162 entries found
The Amnesty International report “Left Behind in the Storm: Dalit Women Sanitation Workers and the Fight for Water and Dignity” (2025) reveals how Dalit sanitation workers in Bangladesh—especially women in coastal Khulna and Satkhira districts—endure extreme exclusion. They are systematically ignored in climate adaptation, water and sanitation programmes, and disaster relief, while contending with intersecting caste and gender discrimination, lack of inclusive infrastructure, and economic precality. Many lack household water connections and must travel long distances or pay for water, work in informal sanitation roles without recognition or protection, and are excluded from decision-making. The impacts of climate shocks (floods, cyclones) exacerbate their hardship and drive further exclusion. “Caste and gender-based discrimination, lack of inclusive infrastructure, economic marginalization, and climate vulnerability have converged to entrench cycles of exclusion and indignity,” said Isabelle Lassée. “The findings by Amnesty International reflect a deeper national failure to uphold the rights of Dalit sanitation workers. The absence of caste-disaggregated data, targeted funding, and inclusive policymaking continues to leave Dalit communities significantly behind.”
The Working Group on the UPR reviewed India in November 2022 and the outcome report was adopted at the Human Rights Council 52 March session in 2023. This report includes recommendations on Dalits, caste, hate speech, racism, water and sanitation, women and girls' rights and many more.
UPR India 4th Cycle, list of recommendations on caste and related topics
Joint submission by IDSN, DSN Finland, DSN Norway, ARISA and IMADR.
Joint stakeholder submission by PDSN, CLJ PHF, RADHA, Hari Welfare Association, PDO, AF, PILER and IDSN.
The links between caste and hazardous forms of sanitation work were highlighted by speakers at the Sanitation Workers Forum 2021 from 29 November – 2 December. Participants at the forum urged that immediate steps are taken to ensure the safety and dignity of millions of sanitation workers worldwide – and ensure social protections.
The most recent Global Multidimensional Poverty Index includes caste as an important indicator of poverty in India. According to this method of measuring poverty, progress has been made, but Dalits and Adivasis are still disproportionately poor and women and girls are lagging behind.
In a controversial move, which runs contrary to the current Modi government policy, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), which falls under the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in a new report has asked the Government of India (GoI) to ensure that the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015 – called anti-atrocities Act – should be applied to not just those Dalits which are supposed to part of Hindu religion.
In connection with their participation in the 48 th Human Rights Council session, states are encouraged to consider the ongoing and systemic practice of discrimination based on work and descent, also known as caste-based discrimination, affecting more than 260 million people globally.
Need and objectives for EU intervention on sustainable corporate governance
The Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development (EMRTD) has identified five themes on which it intends to submit studies to the Human Rights Council during its mandate term. One of these studies is on Racism, racial discrimination and the right to development. Article 5 of the Declaration on the Right to Development enjoinsstates to take resolute steps to eliminate the violations of the human rights of peoples affected by racism and racial discrimination. The elimination of racism is therefore recognized as essential to fulfilling the right to development.
For the preparation of the report, consultations and discussions have been held with more than 223 Dalit civil society organizations and other human rights organizations in Nepal. The report has been prepared consulting with various stakeholders, concerned members, experts/specialists at state government and Prime Minister's office, concerned ministries, parliamentary committees, honorable members of parliament, Dalit commission, women commission among others, Dalit people's organizations, civil society, human rights activists and Dalit civil society's heads and representatives and journalists.
Case story on access to water in Bihar's Gaya district.
Amnesty International, WaterAid and the International Dalit Solidarity Network call on authorities in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan to take immediate action to protect sanitation workers who are risking their lives on the COVID-19 frontlines.
Webinar on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, organized by the UN Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, the Geneva Human Rights Platform and the UK Mission in Geneva.
Women engaged in manual scavenging face the double burden of caste and gender-based discrimination. Let us pledge to support their dignity, health and rights. A film by Nirman Chowdhury, produced by Sudharak Olwe, for WaterAid India.
An initiative to bring together various important resources on the issues of manual scavenging and sanitation work
India’s Sanitation Workers seek immediate help from the government, as they fight for better safety gears and equal treatment.
