In the Global Call for Action to End Caste Discrimination, which is an outcome of  the International Consultation on Good Practices and Strategies to Eliminate Caste Based Discrimination (29 Nov – 1 Dec 2011), the following recommendations were made to the UN:

To UN Human Rights Bodies, we commend the work of the Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures, and other mechanisms, with the support of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and we call for further development of policy recommendations and technical support to eliminate caste-based discrimination.

To UN Country Teams, Multilateral and Bilateral Development Agencies, and International Financial Institutions, we welcome existing efforts to eliminate caste-based discrimination and we call for all relevant country strategies and agreements to include measures to overcome caste-based discrimination.

Recommendations on Good Practice and Strategies to Eliminate Caste-Based Discrimination

There is an urgent need to respond to the call by United Nations (UN) Member States, UN experts, and institutions to identify good practices for the elimination of caste-based discrimination  and to document and share experiences for the successful implementation of these good practices.

Governments should exercise leadership at the local, national and international level to eliminate caste and caste-based discrimination through the application and promotion of good practices.  Their efforts should be encouraged and supported by other actors, including civil society organisations, multilateral and bilateral development agencies, international financial institutions, the private sector, UN, European Union (EU), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Organization of American States (OAS), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), African Union (AU), Arab League of Nations, and relevant international organisations.

Good Practices: Effective frameworks, policies, and institutions

UN Country Teams should integrate into the Common Country Assessment and UN Development Assistance Framework strategies for eliminating caste-based discrimination.  Persons affected by caste-based discrimination should participate in this strategy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.  All UN agencies should implement affirmative action policies and measures in order to proportionately employ persons affected by caste-based discrimination, including women, in all development activities. UN Country Teams should assist with the implementation of recommendations made on caste-based discrimination by UN Treaty Bodies, the Universal Periodic Review, Special Rapporteurs, and other UN human rights mechanisms.

Read the full text of the Global Call for Action to End Caste Discrimination

Download the report on Best Practices and Strategies to Eliminate Caste Discrimination (2012)

More information about caste discrimination and the UN