This month's IDSN newsletter features information on Dalit issues from several caste-affected countries, including India, Bangladesh and Nigeria, as well as numerous stories with an international perspective.
IDSN urges Catherine Ashton to address caste discrimination in upcoming EU dialogues with India, ensure that the issue is given proper attention in EU cooperation with caste affected countries and pursue an EU policy on the issue.
IDSN urges President Barack Obama to raise the issue of caste discrimination on his upcoming visit to India
A Dalit Solidarity Network has been established in Finland. It has been widely welcomed by IDSN members.
Two United Nations Independent Experts have published a joint report from their visit to Bangladesh in December 2009. The experts note that Dalits suffer from "terrible living conditions."
Two new reports on child labour in the Indian seed industry have prompted a Dutch member of the European Parliament to ask questions about the EU’s relations with India - including the issue of Dalits.
Nepalese NGOs have prepared a joint submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The report includes a number of recommendations to the Nepalese government on how to address caste discrimination.
UN Special Rapporteurs and other human rights experts are meeting this week in Geneva. IDSN has called on these mandate holders to strengthen their efforts to address caste discrimination.
IDSN has issued a position paper on the interrelations between caste, descent and race. It argues that the debate on whether caste is similar to race is unproductive and that it is time to move beyond semantics.
The Dutch Government is addressing caste discrimination in its bilateral dialogues with India and through EU channels. Foreign Minister M.J.M. Verhagen recently answered questions on the issue in Parliament.
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