Archive | Human Rights Defenders

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 […]

UN workshop sheds light on barriers to justice for Dalits in South Asia

In the workshop titled “Mapping out Access to Justice for Persons from Descent-Based Communities,” human rights defenders, researchers, legal experts and civil society representatives gathered to discuss some of the pressing issues faced by […]

UN rights review calls for stronger anti-discrimination measures in Bangladesh

In a significant development at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council in March 2024, Bangladesh’s review under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) highlighted critical recommendations focused on eliminating caste-based discrimination, with specific […]
April 19th, 2024|Bangladesh, Human Rights Defenders, United Nations|

IDSN’s Executive Director Reviews ‘UNTOUCHABLE – Laughing Out Caste’ by Manjeet Sarkar

Well, WHAT A SHOW! Last week, I was privileged to be at the screening of the outstanding documentary by Manjeet Sarkar of Untouchable – Laughing Out Caste, at the Melahuset in Oslo. The time […]
April 18th, 2024|Human Rights Defenders, Solidarity Networks|

Review of the film Origin by IDSN Ambassador Aidan McQuade

IDSN Director, Meena Varma and IDSN Ambassador, Aidan McQuade were invited to a press screening of Film Director, Ava DuVernay’s new film Origin, a film inspired by Isabel Wilkerson’s groundbreaking book – Caste: The […]
March 7th, 2024|Access to justice, Human Rights Defenders, India, Violence and atrocities|

IDSN welcomes Renu Sijapati as the first Dalit woman from Nepal to be chair of the IDSN Board

IDSN is delighted to announce the appointment of  Ms Renu Sijapati as the first Dalit woman from Nepal to be elected chair of the IDSN board following approval of the board at IDSN’s General […]
March 4th, 2024|Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, Nepal|

IDSN members and associates gather to review, strategize and chart the way forward for a world free of caste discrimination

Perspectives, ideas, insights and engagement filled the room as representatives from IDSN’s member organisations and international associates from across the globe gathered for a two-day general assembly meeting in Geneva on 24-25 November. The meetings […]

Dalit voices resonate in Brussels: IDSN takes part in the EU NGO Forum 2023

Dalit activists forming part of the IDSN delegation made their presence felt at the 25th EU-NGO Forum on Human Rights in Brussels, Belgium held from 4-6 December, 2023. Sunil Kumar Pariyar from Nepal and […]

Advocating for equality: IDSN delegation addresses challenges faced by Dalits at key UN Forums

An IDSN delegation of Dalit human rights defenders participated in the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights held on 27-29 November as well as the UN Forum on Minority Issues, held at the […]

Youth at the forefront: Kathmandu events boosts advocacy to end caste/descent-based discrimination

Marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a series of events focusing on combatting descent-based discrimination, through the prism of access to justice and the role of youth in […]