Published on: 2026-10-26
Source: United Nations – Объединенные Нации –
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October 26, 2026 Human Rights
Political repression in Belarus, which began after the 2020 presidential elections, has exacerbated structural discrimination against women and weakened mechanisms for protecting their rights, warned a UN independent expert on Monday.
“Political repression and gender discrimination in Belarus are becoming increasingly intertwined,” stated Nils Muižnieks, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, presenting his report to the General Assembly. “The persecution of human rights defenders, civil activists, journalists, and lawyers has silenced independent voices and deprived women of necessary legal assistance, protection, and support.”
“The liquidation of independent women’s organizations has seriously undermined access to services for survivors of gender-based violence,” he continued. “Belarus will not be able to achieve genuine gender equality as long as women’s civic participation in public life is criminalized and those who defend their rights are persecuted.”
Forced exile – “often the only way out”
The report documents cases of politically motivated criminal prosecutions, arbitrary restrictions on freedom, deprivation of the right to practice law, employment restrictions, and forced exile.
“Women subjected to political persecution face long-term employment restrictions that can persist even after serving their criminal sentences, depriving them of livelihood and economic independence,” Muiznieks said. “Forced exile often becomes the only remaining option.”
The Special Rapporteur expressed concern that independent women’s voices are excluded from the policy-making process. The National Council on Gender Policy is dominated by representatives of the state and organizations affiliated with the authorities, and the elimination of independent trade unions has deprived women of independent representation and opportunities to advocate for their interests.
Structural inequality persists, including a gender pay gap of 24–28 percent, occupational segregation, and a disproportionately heavier burden on women regarding unpaid care work for loved ones.
Discrimination against sexual minorities
An expert expressed concern about Article 19.16 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, which provides for punishment for the dissemination of information perceived as propaganda of homosexual relations, gender change, and voluntary childlessness. He warned that its vague and excessively broad provisions could contribute to further legitimizing discrimination and persecution of lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex women, restricting their freedom of expression, access to information, and reproductive autonomy. This article also creates a risk of arbitrary sanctions against human rights defenders, people conducting educational events, and medical workers.
“The recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, adopted in 2025, represent a roadmap for implementing reforms. Belarus must fully comply with them, stop the repression of human rights defenders, restore an independent civil society, and strengthen protection against gender-based violence,” said Muiznieks.
An expert called on Belarus to release and rehabilitate women arbitrarily deprived of liberty for exercising their rights, to stop abusing legislation on combating extremism, to cancel discriminatory restrictions in the employment sector, and to ensure full participation of women in public life.
Muiznieks welcomed the adoption of the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s recommendations for 2026–2030, but called for its revision to include measures to eliminate structural discrimination, strengthen protection against gender-based violence, and ensure meaningful participation of independent civil society in its implementation and monitoring.
Special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine either situations in specific countries or thematic issues across all regions of the world. They are part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. The experts of the special procedures are not UN staff and are independent of any government or organization. They work in a personal capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.
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