Archive | Country/region

Britain bans caste discrimination

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.

April 24th, 2013|Access to justice, UK|

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|

UK: Fight for caste legislation goes on

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.

April 17th, 2013|Access to justice, Diaspora, UK|

Pakistan: Dalits demand representation

Participants in a consultation on Dalit political representation have adopted a resolution urging political parties in Pakistan to nominate members of ‘scheduled castes’ for seats in the country’s elected assemblies.

April 2nd, 2013|Pakistan, Political Participation|

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|

Rally decries UK government caste policy

As anti-caste discrimination campaigners demonstrated outside the British Parliament, the House of Lords decided to back an amendment to a bill that would make caste discrimination illegal in the UK.

March 4th, 2013|Access to justice, UK|

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|