1st UPR session: India questioned on caste discrimination by more than 20 states (March 2008)

On 10 April 2008, the human rights situation of India was scrutinised by the UN Human Rights Council under the newly established Universal Periodic Review procedure in the 1st UPR session. India was among the first countries up for review. A number of countries raised concerns over the human rights situation of Dalits and other marginalised groups, including specific questions on the compliance with recommendations of the CERD to India. A summary of the discussions from the interactive dialogue can be seen in the report of the working group published on 15 April.

The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR), the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) and the International Movement against All Forms of Racism and Discrimination (IMADR) appeal to the Indian Government to move away from a state of denial of the scale and seriousness of caste-based discrimination. Instead they should seek constructive solutions with the assistance of the international community.

Read the full press statement here

Read the report of the working group on India

2nd UPR session: Historic references to caste discrimination in Pakistan and Sri Lanka (May 2008)

In the 2nd session in May 2008, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Japan were reviewed. In the Pakistan review, many states expressed concern about discrimination against minorities. More specifically, three states (Denmark, Belgium and Luzembourg) raised the issue of caste-based discrimination. In response to these questions, the delegation denied the existence of caste-based discrimination and said that there were no Dalits in Pakistan. In the Sri Lanka review, Denmark asked the delegation what the Government has done to combat caste-based discrimination. Unfortunately, the delegation did not respond to this question in the debate. In the review of Japan, many states were concerned about discrimination against minorities but discrimination against the Burakumin, which is a form of discrimination based on work and descent, was not explicitly referred to in the debate.

UPR reports related to the review of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

INDIA:

• Download the joint NGO submission by NCDHR, IDSN, IMADR and LWF including Annex 1 (List of references) and Annex 2 (Explanatory note on the sitution of Dalits in India) for the first UPR session in April 2008.
• Download the India National Consultation for Preparation of Stakeholders Report, endorsed by over 200 NGOs and activists from India
• Dowload the UPR submission for India by the Asian Legal Resource Centre

PAKISTAN:

• Download the UPR submission on caste-based discrimination in Pakistan submitted by Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP), Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), and IDSN for the second UPR session in May 2008.

• Download the list of main recommendations and questions for the UPR review of Pakistan in May 2008

SRI LANKA:

• Download the UPR submission on caste-based discrimination in Sri Lanka submitted by Human Development Organisation (HDO) and IMADR Asia Committee in Sri Lanka in association with IDSN for the second UPR session in May 2008.

References to caste-based discrimination in stakeholders' reports summarized by the OHCHR

The OHCHR has prepared a summary of other stakeholders' information (NGOs), and the reports on India, Pakistan, Japan and Sri Lanka all take up the issue of caste-based discrimination, which show the result of the network's efforts to consistently raise this issue as part of this new mechanism. Click here to see an overview of references to caste-based discrimination in the final stakeholders' reports prepared by the OHCHR for the 1st and 2nd UPR sessions.

Background information

The UPR mechanism is a new innovation in the UN human rights system, under which each UN member state will be reviewed periodically - at this stage every 4 years - on its human rights record. 48 countries will be reviewed each year, starting in 2008. In September the Human Rights Council (HRC) selected the order of review of countries for the first cycle of four years for the UPR mechanism. The review will be carried out by a working group composed of members of the HRC that will meet three times per year for two weeks and will be facilitated by groups of three States members of the HRC which will act as Rapporteurs (or “troikas”) appointed by the HRC. Here you can find a complete list of the selected countries to be reviewed in 2009-2011.

An overview of some of the relevant caste-affected countries scheduled for the sessions is displayed below in chronological order. 

There will be three types of documents on which basis the UPR will be conducted:

1. Information prepared by the State concerned - a national report - in a document of not more than 20 pages. The reports prepared in relation to the 1st and 2nd UPR session by states, the OHCHR and civil society organisations according to session/country on the official UPR website.
2. A compilation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of information contained in the reports of treaty bodies, special procedures, and other relevant UN documents, not exceeding 10 pages.
3. A summary prepared by OHCHR of "additional credible and reliable information" received from "other relevant stakeholders" (which would include National Human Rights Institutions as well as NGOs and civil society organizations), not exceeding 10 pages. The deadline for submission of reports for the 1st UPR session is 30 October 2007.

Information for NGOs

Read the suggested guidelines for NGOs published by the OHCHR

Click here to read the information note for NGOs regarding the UPR process, including the guidelines for written submissions.