Archive | Human Rights Defenders

EU states its commitment to civil society and human rights defenders

The statement issued on the 27 February includes the following passages: “There has been a backlash against civil society over the past years as governments, in a significant number of countries, seek to suppress opposition or criticism, with a clear […]
March 1st, 2017|European Union, Human Rights Defenders|

India blocks funding for IDSN member Navsarjan Trust

The Government order to cancel the license accuses Navsarjan Trust of being involved in “undesirable activities aimed to affect prejudicially harmony between religious, racial, social, linguistic, regional groups, castes or communities,” but it does […]
January 6th, 2017|Access to justice, Human Rights Defenders, India|

Will SDGs “leave no one behind” without a disaggregated data on caste-based discrimination?

In 2015, seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by world leaders to guide global development agendas for the next 15 years. Yet, to date, the indicators measuring the achievement of the SDGs have […]
November 21st, 2016|Diaspora, Human Rights Defenders, United Nations|

MEPs make caste appeal to EU foreign policy chief

The European Union should step up its efforts to address caste discrimination at the multilateral level as well as in its direct relations with caste-affected states. It should also integrate the issue into its […]
June 30th, 2016|European Union, Human Rights Defenders, United Nations|

UN expert supports IDSN at Human Rights Council

The obstruction of IDSN’s application for consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) was discussed at the UN Human Rights Council on 17 June when the Special Rapporteur on the freedom […]
June 20th, 2016|Country/region, Human Rights Defenders, India, United Nations|

IDSN cited as example of obstruction against NGOs

In an unprecedented move, NGOs from around the world have joined forces to defend freedom of association at the United Nations. In a letter to ECOSOC member states, they have expressed concern about the […]
May 25th, 2016|Human Rights Defenders, United Nations|

UN Special Rapporteur criticises India’s FCRA

India’s controversial Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) has come under attack by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of assembly and association, Maina Kiai. In a recently published legal analysis, he argues that the […]
May 9th, 2016|Human Rights Defenders, India, United Nations|

AI Germany presents rights award to Henri Tiphagne

The German section of Amnesty International has presented its 8th Human Rights Award to the Indian lawyer, human rights defender and campaigner against caste discrimination, Henri Tiphagne. The award ceremony took place at the Maxim-Gorky-Theatre […]
April 28th, 2016|Human Rights Defenders, India, Violence and atrocities|

Rohith suicide case continues to stir India

On 22 March, student demonstrators at Hyderabad Central University were violently attacked by police who forcefully detained 29 protesters, brutally beat them and held them in undisclosed locations for more than 24 hours. During […]

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, […]