A/HRC/39/37 I. Violence against indigenous women and girls 87. During the reporting period, indigenous women and girls in many countries continued to face violence and multiple forms of intersecting discrimination impeding their full and equal enjoyment of all human rights. 88. The OHCHR office in Guatemala registered cases of violence against indigenous women and girls in the context of forced evictions — such as in the case of the forcibly evicted Chabilchoch community in Izabal department — including allegations of excessive use of force by the police. 89. The Human Rights Committee and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concerns about the lack of national mechanisms to address intersectional discrimination and violence. The Human Rights Committee recommended the strengthening of existing preventive measures 41 with mechanisms that specifically report cases of violence against indigenous women. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women noted a number of issues of violence related to indigenous women, in particular, such as obstetric violence in connection with childbirth services, 42 insufficient capacity of law enforcement officials to investigate and prosecute cases of gender-based violence,43 sexual violence,44 and lack of information about legal remedies for gender-based violence.45 The same Committee also pointed out the issue of intersectional discrimination against women and against indigenous people.46 90. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women recommended the dissemination of information about legal remedies available to indigenous women who have suffered gender-based violence, and systematic training for the judiciary and law enforcement officers on the rights of indigenous women. 47 The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recommended the implementation of measures to combat domestic violence against women, including indigenous women, 48 especially as domestic violence may result in homelessness. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights also recommended the development of national housing strategies, with adequate funding. 49 The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities added a recommendation to include women and girls in policies regarding violence against indigenous people and people with disabilities, in order to ensure their intersectional protection.50 91. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has adopted its general comment No. 6 (2018) on equality and non-discrimination, which provides details on intersectional discrimination.51 In paragraph 29 (c) of its general recommendation No. 35 (2017) on gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women calls upon States parties to repeal, including in customary, religious and indigenous laws, all legal provisions that are discriminatory against women and thereby enshrine, encourage, facilitate, justify or tolerate any form of gender-based violence. 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 14 See CCPR/C/AUS/CO/6, para. 22. See CEDAW/C/CRI/CO/7, para. 30. See CEDAW/C/GTM/CO/8-9, para. 12. See CEDAW/C/NOR/CO/9, para. 25. See CEDAW/C/CHL/CO/7, para. 15. See CEDAW/C/GTM/CO/8-9, para. 15. See CEDAW/C/CHL/CO/7, para. 15. See E/C.12/AUS/CO/5, para. 34. Ibid., para. 42. See CRPD/C/PAN/CO/1, para. 17. See para. 19.