Archive | Human Rights Defenders

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|

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|

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|

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 […]