A/HRC/7/20 page 12 32. Thirdly, there is the question of family reunification. In the process of exodus or flight, families are often dispersed, with the father and/or mother leaving first, in the hope that one day they will be joined by the rest of the family. Family reunion of nationals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at times takes place subsequently, and this does not give rise to major problems where the husband, wife and child are all nationals of the country in question who were born in the North. However, matters are more complicated where a national of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea marries another national in a neighbouring country and gives birth to a child after that. Any hope of family reunion for the latter would depend upon flexible bilateral and other negotiations to enable family reunion to take place, without too many preconditions. 33. A disquieting practice which creates fear and insecurity among asylum-seekers is the reported presence of security agents of the country of origin working in other countries to trace and track asylum-seekers who have left the country in search of refuge elsewhere. At times, these agents use intimidation through a variety of means to pressure the latter to return, including by threats to those family members who remain behind in the country of origin. 34. In reality, matters may be even more complicated. Often the situation of displacement is a mixed or composite flow, with a variety of reasons for the exodus, political and/or economic and other factors. This is compounded by human traffickers and smugglers which often prey on those who are already vulnerable. Thus a humane response is invited from all countries to respect the human rights of those who are displaced, whatever their designation and however they are classified. Particularly concerning the refugee, there is a key principle in international law which prohibits push-back to areas of danger (“non-refoulement”), an imperative to be respected. 35. With regard to workers and migrant labourers, it is important to highlight the need to respect labour rights, such as fair wages, the right to collective bargaining and freedom of association, the right to send remittances home, and humane working conditions. Regrettably, the country has not yet engaged with the International Labour Organization, and it needs to accede to ILO Conventions and to implement them at the national and local levels. E. Groups of special concern: the inequality factor? 36. The Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea lays down the principle of non-discrimination and equality, especially between men and women, yet the reality is often quite different. While women constitute the majority of the workforce, their access to key decision-making positions at the top is still limited. In addition to stereotyped roles for women, an issue which has not been addressed adequately in the national setting is violence against women. This varies from home-based violence to State-linked violence. 37. Of particular concern is the group of women who are not part of the elite. Those who are seen as enemies of the regime are subject to persecution and marginalization. Those who do not necessarily fall into the category of enemies are often disadvantaged in their access to food and other necessities. The situation has thus become critical in recent years in the face of food shortage, compounded by other deprivations, such as lack of medicines and clean water. 38. Attention should be paid to those women who leave the country in search of asylum and/or greener pastures elsewhere. They are often subjected to human trafficking and smuggling. The