Archive | India

Culture of impunity harms Dalit women

On the last day of her visit to India, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Ms Rashida Manjoo, said that Dalit women experience some of the worst forms of discrimination and oppression.

May 2nd, 2013|Dalit Women, India, United Nations|

Haryana: Dalit villagers are living in fear

Following the attack on 200 Dalit families by a dominant caste mob that was angered by an inter-caste marriage, many Dalits have fled Pabnava village in Haryana. Those who remain feel extremely insecure.

April 30th, 2013|Access to justice, India|

Dalits launch land rights campaign

Thousands of Dalit activists gathered in Delhi over the weekend to campaign for land rights. They hope to mobilise millions of India’s Dalits to file claims for land.

April 17th, 2013|India|

MRG: End violence against Dalit women

It is time for comprehensive action to end violence against Dalit women and girls, says Minority Rights Group International on International Women’s Day. The full statement follows here.

March 8th, 2013|Dalit Women, India, Nepal, South Asia|

Dalits affected by ‘implementation gap’

The UN Independent Expert on minority issues spoke at a UN event on 28 February of the lack of implementation of laws that are supposed to protect Dalits from discrimination and caste-related crimes.

February 28th, 2013|India, Nepal, United Nations|

India: Dalit human rights defender murdered

Chandrakant Gaikwad, a 30-year old Dalit human rights defender from Maharashtra, was shot dead on 12 February. His suspected killer had previously issued threats against Mr Chandrakant for filing an atrocity case against him.

February 14th, 2013|India|

Dalit NGO Navsarjan wins award

The Dalit human rights organisation and long-standing IDSN associate, Navsarjan, has won a prestigious award instituted by The Times of India newspaper.

February 4th, 2013|India|

Scavengers’ march sends message of hope

IDSN press release: After travelling thousands of kilometres through 18 Indian states, the Maila Mukti Yatra – a march to eradicate manual scavenging – concluded today with an event in New Delhi. The attendance by high level officials from the Government of India as well as the United Nations is a measure of the Yatra’s success.

January 31st, 2013|Caste-based slavery, European Union, India, Manual Scavenging, United Nations|

Pillay applauds movement to end manual scavenging

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has issued a strong statement in support of the movement to end manual scavenging in India. The OHCHR news release is copied below.

January 31st, 2013|Caste-based slavery, Dalit Women, India, Manual Scavenging, United Nations|

Dalits the focus of Week of Prayer

When Christians all over the world engage in prayer this coming week (18-25 January), their thoughts will be with India’s Dalits – millions of whom share their faith, but are, nevertheless, still subjected to caste discrimination.

January 18th, 2013|India|