When India and the UK come up for review by the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 24 May, IDSN urges all UN member states to seize this important opportunity to address concerns about caste discrimination based on recommendations by civil society and UN human rights bodies.

“United Nations member states should call for effective implementation of laws and policies to address caste-related human rights violations in India,” says Julie de Rivero, Geneva advocacy director at Human Rights Watch in the press release. “Numerous UN human rights bodies and civil society groups are demanding that the Indian government move from promises to action to improve the lives of people who have long endured horrific discrimination … It would be a great injustice to over 160 million Dalits in India if the UN review of India’s human rights record does not directly and comprehensively address serious concerns for the on-going human rights violations against them.”

IDSN has issued a number of recommendations to be raised...

Press Release (HRW & IDSN): (Geneva, May 14, 2012) – United Nations member states should make ending caste-based discrimination a priority when they review India’s human rights record at the UN Human Rights Council in late May, 2012, Human Rights Watch and the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) said today. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of India at the Human Rights Council is scheduled for May 24.

Over 260 million people worldwide face extreme forms of discrimination, exploitation, and violence based on caste.  According to government statistics, nearly 167 million Indians, or 16 percent of the population, belonged to so-called Scheduled Castes, who call themselves Dalits.

Dalits face widespread discrimination, which imposes enormous obstacles to the full attainment of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. They are segregated in housing, schools, and access to public services. They are denied access to land, forced to work in...

Pakistan will be reviewed for the second time by the UPR Working Group at the 14th UPR session on 30 October 2012. On this occassion, Pakistan Dalit Solidarity Network (PDSN) and IDSN have prepared and submitted a stakeholders' report to the OHCHR on 23 April 2012 concerning discrimination against Dalits in Pakistan.

More specifically, PDSN and IDSN call on UN member states to make the following recommendations to the government, including:

Adopting a law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of caste and take effective and immediate measures to ensure its effective implementation to protect those discriminated against on the basis of caste, as recommended by CERD in 2009;Taking specific measures to prevent multiple forms of discrimination against Dalit women (e.g. in access to health services, clean water and sanitation, and in disaster management); and take effective measures to prevent and investigate cases of forced conversion of girls, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable groups such as Scheduled Caste girls;Committing to taking serious measures to ensure equal access to education for all, including marginalized children...

On 9th of May thousands of Dalits and Adivasis (Tribals) from all over India stormed up to the Parliament in New Delhi to demand their rightful economic share in the state and union budgets.

The marches are being held to reclaim the right to funds meant for Dalits, which have been diverted or misallocated to general schemes, with little or no benefit to Dalits. The funds could help lift millions of Dalits out of poverty and destitution.

In connection with the protests an online petition has been launched and the campaign are encouraging all those concerned about human rights and development to sign the petition "Reclaiming our economic right- Sau Mein Pachees Haq Hamara!" here >>

Dalit activist, professor and member of the coalition, Vimal Thorat, said that the coalition...

On April 24th thousands of Dalits marched towards the Indian Parliament to reclaim their rights to vast funds meant for Dalits, which have been diverted or misallocated, to benefit other sections of society. The funds could help lift millions of Dalits out of extreme poverty but are instead being used on general schemes, hardly benefitting Dalits. On the 9th of May, Dalits across several states in India, will also march to put pressure on the Government to ensure that funds allocated for Dalits actually benefit Dalits.

The protest on the 24th of April has been organised in coordination with the re-opening day of the Parliament session. There were parallel protests in 6 other states and eventually this will culminate into a huge mass mobilization on 9th May 2012.

The marches are part of the campaign “Sau Mein Pachees Haq Hamara” organised by a coalition of organizations across the country, committed to the realization of the rightful economic claims of Dalits and Adivasis (Scheduled tribes) under the specially constituted  national schemes in India. The coalition is named...

These past months have seen a flurry of activity to support the struggle to end the abhorrent practice of Dalits being employed to remove human waste from dry latrines manually which persists despite having been officially abolished by law in India since 1993. In India, the ILO has organised a conference to address this problem, a National Public Hearing has been held by the National Campaign for Dignity and Eradication of Manual Scavenging, reports have been released and media have reported widely about the persistence of the practice.

On the 28th of March a National Public Hearing on “Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers and their Children in India”, was held by the National Campaign for Dignity and Eradication of Manual Scavenging at the Indian Social Institute in New Delhi. Ahead of the hearing the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment was approached and following the hearing a report on the “Uncompleted and unsuccessful rehabilitation of...

In the European Parliament’s resolution on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World and the European Union’s policy on the matter, the European Parliament highlights caste discrimination and, “Recommends initiatives for EU legislation to ensure that attention is paid in EU human rights policy and cooperation instruments to eliminating caste discrimination, and action in caste-affected countries, including Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Yemen.”

The European Parliament resolution of 18 April 2012 on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World and the European Union’s policy on the matter, including implications for the EU’s strategic human rights policy includes the following text:

111.  Condemns all forms of human rights violations committed against people discriminated against on the basis of work and descent, and the limited access to justice for victims; calls on the EU and its Member States to endorse the draft UN Principles and Guidelines for the...

The Al-Akhdam community, a minority group, which is regarded as an "untouchable" outcaste group in Yemen are protesting against rampant discrimination resulting in low wages, horrendous living standards and inequality in access to services.

YEMEN: Akhdam community angered by government neglect (Irin News)

SANA'A, 20 April 2012 (IRIN) - Authorities in Yemen are yet to resolve the “marginalization” of the minority Akhdam people, weeks after thousands protested in the capital Sana’a over low pay and lack of work contracts, say community members. “The Akhdam are not simply second class citizens,” a protester said from his tent in Change Square. “They are more like fifth or sixth class citizens; the lowest class in the whole republic.” Despite speaking Arabic and practising Islam in the country for over 1,000 years, the Akhdam, who prefer to be called Al Muhamasheen, or “marginalized ones”, have never felt a part of the majority. The most visible marker of the Akhdam’s status in Yemeni society is the menial occupations they...

In a statement in a leading Norwegian newspaper the Minister for International Development speaks out strongly against caste discrimination and urges international involvement in the issue.

Written by the Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås (SV):

I strongly take a stand against discrimination. The UN Human Rights Declaration and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination are clear. Discrimination is prohibited. Discrimination on the grounds of caste is just as bad as gender, ethnicity or religion.

The current Norwegian Government is concerned with the improvement of the dalit situation in Southeast Asia. Norway has a large collaboration with India with regards to health. The goal is to reduce mother and child mortality in five of the Indian states. This is an important measure in improving the situation for both the dalits- and the poor segment of the population in general.

Political leaders in India and Nepal have for a long time been engaged with the dalit situation. The Indian Constitution prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, gender or caste. Other...

The myth that caste discrimination in India is a thing of the past must be dispelled and on the 14th of April, Video Volunteers launch 35 community videos documenting caste discrimination across 12 states in India, to mark Ambedkar day, the birthday of a Dalit hero who fought for equality and justice for India’s Dalits.

The International Dalit Solidarity Network fully endorse the Campaign to End Untouchability being launched by Video Volunteers  who alongside many others  work tirelessly to document cases of discrimination written, verbally and visually, and bring them to the attention of the public and National and International decision makers. What this documentation continues to find is that caste discrimination is still very much alive in India, as well as in other countries in South Asia and across the world.

This spring, we are witnessing a surge in Dalit activism in India, and Dalits, and those who raise their voices in solidarity, are doing their part to fight against...