Archive | Key Issues

Study: Dalits and Adivasis working under hazardous conditions in India’s stone industry

Dangerous working conditions, debt bondage and below minimum wages are some of the findings of the study ‘Between a rock and a hard place’ released by the Dutch-based human rights NGO Arisa. In the […]
July 23rd, 2020|Business, India|

Activists call for caste legislation as tech giant Cisco is accused of discrimination 

The federal lawsuit by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), alleges that dominant caste managers at Cisco’s San Jose headquarters campus, which employs a predominantly South Asian workforce, harassed, discriminated, and […]
July 17th, 2020|Business|

Joint letter urges EU to raise serious concern for Dalit human rights defenders at the EU-India summit 

   Download the full letter here >> 

Report: Over 50% of child labourers in cottonseed farms in India are Dalits or Adivasis

A new report published by the human rights NGO Arisa has found that children under 14 years account for over 18% of the workforce in the cottonseed farms surveyed, with over 50% of the […]
June 16th, 2020|Business, Caste-based slavery, Dalit Children, India|

Surge in atrocities against Dalits and Adivasis under COVID-19 lockdown in India reported

Please find the documented cases and interventions by NDMJ here >> and the collection of media reports collated by NDMJ here >> Below please read the full press release from NDMJ on this: Press Statement by National […]
June 15th, 2020|Health, Human Rights Defenders, India, Violence and atrocities|

In solidarity with #BlackLivesMatter

IDSN strongly condemns the murder of George Floyd. Our hearts go out to his loved ones and the loved ones of all those killed because of systemic inequality, racism and discrimination every day across the […]
June 4th, 2020|Access to justice, Human Rights Defenders, Violence and atrocities|

Nepal: Bachelet condemns Dalit killings, calls for independent investigation

See the statement below from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet:   Nepal: Bachelet condemns Dalit killings, calls for independent investigation   GENEVA (29 May 2020) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet expressed […]

Dalit rights defenders demand justice in killings over inter-caste love in Nepal

IDSN members and affiliates in Nepal are raising awareness and demanding justice in a case of caste-based murder in the country that is still under Covid-19 lockdown. What started as a love story between two […]
May 28th, 2020|Access to justice, Nepal, Violence and atrocities|

Call to action to respond to the suspension of fundamental labour rights in India

IDSN fully endorses the Call to action on Labour Law changes in India, issued by the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). The statement calls on businesses sourcing in India to respond to the news that […]
May 27th, 2020|Access to justice, Business, Caste-based slavery, India, South Asia|

IDSN members and associates support Dalits affected by the impact of Covid-19

IDSN members in South Asia and international associates have been quick to offer immediate response and assistance, as the ramifications for Dalits of Covid-19 measures have become clear. While IDSN has issued two general […]