The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has reiterated her commitment to ending caste discrimination. In a statement to a UN side event on Dalit women, she also called on UN member states to address the issue.
Dalit civil society organisations in Nepal have launched a 12-day campaign against caste discrimination and ‘untouchability’. The campaign will put pressure on the government to implement existing legislation against caste discrimination.
Figures from the 2011 census confirm that there are more than 200 million Scheduled Castes (the official term for Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist Dalits) in India. The total number of Dalits is probably much higher as Muslim and Christian Dalits are not included in these figures.
Seven UN Special Procedures mandate holders have issued a powerful media statement, focusing on the violence and discrimination suffered by the world’s ‘untouchables’, particularly the Dalits of South Asia.
IDSN has urged UN member states to recognise Dalit women as a particularly vulnerable group in the upcoming annual resolution in the Human Rights Council on violence against 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.
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.
As the first country outside South Asia, the UK has decided to legislate against caste discrimination. This form of discrimination will now be included as “an aspect of race” in Britain’s equality legislation.
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.
Following yesterday’s vote in the House of Commons against outlawing caste discrimination, campaigners - including the Dalit Solidarity Network UK - have vowed to continue their struggle to make this form of discrimination illegal.
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