Global Report on status of Communities Discriminated On Work And Descent- 2024
The Global Report on the Status of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD) was released by the Special Rapporteur on Minority Rights on November 28 during Forum on Minority Rights. The report emphasizes the importance of dismantling the purity-pollution paradigm and fostering inclusive societies.
Earlier, a copy of global report was also handed over to High Commission of Human Rights.
The report serves as a pivotal resource for understanding systemic discrimination globally. This report, compiled by the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD), sheds light on the social, economic, and political challenges faced by these marginalized groups. CDWD encompasses communities such as the Dalits in South Asia, Burakumin in Japan, Roma in Europe, Hratin in Africa and Quilombolas in Brazil.
These communities, making up approximately 270 million, ie. four percent of the global population, endure systemic alienation and modern slavery rooted in work and descent.
The report underscores the persistence of discrimination linked to social stratification and purity-pollution principles. Historically, these communities have been stigmatized as “impure” or “polluted” due to their assigned roles in society, which include menial or undesirable labor such as sanitation work, leather tanning, and manual scavenging.
“From the gender viewpoint, the CDWD women have low political representation, even in countries with proportionate representation. Compared to men, CDWD women's political representation in India is 1(women): 8 (men). Roma women are discriminated against in patriarchal communities and exposed to mainstream discrimination and abuse. They have a no voice, lack political representation and public participation, and are sidelined and downsized by mainstream women's organizations. While the main challenge of CDWD women is seen initially in the absence of their livelihood needs spelled out clearly in policy documents, their political education in this regard becomes critical,” the report says.
Such occupational discrimination, inherited over generations, has confined these groups to low social hierarchies and restricted their access to fundamental rights, education, and employment.
A critical dimension of CDWD is its distinctiveness from other marginalized identities, such as racial or ethnic minorities. While racism often hinges on visible traits like skin color, CDWD discrimination is rooted in caste-like structures and occupational heritage. Furthermore, while indigenous groups are defined by their connection to ancestral territories, CDWD communities are primarily identified by their lineage and the societal expectations of their work. This distinction necessitates unique approaches in addressing the challenges they face.
The CDWD experience is marked by shared struggles across regions, such as spatial segregation and enforced endogamy. For instance, Dalit communities in South Asia are often relegated to settlements prone to natural calamities or located far from essential services. Similarly, Roma communities in Europe are confined to suburban slums with inadequate access to basic amenities. Forced endogamy ensures these communities remain socially isolated, perpetuating cycles of exclusion. This isolation is exacerbated by systemic barriers to social mobility, evident in practices such as untouchability, where CDWD individuals face ostracism in public and private spaces.
The intersection of CDWD identities with modern forms of slavery is particularly alarming. In regions like Africa and Latin America, descendants of slaves continue to experience systemic exclusion and are often trapped in exploitative labor arrangements. In South Asia, CDWD groups account for a significant proportion of modern slavery and child labor. The lack of equitable access to resources and opportunities further entrenches these injustices.
Despite constitutional guarantees of equality in many countries, the practical implementation of laws protecting CDWD communities remains inadequate. Policies addressing slavery and discrimination often fail to reach these groups due to entrenched socio-cultural biases. Consequently, CDWD communities remain marginalized across key development indicators, such as education, healthcare, and housing.
To address these disparities, the report advocates for the formal recognition of CDWD discrimination at national and international levels. It calls for targeted constitutional, legislative, and administrative measures to eliminate such discrimination and ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities. Recommendations include robust data collection, inclusive policy making, and the establishment of working groups to study and address CDWD issues across regions.
By challenging entrenched biases and ensuring the implementation of equitable policies, the global community can work towards empowering CDWD groups and achieving sustainable development goals. This comprehensive approach requires collaboration among governments, international organizations, and civil society to dismantle barriers and promote the rights and dignity of CDWD communities globally.