Summary

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Mr. Nils Muižnieks, examines the situation of human rights in Belarus in the areas of labour and employment. Rather than offering a comprehensive overview of the subject, the Special Rapporteur examines several aspects, focusing on discrimination, forced and compulsory labour, and the right to form and join trade unions. In addition to highlighting long-term, deeply rooted problems, the Special Rapporteur shows how the ongoing large-scale crackdown on civil and political rights since the presidential elections of 2020 has led to multiple violations of economic and social rights in the areas of employment and labour. The Special Rapporteur concludes that Belarus engages in a systematic practice of violating human rights in labour and employment.