During her first official visits to Nepal and India from 18-24 March, the High Commissioner for Human Rights delivered two historic speeches urging the Government of India to show global leadership in the fight against caste-based discrimination, and calling upon the Government of Nepal to apply existing laws to end such discriminatory practices.
The first Dalit National Human Rights Conference and the Universal Periodic Review sheds light on Dalit issues in Bangladesh.
On 23 February a joint statement entitled “Recasting Justice (2009): Securing Dalit Rights in Nepal’s New Constitution” with key recommendations to the chair of the drafting committee of Nepal’s new constitution, was presented by New York University School of Law Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ), Dalit NGO Federation (DNF) and the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN).
On 19-20 February, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination considered the 15th-20th periodic reports of Pakistan on the implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination.
“Casteless or Caste-blind?” was launched at a ceremony at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, on the 6th of February. Early reports show that the study has already generated increased public interest in the issue.
A recent report released by Dalit Watch documents caste discrimination in the relief efforts following the latest round of devastating floods in the Indian state of Bihar.
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