuse, sexual harassment and assault, rape, sexual exploitation, forced prostitution, kidnapping or abduction, forced incarceration and medical negligence), and three within the family (female feticide and infanticide, child sexual abuse and domestic violence).
97. Available data indicate that caste-based violence against women and girls, in particular sexual violence, may be increasing. Violence and the threat of violence are frequently hidden and go unreported in villages and rural areas, forming a culture of invisibility, silence and impunity which, in many instances, places the burden of shame on victims instead of perpetrators.
98. Women from disadvantaged caste groups are also the main victims of trafficking,96 and are especially vulnerable to early and/or forced marriage,97 bonded labour98 and harmful cultural practices. Accusations of witchcraft are sometimes made to deprive Dalit women of their basic economic and social rights, including access to land and their assets.99
99. Atrocities against women from marginalized castes are often committed when they try to assert their rights and challenge caste and gender norms.100 Perpetrators include dominant caste landlords, police officers, doctors and teachers, with the “punishment” both being expressive of caste outrage and intended to teach the woman and her community a lesson.101
100. Dalit women face obstacles in accessing formal justice systems. These include the refusal by police officers to register criminal complaints or delays in filing complaints, lack of proper investigation into complaints of violence and ill-treatment, and insensitivity by law enforcement officials.102
101. Women from caste-affected communities, particularly in rural areas, are often excluded from political processes and relegated to secondary or subordinate roles in decision-making. It is reported that rural Dalit women holding seats in the local panchayat A/HRC/31/56
102. Outside South Asia, information on caste-affected women and girls is scarce. In Japan, a survey by the Buraku Liberation League revealed that Buraku women experienced discrimination in a wide range of areas, including marriage, employment and health care, and approximately 30 per cent had suffered from sexual violence.104 In Mauritania, Haratine women are reported to be at greater risk of violence, in both the public and private spheres, and to suffer from high levels of sexual violence, including rape and marital rape, domestic violence and sexual assault.105
103. Human rights violations against women and girls because of their caste status also include extremely disadvantaged social and economic conditions that have a direct impact on the enjoyment of their economic, social and cultural rights. Women and girls from lower castes have lower literacy levels and are more likely to be prevented from pursuing education. Many perform dangerous and unprotected work, including manual scavenging, and receive lower salaries. Many also have no or limited access to public services, including health care, as well as to government schemes and entitlements, and are de facto prohibited from owning land.106
REPORT OF UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON MINORITY ISSUES
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Извор: WUNRN – 23.04.2016
