A/HRC/10/62
page 20
Annex II
EXCERPTS FROM THE PRELIMINARY WORKING PAPER ON
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LEPROSY VICTIMS AND THEIR
FAMILIES, BY PROF. YOZO YOKOTAa
Principles
(a) Leprosy is curable and the medication is available free of charge. Leprosy is not
hereditary nor easily transmittable.
(b) It is therefore wrong to adopt a policy to hospitalize, to segregate or to deprive of the
basic freedoms of leprosy patients and their families against their will and by force.
(c) Any law, policy or custom to forcefully intern leprosy patients and their families
should be abolished immediately.
(d) Any law, policy or custom to discriminate against leprosy affected persons, directly
or indirectly, should be abolished as soon as possible.
(e) Leprosy affected persons should be treated as persons with dignity and are entitled to
all basic human rights and fundamental freedoms laid down in customary international law,
relevant conventions, and national constitutions and laws.
(f) The victims of forceful segregation and hospitalization as well as of other forms of
violations of human rights should be entitled to appropriate compensation, rehabilitation and
other remedies.
(g) The practice of discrimination against leprosy affected persons, such as
discriminatory treatment in the employment, marriage, use of public places including hotels,
restaurants and means of transportation, should be stopped immediately. Any person who
commits such discriminatory behaviour should be adequately disciplined.
Guidelines
(a) Governments should abolish immediately all existing laws, policies or practices to
forcefully hospitalize or intern leprosy patients and their families.
(b) Governments should abolish at the earliest possible time all existing laws, policies or
practices to discriminate, directly or indirectly, against leprosy affected persons.
(c) Governments should conduct a full survey of the situation of leprosy as a disease and
provide every patient adequate treatment free of charge.
a
A/HRC/Sub.1/58/CRP.7.
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