Pakistan facing review on racial discrimination

Pakistan to face review by UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Al-Bab Report

GENEVA (11 August 2016) – Pakistan’s record on tackling racial discrimination will face scrutiny by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on 16 and 17 August. Pakistan is one of the 177 States that have ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and so is reviewed regularly by the Committee of 18 international independent experts.  

Among the possible issues for discussion between CERD members and a delegation from the Pakistani Government are:

• Measures to ensure all people enjoy right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion without discrimination based on race, colour, descent or ethnic origin;
• Protection of human rights defenders, particularly those working on racial discrimination issues;
• Steps to address abuse of blasphemy laws against religious and ethnic minorities;
• Investigation and prosecution of violence in Baluchistan;
• Measures to ensure members of ethnic minorities not adversely affected by anti-terrorism laws;
• Measures to abolish bonded labour;
• Legislation to prohibit caste-based discrimination, steps to address poor living conditions of Dalits;
• Situation of indigenous peoples.