Archive | South Asia

IDSN members lobby global community

On 14 March 2016, IDSN members from all over the world gathered in Geneva for the network’s triennial General Assembly. Participants were Dalit human rights defenders from South Asia, Dalit Solidarity Networks from Europe, […]

UN expert calls on states to end caste discrimination

GENEVA, 17 MARCH 2016 — Caste-affected countries should take urgent and comprehensive action to combat caste discrimination, the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsàk-Ndiaye, says in a new report on the issue […]

Minority Rights Group urges Governments to ensure ‘no one is left behind’ as SDGs are adopted

Caste-related extracts from MRG briefing note on the Sustainable Development Goals Livelihoods In India, Dalits are presented as ‘untouchable’ and as a result 17 per cent of the population are ‘largely exiled from mainstream society’ due […]
September 30th, 2015|Bangladesh, Dalit Women, Education, India, Pakistan, South Asia, United Nations|

IDSN UN side-event calls for more action to combat caste and gender-based slavery

  Co-Sponsors of the event were Human Rights Watch (HRW), the International Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR), Minority Rights Group (MRG), Anti-Slavery International, Franciscans International (FI). A report from the event […]
July 1st, 2015|Caste-based slavery, Dalit Women, India, Nepal, Pakistan, South Asia, United Nations|

Invitation to UN HRC29 side-event on caste and gender-based forced and bonded Labour

The event will be held on June 18, 2015 from 17.00-18.30, Palais Des Nations, Geneva, Room XXV at the 29th session of the UN Human Rights Council. Please download the PDF invitation flyer for the event.
June 11th, 2015|Caste-based slavery, Dalit Women, South Asia, United Nations|

Dalit women go viral to tell the world their story

“A girl who was never considered to speak at any of the platforms in her hometown… speaks to the whole world on AL JAZEERA today,” tweeted Dalit woman human rights defender, Sanghapali Aruna Kornana, […]
April 28th, 2015|Dalit Women, Diaspora, India, South Asia|

South Asian parliamentarians join together to fight caste discrimination

Parliamentarians from India, Nepal and Bangladesh have formed the ‘South Asian Parliamentary Forum’ (SAPF) to combat caste discrimination, at the historic ‘South Asia Parliamentarians Conference on Dalit Concerns’ in Kathmandu 8-9th December.

February 4th, 2014|Political Participation, South Asia|

IDSN report: Disasters hit Dalits harder

A new report reveals that Dalits are particularly vulnerable to disasters before and after they strike. Consequently, humanitarian actors must pay particular attention to their situation when preparing for and responding to emergencies.

October 15th, 2013|Humanitarian Aid, South Asia|

EP: The EU must fight caste discrimination

Press release: The elected representatives of half a billion Europeans from 28 countries in the European Parliament (EP) today adopted a strongly worded resolution on caste discrimination.

October 10th, 2013|Africa, European Union, South Asia|

EP Committee approves caste resolution

Next month, the European Parliament will express serious concern about caste discrimination and urge the EU to take action on this important human rights issue.

September 19th, 2013|Access to justice, Bangladesh, European Union, India, Nepal, Pakistan, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Yemen|