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Archive | Human Rights Defenders

IDSN highlights milestone and the need to address caste discrimination at ICERD 60th Anniversary

On 4 December 2025, the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) joined global human rights leaders at United Nations HQ in Geneva for the High-Level Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the International Convention on […]
December 14th, 2025|Access to justice, Caste-based slavery, Caste-hate speech, Dalit Children, Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, Political Participation, South Asia, United Nations, Violence and atrocities|
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IDSN delegation highlights urgent concerns ahead of Nepal’s 2026 UN rights review

From 24–28 November, IDSN facilitated a delegation of Dalit human rights defenders from Nepal to come to Geneva for advocacy meetings ahead of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) pre-session of Nepal, as well as […]
December 12th, 2025|Access to justice, Caste-based slavery, Caste-hate speech, Dalit Children, Dalit Women, development, Education, Human Rights Defenders, Nepal, Political Participation, United Nations, Violence and atrocities, Water and Sanitation|
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UN Minority Forum: Dalit activists call for action on caste-based violence, intersectional discrimination, shrinking civic space and labour rights

At the Eighteenth session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues in 2025, IDSN delegates highlighted the urgent need to address caste discrimination, violence and exclusion across South Asia. Dalit delegates from South Asia […]
December 1st, 2025|Access to justice, Bangladesh, Business, Caste-based slavery, Caste-hate speech, Dalit Children, Dalit Women, development, Education, Human Rights Defenders, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Political Participation, South Asia, United Nations, Violence and atrocities|
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IDSN delegation visits Brussels to advocate for EU action on caste discrimination

IDSN coordinated a weeklong advocacy visit to Brussels in June, bringing together six representatives from marginalized caste groups across South Asia. Delegates included: Dharsika Sivapragasam (Human Development Organization – Sri Lanka), Swapon Das (DALIT Khulna – Bangladesh), Sushil BK (Dalit […]
July 18th, 2025|Bangladesh, European Union, Human Rights Defenders, India, Nepal, Pakistan, South Asia, Sri Lanka|
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OECD side-event addresses caste related labour exploitation in global garment and leather supply chains

On 14 February 2025, IDSN, Arisa and Homeworkers Worldwide hosted a side-session at the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector. The discussion addressed the exploitation of Dalit workers in […]
March 6th, 2025|Business, Dalit Children, Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, India, Pakistan, South Asia, Violence and atrocities|
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Dalit leader urges action to address the situation of Dalit women at UN CEDAW Review of Nepal

On 3 February 2025, Durga Sob, founder of the Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO) and a leading advocate for Dalit women’s rights, delivered a statement in connection with the 90th Session of the UN Convention on […]
February 20th, 2025|Access to justice, Dalit Children, Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, Nepal, Political Participation, United Nations, Violence and atrocities|
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IDSN delegation participates in EU human rights event

On December 9, Swapon Das, of DALIT Khulna, Bangladesh and Rini Elizabath Babu, took part in the EU event in Brussels “A Spotlight on Human Rights Defenders: Enhancing the Common Agenda for Protection”. IDSN delegates spoke […]
December 19th, 2024|Bangladesh, European Union, Human Rights Defenders, India|
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UN Minority Forum: Dalit activists call for action on caste-hate speech, political inclusion and intersectional discrimination

At the 2024 UN Forum on Minority Issues, IDSN delegates called for action on caste-based discrimination and exclusion. Sundar Bahadur Sheni from Nepal emphasised the need for Dalit inclusion in political and public spaces, […]
December 13th, 2024|Access to justice, Human Rights Defenders, India, Nepal, United Nations|
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Dalit leader trains EU diplomats on caste-based discrimination

Abirami Jotheeswaran, General Secretary of All India Dalit Women Adhikar Manch (AIDMAM-NCDHR), delivered a compelling presentation to 20 European Union diplomats stationed in Asia and the Pacific, highlighting caste discrimination and its intersections with […]
December 11th, 2024|Access to justice, Dalit Women, European Union, Human Rights Defenders, India|
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Dalit women call for global action at #LetsTalkAboutCaste UN side-event

Dalit women human rights defenders highlighted the need to explicitly address caste discrimination, as a root cause of widespread human rights violations, at a UN Human Rights Council IDSN side-event on 18 September 2024. The […]
September 23rd, 2024|Access to justice, Bangladesh, Caste-based slavery, Dalit Children, Dalit Women, Education, Human Rights Defenders, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Poverty, South Asia, United Nations, Violence and atrocities|
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