National Dalit Movement for Justice (NDMJ), headquartered in New Delhi, has released a detailed report on increasing human rights violation cases against Dalits, Adivasis and other marginalized communities of India during COVID-19 lockdown.
"As India fights to curb increasing numbers of COVID-19 infections, a virus of fear is sweeping the land and the most vulnerable communities (Dalits, Muslims and Adivasis) are bearing the brunt of it. The virus is frightening and it is pushing people’s prejudices and ignorance to the forefront leading to scapegoating of marginalised populations."
The Dalit female farmers of India’s Tamil Nadu state are working together to overcome a daunting set of challenges.
While 84% and 89% of those in general and OBC categories, respectively, received the government-announced immediate assistance, the percentage of Adivasis and Dalit Christians, who received the assistance, were 62% and 68%, respectively. The last minute changes in the eligibility criteria made the assistance inaccessible to a large number of the marginalised people, the fact sheet said.
MUMBAI, May 23 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - India's worst drought in decades is hurting women and lower-caste Dalits disproportionately, with impacts ranging from malnutrition to early marriage to prostitution, activists say.
A delegation from the NGO had visited Nepal in mid-May for an on-ground assessment. Menon told HuffPost India that his team met with representatives of the Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO) Nepal, which works for empowerment of Dalit women, who told them that Dalits' rights groups and other marginalised communities have not been included in coordination of aid efforts. This has resulted in disproportionate distribution of relief, disadvantaging such communities, said Menon.
Discrimination based on gender and caste is hindering the distribution of aid to those most in need after Nepal's devastating April earthquake, say activist groups.
By Lorah Moftah @loramoftah , l.moftah@ibtimes.com