Dalit Human rights defenders and a team from the IDSN secretariat took part in The European Instrument on Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) 2014 Forum on Protecting Those Who Protect. Asha Kowtal, General Secretary of the National Dalit Women’s movement in India, spoke about Dalit women human rights defenders as part of a panel while Henri Tiphagne raised the issue of shrinking space for human rights defenders in India from the floor.

In Brussels Asha Kowtal and leading human rights defender Henri Tiphagne also took part in meetings with relevant EU actors and press interviews. The EIDHR Forum was a successful venue for sharing struggles between human rights defenders from across the world and discussing ways forward. 

The EU newspaper New Europe featured Asha Kowtal and Henri Tiphagne in a web TV interview, an online article and a print article on caste discrimination – calling for EU action on the issue. The Dutch language development magazine – MO Magazine also featured and interview with both activists.

Following the EIDHR Forum Henri Tiphagne travelled to Denmark where he participated in meetings and appeared on Danish National television TV2 News and in the National newspaper Politiken.

Asha Kowtal travelled on to seven European countries to raise awareness of violence against Dalit women and urge international action to be taken on this issue.

More information

Read the IDSN Briefing Paper on Dalit Human Rights Defenders

The European Instrument on Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) 2014 Forum on Protecting Those Who Protect