The South Asia Collective‘s latest report underscores the troubling lack of engagement by South Asian states with international human rights mechanisms, contributing to widespread abuses against minorities and indigenous peoples.
According to the report, countries across the region—including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—are failing to adequately protect these vulnerable populations, in part due to their failure to sign or ratify critical international human rights agreements and the weak implementation of existing commitments.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s rise to power has led to the dismantling of human rights protections, leaving minorities like Hazaras, Sikhs, and Tajiks vulnerable to severe rights violations amidst an ongoing humanitarian crisis.
India, despite ratifying some key human rights treaties, has not allowed UN human rights officials to visit since 2017, exacerbating the plight of its minorities through extrajudicial killings, discrimination, and state repression.
Pakistan’s poor engagement with international mechanisms has contributed to the persecution of religious minorities.
In Bangladesh, while the government is party to multiple international treaties, it has failed to pass domestic laws that address minority rights, leaving religious minorities vulnerable to violence.
Nepal promises protection and representation for minorities in law, but these promises are often unfulfilled, with Dalits and other marginalized groups continuing to experience poverty and discrimination.
In Sri Lanka, although there is a better track record on engaging with UN mechanisms, discriminatory legislation continues to marginalize Muslim and Tamil communities.
The report calls for greater commitment from South Asian governments to fulfill their international obligations, recommending stronger legal frameworks, better protection mechanisms for minorities, and increased international cooperation to hold states accountable. Without these changes, the rights of marginalized groups in the region will remain at severe risk.
South Asia Politics 