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Archive | Human Rights Defenders

Bangladesh: Gathering momentum for inclusive anti-discrimination legislation

In a significant step towards fostering equality and social justice, the Bangladesh Dalit Parishad (BDP) and Parittran recently organised a National Consultation Meeting on the Anti-Discrimination Bill-2022. Held in Dhaka, the event served as […]
May 22nd, 2023|Access to justice, Bangladesh, Human Rights Defenders|
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UN UPR Review: UN member states call on India to address caste discrimination

During the 4th cycle of the UN Universal Periodic Review of India, the country received eight direct recommendations on caste, including topics such as racism, water, forced marriage and child labour. On November 10, 2022 […]
April 17th, 2023|Caste-hate speech, Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, India, United Nations, Water and Sanitation|
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Dalit voices heard at the UN Forum on Minority Issues

IDSN delegates from South Asia spoke out on the human rights issues faced by Dalits at the UN Forum on Minority Issues in December 2022. Speaking on the panel and from the floor, human […]
January 19th, 2023|Human Rights Defenders, India, Nepal, South Asia, United Nations|
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Young Dalit leaders speak out at UN Business and Human Rights Forum

An IDSN delegation of inspiring young Dalit rights leaders participated in the the 11th session of the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva. The Forum was created by the Working Group on […]
January 19th, 2023|Business, Human Rights Defenders, India, Nepal, South Asia, United Nations|
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Speaking out against caste discrimination at the Women at Work Conference

A unique event organised by the Norwegian Human Rights Fund brought together, activists, experts, trade unions and several international NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, IDSN and OSF.  In a session dedicated to addressing caste-based […]
September 22nd, 2022|Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, India, Manual Scavenging, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Violence and atrocities|
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Leave no-one behind: Addressing business-related human rights issues and exclusion of communities on the basis of caste and descent

IDSN and the UN OHCHR Minority section brought together an experts’ round table discussion to mark the 30th Anniversary of the UN Minority mandate. It was an incredibly rewarding two hours of discussion and […]
July 6th, 2022|Human Rights Defenders, United Nations|
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Statement: India Should Stop Using Abusive Foreign Funding Law: End Harassment Against People’s Watch, Other Rights Groups

(Geneva, January 18, 2022) – The Indian government should immediately stop harassing the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns and its program unit People’s Watch, nine human rights groups said today. The government should […]
January 18th, 2022|Human Rights Defenders, India|
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New report and symposium charts pathways towards access to justice for Dalit defenders in Pakistan

The symposium “Challenges to effective legal remedies for Dalit and Minorities’ defenders in Pakistan and proposed solution to those challenges” was organised in Pakistan to discuss and launch the Pakistan report of the Dalit […]
December 30th, 2021|Access to justice, Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, Pakistan|
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Dalit rights defenders speak out on caste at the EU-NGO Forum

Economic, social and labour rights were the thematic headlines of this year’s EU-NGO Human Rights Forum, where three Dalit human rights defenders were featured as panellists, facilitated by IDSN. Caste-related barriers to healthcare in […]
December 15th, 2021|Business, European Union, Health, Human Rights Defenders, India, Pakistan, Poverty, South Asia|
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Global forum addresses the caste and sanitation work nexus

The links between caste and hazardous forms of sanitation work were highlighted by speakers at the Sanitation Workers Forum 2021 from 29 November – 2 December. Participants at the forum urged that immediate steps […]
December 8th, 2021|Human Rights Defenders, India, Pakistan, Water and Sanitation|
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