Information Meeting held in connection with the 13th UPR session:

Follow up to the UPR: Caste discrimination in India and the UK

– Recapping the outcome of the UPR and follow-up action at the national and international level

25 May 2012, 2-3 pm – Palais des Nations, Geneva (Room XXV)
 

Organisers: The International Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR, main sponsor) and Minority Rights Group International (MRG) as a co-sponsor. The event was held in association with the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN), National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, India (NCDHR), and the Dalit Solidarity Network UK (DSN-UK).

Objective:  On 24 May India and the United Kingdom of Great Britain (UK) will be reviewed by the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. The aim of this information meeting is to recap the outcome of these UPRs, with a thematic focus on caste discrimination as a human rights concern affecting both countries – although the problems are very different in scope and nature. In India, there are 167 million Dalits (according to government statistics in 2001), whereas it is estimated that at least 250.000 Dalits live in the UK.

At the event, speakers will reflect on the observations and recommendations expressed by states during the Universal Periodic Reviews of India and the UK, and reflect on the follow-up action needed at the national and international level to ensure that the UPR recommendations are implemented.

Affected persons from the two countries will discuss the challenges and opportunities arising from these reviews, based on their own experience as Dalit rights’ activists.

Panelists

INDIA:

  • Mr. Paul Divakar, NCDHR, India
  • Mr. Satish Kumar, NCDHR, India
  • Ms. Manjula Pradeep, Navsarjan Trust, India

UK:

  • Ms. Meena Varma, Dalit Solidarity Network UK
  • Mr. Vijay Begraj
  • Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, UK Member of Parliament

Download flyer for the event

More information about the UPR mechanism and caste discrimination