Archive | Key Issues

Exclusion of Dalit rights defenders from UN featured in handbook on NGO access

The handbook, A Practical Guide to the UN Committee on NGOs, is an honest account of the way in which the NGO committee functions and malfunctions, with helpful tips and useful insight. At the well-attended launch, […]

Dalit women go viral to tell the world their story

“A girl who was never considered to speak at any of the platforms in her hometown… speaks to the whole world on AL JAZEERA today,” tweeted Dalit woman human rights defender, Sanghapali Aruna Kornana, […]
April 28th, 2015|Dalit Women, Diaspora, India, South Asia|

Dalit leaders awarded for their work defending human rights

These women are a part of a growing number of Dalit women in India standing up for the rights of Dalits and fighting oppression with courage and unwavering determination. An interview with Manjula Pradeep was […]
April 23rd, 2015|Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, India|

Resolution condemning caste-based discrimination introduced in US congress

The resolution, H.Res.158, was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives, “Condemning Dalit untouchability, the practice of birth-descent discrimination against Dalit people, which is widely practiced in India, Nepal, the Asian diaspora, and other South […]
March 24th, 2015|Access to justice, Dalit Women, Diaspora|

Leading Dalit activists arrested for protesting massive cuts in budgets meant for Dalits

Massive cuts to provisions for education of Dalits and Adivasis were central to the protest and public meeting, organised by the Campaign of Adivasis and Dalits for Rights on Education (CADRE 2201). “The budgeted expenditure […]
March 13th, 2015|Access to justice, India, Political Participation|

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International’s 2015 reports raise serious concern over caste discrimination

Failure of state authorities to protect the rights of Dalits In the India chapter of the Amnesty International 2014-15 report it is noted that “corruption, caste-based discrimination and caste violence remained pervasive,” and that, “state […]

India’s blocking of IDSN’s UN consultative status continues

The blocking of IDSN reflects a frightening trend in India for obstructing the work of civil society organisations and human rights defenders, particularly when it comes to Dalit and minority rights. Dalit rights activists across […]
February 20th, 2015|Access to justice, India, Political Participation, United Nations|

Dalit women fight for their rights with marches and mass events in Nepal and India

Dalit women from Nepal, India and Bangladesh joined hands to assert their rights at a rally in Kathmandu, at the fringes of the people’s SAARC meeting. Hundreds of Dalit women from across Nepal gathered at the FEDO National Dalit Women conference, to put Dalit women’s rights on the agenda and In India several long marches and mass gatherings of Dalit women took place throughout November and December.

December 19th, 2014|Bangladesh, Dalit Women, India, Nepal|

Hundreds of Dalit women gather at conference in Nepal

Hundreds of Dalit women from across Nepal gathered in Kathmandu for the “Dalit Women’s National Conference for Democracy, Justice, Sustainable Peace and Inclusive Constitution” from 2-4 December 2014. The conference was organized by the Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) and international speakers included UN Women and IDSN.

December 18th, 2014|Dalit Women, Nepal|

Violence and atrocities against Dalits debated at the UN Forum on Minority Issues

Dalit activists spoke at the UN Forum on Minority Issues to highlight the issue of violence against Dalits in South Asia and the lack of access to justice for victims. They also pointed to ways forward in redressing and preventing these crimes.

December 17th, 2014|Dalit Women|