Suriname was examined at the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at its 87th session 03 2015 – 28 August 2015. On the issue of discrimination based on descent the committee expressed concern over reports on the persistence of a caste system in diaspora communities and recommended for Suriname to take steps to identify communities who may suffer from such practices

Abstracts from the CERD Concluding Observations – Suriname 2015

1. Concern and recommendations – Discrimination based on descent

  1. While taking note of information provided by the State party affirming that the caste system is not institutionalised in Suriname, the Committee is concerned about reports on the persistence of such a system in certain communities of Indian origin living in the State party (arts. 3 and 5).
  1. The Committee, recalling its General Recommendation No. 29 (2002) on discrimination based on descent, recommends that the State party take steps to identify the specific communities and persons who may suffer from such practices and if applicable, to adopt specific measures to combat and eradicate such discriminatory practices.