When the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) convenes to discuss challenges that affect the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women at its 59th session in March 2015, there is an urgent need to address the link between caste and the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence faced by Dalit women.
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.
Addressing the hidden apartheid of millions will be key to the success of the SDGs
I am Sami Al-Naggar, representative of All Youth Network for Community Development and a member of the marginalized community in Yemen.
Evidence of Caste Discrimination in the UK revealed
Opening the door to equal justice for Dalits in Nepal: OHCHR-Nepal disseminates its report
The reports and statements of the new High Commissioner for Human Rights, Special Rapporteur on Slavery and Special Rapporteur on Water and Sanitation at the HRC27 session offered general, thematic as well as state specific observations and recommendations on caste-based discrimination.
The report has hundreds of references to caste-based exclusion in all aspects of life, especially highlighting Dalit women.
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.
IDSN recommendations to the OHCHR and UN Agencies to end caste-based discrimination and caste-based violence against women and girls presented at a side-event on 17 June at the 26th Session of the Human Rights Council
The side-event heard calls from top UN officials for a coherent and coordinated approach from the UN in tackling caste-based violence and discrimination, with a particular focus on women and girls. Ms. Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed great concern for the issue of caste-based violence and discrimination. UN Women - Saraswathi Menon also spoke passionately against caste discrimination.
Report and press release on HRC26 side-event on ‘caste-based violence against women’ Calls came from top UN officials for a coherent and coordinated approach from the UN in tackling caste-based violence and discrimination, with a particular focus on women and girls. Ms. Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed great concern for the issue of caste-based violence and discrimination and UN Women Policy Director, Saraswathi Menon, summed up the sentiments of the speakers in her statement, “Words and legislation is not enough we need concrete action.The UN has an important role to play and must step up to the plate to help stop caste-based violence against women.” The event had a high attendance and good state representation. Read IDSN’s joint press release, the report from the side-event and the IDSN recommendations to the UN on caste-based discrimination and violence against women.
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.
2014 Cluster and analysis by IDSN.
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.
”Even if no one else recognizes us as human, we will shout it from the rooftops. … The shame is not on the women, the shame is on India,” said US Dalit woman filmmaker Thenmozhi Soundararajan in the talk she gave together with Asha Kowtal from AIDMAM, at the high profile Women in The World Summit in New York. Uma Thurman introduced the talk by playing the part of a Dalit woman rape victim and NBC anchor Cynthia McFadden moderated the discussion.