UN says North Korean women suffer bias, harassment

GENEVA: North Korean women are deprived of education and job opportunities and are often subjected to violence at home and sexual assault in the workplace, a United Nations human rights panel said on Monday.

After a regular review of Pyongyang’s record, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women voiced concern at rape or mistreatment of women in detention especially those repatriated after fleeing abroad.

North Korean women are “underrepresented or disadvantaged” in tertiary education, the judiciary, security and police forces and leadership and managerial positions “in all non-traditional areas of work”, the panel of experts said.

Domestic violence is prevalent and there is “very limited awareness” about the issue and a lack of legal services, psycho-social support and shelters available to victims, it said.

North Korea told the panel on November 8 that it was working to uphold women’s rights and gender equality but that sanctions imposed by major powers over its nuclear and missile programmes were taking a toll on vulnerable mothers and children.

The panel sanctions had a impact on women.

North Korean women suffer “high levels of malnutrition”, with 28 per cent of pregnant or lactating women affected, it said. said economic disproportionate