Intersectional caste and gender discrimination leaves Dalit women and girls as some of the furthest behind when it comes to achieving the UN Global Goals and therefore this type of discrimination needs special focused attention. Dalit women are leading the way by standing up for their rights, they need global solidarity and justice to catalyse their access to rights and dignity. In this publication we highlight some of the key challenges faced by Dalit women and girls in relation to the specific UN Global Goals and targets and offer advice on what you can do to stand in solidarity with these women and be a catalyst of change
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have released a statement asking the Indian Government to end politically motivated arrests of Dalit rights activists who are simply doing their work to defend human rights in the country. IDSN continuously raises this issue in international fora and fully endorses and supports this statement.
The Concluding Observations of the May 2018 review of Nepal, by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), includes dozens of remarks relating to caste-based discrimination and several strongly worded recommendations on fighting it. Read the full IDSN analysis
The newly released Human Rights Watch World Report 2015 and the Amnesty International 2014-15 report find that caste discrimination persists with adverse effects to human rights on multiple levels. Serious obstacles to access to justice, discrimination in education and access to services and caste-based violence, including rape of Dalit women, are among the key themes addressed in the reports. These concerns are also noted in the latest India and Nepal reports of the US State Department.
Opening the door to equal justice for Dalits in Nepal: OHCHR-Nepal disseminates its report
a report highlighting interventions taken by civil society organisations (CSOs) to address atrocities under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act (PoA). The report is based on extensive field study conducted in five states in India, and documents the experiences and reflections of using the criminal justice system as told by victims, witnesses, human rights defenders and public officials. The report captures CSOs’ best practices in assisting victims of atrocities, and offers recommendations to strengthen their fight towards dignity and justice.
In the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), review of India on 2 July 2014, the issues of Dalit women and girls were brought up by several experts of the Committee and the Committee noted that Dalit women and the lack of implementation of laws were matters of serious concern.
The leaflet contains information on Dalit women’s human rights, key issues, cases, quotes from activists, INGOs, the UN and the EU and calls to action.
A comprehensive 2014 report by the National Dalit Movement for Justice (NCDHR) finds serious obstacles to Dalits obtaining justice in crimes against them and reports growing impunity when victims are Dalits. The report findings mirror many of the findings in the report Claiming Justice - also from 2014.
Two reports published in the UK confirm that caste discrimination “cannot be tolerated and should be included in the protections against discrimination and harassment provided in the Equality Act 2010” and comment that the proposed sunset clause, “for a non-discrimination ground is legally without precedent and goes against this key differential”
Caste discrimination and harassment has not been explicitly covered by British discrimination legislation. However, the Equality Act 2010 includes the provision that, by order of a Minister, caste may be treated as an aspect of race. This research was commissioned to help inform the Government whether to exercise this power. The research sought to identify whether caste discrimination and harassment in relation to aspects covered by discrimination legislation (i.e. work,education and the supply of goods and services) exists in Britain. Evidence suggesting such discrimination and harassment was found.
IDSN introduction video to caste discrimination (produced 2012)
Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability (Offence and Punishment) Act, 2011 adopted by the Interim Government of Nepal on 24 May 2011