By Emily Palomo
NEW YORK - North Korea is one of the most repressive countries in the world and it only got worse with the Covid-19 pandemic.
A new United Nations report on the rights of women and girls in North Korea documents, in devastating detail, how prolonged Covid-19 border restrictions have pushed an already vulnerable population to the brink.
The UN special rapporteur notes that North Korean authorities subject women in detention to inhumane conditions that include torture, forced labor, sexual violence, and deprivation of food. On top of that, the stigma and victim-blaming associated with sexual violence and harassment often prevent survivors from getting justice.
The report also flags possible increased domestic violence linked to the pandemic and resulting economic pressures.
Women are the main breadwinners in North Korea, and so abuses against them are not only horrific in themselves but can also have serious impact on families’ livelihoods more broadly.
North Korean authorities do not even treat gender-based violence as a serious crime. Clearly, they should.
