Country visits to India by UN Special Procedures

The following mission reports have been been prepared by Special Rapporteurs after their country visits to India (on invitation by the government):

SR on the situation of human rights defenders, January 2011: In a statement concluding her January visit to India, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, raised particular concern for the situation of Dalit human rights defenders and noted widespread deficiencies in implementation of laws to protect human rights defenders. Read the Special Rapporteur's statement and IDSN's news piece about the visit here.

SR on freedom of religion and belief, March 2008: Report (A/HRC/10/8/Add.3). The Special Rapporteur expresses concern about the eruption of communal violence in the states of Orissa and Gujarat, and appeals to the authorities to step up efforts to prevent communal violence and sanction impunity of communalized police forces at the state level.

SR on right to health, Nov-Dec 2007: Final report (A/HRC/14/20/Add.2) and preliminary report (A/HRC/7/11/Add.4). The mission focused on the issue of maternal mortality with a view to understanding the steps taken by India to reduce this phenomenon. The final report notes that disadvantaged groups, including ‘Scheduled Castes’ also known as Dalits, suffer from lack of access to health care, but also commends the Government of India for taking its commitment and obligationsto enhance access for all seriously (para. 36).

SR on the right to food, August 2005: Report (E/CN.4/2006/44/Add.2). The report contains several references to the link between caste-based discrimination and chronic undernourishment, malnutrition and starvation deaths in India.

Requests for country visits to India by UN Special Rapporteurs

These Special Rapporteurs have requested a country visit to India, but the Government has not yet replied to the following requests (as per April 2011):

SR on racism (R in 2006, follow-up R in Sep 2008)
SR on adequate housing (R in 2008)
SR on indigenous people (R in 2008)
IE on water and sanitation (R in Jan 2009)
SR on torture (R in 1993, 2007, 2010)
(R in 2011) SR on independence of judges and lawyers
SR on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions (R in 2000, follow-up R in 2005 and 2006) (Reminder in 2008)
SR on sale of children (R in 2004, Reminder in July 2008)
WG on Enforced or Involuntary disappearances (R in 2005)
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (R in 2004, renewed in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009)

> Read UN treaty body recommendations on caste discrimination in India