Child Labour, Caste-Based Discrimination, Poverty Interlinked in India: UN – The Quint

Official data collected by the Forced Marriage Unit of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland suggests that a large majority of forced-marriage cases relate to Pakistan and, to a lower extent, to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Somalia.

It noted that various States have taken legislative and other measures to address inequality and discrimination experienced by minorities.

In the United States, federal contractors and subcontractors must take affirmative action to recruit and advance qualified minorities, and other initiatives including vocational training and outreach are simultaneously facilitated.

Similar measures to enhance employability among minorities have been promoted in Albania, Australia, Belgium, India, Iraq, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Trade unions also make important contributions in advocating for the rights of minorities and migrant workers.

It is “encouraging” that trade unions in Chile, Colombia, Ghana and India provide dedicated support and services for women workers.

It added that based on an independent assessment of available information, including submissions by stakeholders, independent academic research and testimonies of victims, the Special Rapporteur regards it as reasonable to conclude that forced labour among Uighur, Kazakh and other ethnic minorities in sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing has been occurring in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China.