E/CN.4/1999/48
page 30
Right to health
6.
D.
Training for hospital and health centre managers in receiving
persons living in extreme poverty.
Breaking of prostitution rings
1.
Special police training in breaking up prostitution rings.
2.
Ban on slavery and prostitution should be effective.
Pilot technical cooperation projects could be implemented quickly in this
area. Some of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human
Rights (UNHCHR) framework programmes could be extended to deal with specific
aspects of extremely poor groups. This would involve globalizing their aims
or implementing pilot projects, such as the project to prepare a training
manual for law-enforcement officials or that on the implementation of the
United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education. Other programmes that could
be used in this way include the one to promote national human rights
institutions in Asia and the Pacific: Training Programme on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights; and the global project to promote and protect the rights
of internally displaced persons.
110. It is also necessary to designate in each country a body of social
experts to ensure that the Government implemented international
recommendations concretely and effectively. It could be a department of the
national human rights institution, if one exists and is in operation, and
could comprise social and educational experts. It should be independent of
the Government, like the national institution itself.
VI.
WOMEN IN EXTREME POVERTY
111. Poverty hits women especially hard and leads to serious violations of
their rights. Extreme poverty can be linked with prostitution and with the
exploitation, both sexual and physical (forced labour), of young girls from
very poor backgrounds (prostitution and slavery rings). Unemployment and
illiteracy are also particular problems for women. Women prisoners'
conditions are in general an affront to their dignity. Local traditions
sometimes make birth control impossible or are demeaning to women (no access
to employment, forced marriage, very low age of marriage, no civil status for
girls, etc.).
112. In practical terms, it would be useful to set up a women's affairs
section in each police department, since women account for a large percentage
of the extremely poor and, once they begin to be criminalized, they are more
likely than men to fall victim to abuse of every kind. Similarly, police
training should include a special component on respect for women's rights.
113. The most shocking situation is without doubt that of women prisoners,
particularly those who are extremely poor. Those in prison for debt never
have the money to pay their debts or fines. One possible way of dealing with
this would be to set up reception centres run by trained staff.
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