Caste discrimination and the ILO

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is the tripartite UN agency that brings together governments, employers and workers of its member states in common action to promote decent work throughout the world.

Previous cases and communications in the ILO system have illustrated that the ILO regards caste-based discrimination as falling under the category "social origin".

In its 2011 Global Report the ILO established that caste-based discrimination is most widespread in the case of the Dalit population in South Asia. The discrimination includes limited access to certain types of jobs, education and lower wages. Asia is the region with the highest absolute number of forced labourers in the world - 11,7 mio persons according to a 2012 ILO report. While it is uncertain how many of these come from a lower caste background, the ILO estimates that the incidence of bonded labour remains particularly severe among Dalits and indigenous peoples in Asia.

ILO project against manual scavenging

Promotion of equality at work in India is a "good practice" case implemented by the ILO in five Indian states. The aim of the practice is to implement international standards on discrimination in employment in order to eradicate manual scavenging and promote equality in employment for Dalits.

In February 2012, the ILO held a National Conference to make and scale up strategies to address manual scavenging and to develop a roadmap for the total elimination of manual scavenging and the rehabilitation of manual scavengers. Read more >>

ILO standards and conventions

The principle of non-discrimination is a core labour standard which is established in ILO Convention 111 on Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) from 1958.

The definition of discrimination, which is defined in article 1.1, includes "any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment in employment or occupation."

ILO Convention 105 prohibits any form of forced or compulsory labour. Caste discrimination is deeply linked to forced and bonded labour in Asia.

In 1998 Member States signed a Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work which recalled the four core labour standards:

(a) freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
(b) the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour;
(c) the effective abolition of child labour; and
(d) the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. It further established that to give full effect to the Declaration a promotional follow-up should be implemented, including the drafting of annual global reports on one of the four categories of fundamental principles and rights in turn.

Specific ILO recommendations concerning caste-based discrimination

At the 96th session of the International Labour Conference in June 2007, caste-based discrimination was discussed broadly both as a follow-up on the findings in the global report 2007 and in relation to member states' obligations contained in ILO Convention 111.

At the conference, the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, which is a subsidiary body appointed by the Governing Body, issued a general report and observations concerning particular countries. Below is a link to the reports and an outline of the relevant references to caste-based discrimination in the reports.