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Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

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Group 2 – Discriminati<strong>on</strong><br />

Case – a lesbian couple, with <strong>on</strong>e s<strong>on</strong>, was renting a house in Fiji. Three m<strong>on</strong>ths before <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir lease<br />

was due to end, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y received an evicti<strong>on</strong> notice from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> landlord saying that he was making<br />

renovati<strong>on</strong>s. They are a low-income couple, and sell food for an income (i.e. informal work). Prior to<br />

leaving, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> neighbours told <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> landlord had removed <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m because <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y had been identified<br />

as a lesbian couple. The couple were physically split up, each having to go back to live with her respective<br />

family. It has taken a c<strong>on</strong>siderable amount <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> time to locate a replacement home.<br />

Element<br />

Sources<br />

Overriding<br />

Principles<br />

Guarantee<br />

Causes<br />

Victims and<br />

vulnerability<br />

Impact and<br />

c<strong>on</strong>sequences<br />

Security <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> tenure and freedom from dispossessi<strong>on</strong><br />

CEDAW, ICESCR, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Fiji C<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>.<br />

More research needs to be d<strong>on</strong>e to see if BPFA, ICCPR, and CERD<br />

would also serve as relevant sources<br />

– Right to self-determinati<strong>on</strong><br />

– N<strong>on</strong>-discriminati<strong>on</strong><br />

– Gender equality<br />

– Rule <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> law (i.e. <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> law operates equitably for every<strong>on</strong>e - is this<br />

occurring for all women in practice)<br />

– N<strong>on</strong>-retrogressi<strong>on</strong> (if, as part <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> reforms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> penal code, lesbian<br />

rights were to be removed or abridged, such a step would c<strong>on</strong>stitute a<br />

clear retrogressi<strong>on</strong>)<br />

Fiji C<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>, Fiji has ratified CEDAW<br />

– The penal code is not c<strong>on</strong>sistent with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Fiji C<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

extent that it discriminates against LGBT<br />

– The Vanua have traditi<strong>on</strong>al ideas about “adulthood” and unmarried<br />

couples, because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> which <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y do not recognise same sex<br />

relati<strong>on</strong>ships or <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> adult status <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> unmarried individuals.<br />

– Discriminati<strong>on</strong>/homophobia in instituti<strong>on</strong>s and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> community<br />

– Self-censure - If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is a problem with evicti<strong>on</strong> or social welfare,<br />

LGBT are unlikely to object out <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> fear <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> threats, verbal abuse, and/or<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> targeting <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir families for harassment. As a result LGBT start to<br />

censure and silence <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>mselves<br />

– Difficult to obtain evidence to support court cases<br />

– The two women are <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> victims. Their vulnerability tends to be<br />

compounded as a result <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> intersecting sources <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> discriminati<strong>on</strong><br />

brought <strong>on</strong> by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir being at <strong>on</strong>ce women, indigenous and lesbian. In<br />

additi<strong>on</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y are <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> meagre financial means and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore lack<br />

resources for overcoming <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir adversities<br />

– Their s<strong>on</strong> is also vulnerable<br />

– Material cost to victims - no home <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir own; no shared residence<br />

with partner <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> choice; relocati<strong>on</strong> costs; time spent looking for<br />

accommodati<strong>on</strong> detracts from earning potential/time that would be<br />

spend earning income<br />

126 WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO ADEQUATE HOUSEING AND LAND

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