The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), in association with International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) has called on India to do more to eliminate the scourge of caste-based discrimination in the country and to ensure justice is served for Dalit victims.
Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai cites the case of IDSN as an example of how procedure is being used in the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs to prevent civil society organisations from getting UN accreditation.
As India marks the 125th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar this week, it must acknowledge the pervasiveness of discrimination and confront it head-on.
Press release: For the 18th time since 2008, the Committee on NGOs has deferred IDSN’s application – the longest pending one of its kind – for UN ECOSOC consultative status. Two more questions from India have yet again delayed the process.
More than 230 NGOs have called on members of the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to reform the practice of the Committee on NGOs that prevents certain human rights organisations – including IDSN – from associating freely with the UN.
A controversial piece of Indian legislation could be used to silence organisations that criticize the government. It contravenes the country’s international human rights obligations, a UN expert says.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing has completed a 12-day visit to India during which she expressed concern about India’s legacy of discrimination against Dalits and other marginalised groups.
Almost three months have passed since the tragic suicide of Dalit PhD-student Rohith Vemula, but his untimely death continues to attract national and international attention.
During the 31st Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Dalit human rights campaigners met the high-ranking UN human rights official, Kate Gilmore.
Reducing inequality and ’leaving no one behind” are paramount within the SDG framework.The zero draft outcome document of the Post 2015 SDG however gives no recognition to more than a quarter of a billion people discriminated and marginalised on the basis of caste. An SDG appeal has been launched by the Asian Dalit Rights Forum (ADRF) and co-signed by IDSN and dozens of other organisations, urging that caste discrimination be noted as a major cause of poverty and inquality, which must be taken into account in the outcome document.
The International Labour Organisation have now released the ILO Resource Handbook, a very useful tool in combating caste-based forced labour, and have also made a short summary of the handbook.
REPORT - Caste and Gender-Based Forced and Bonded Labour from UN HRC29 IDSN SIDE-EVENT 18th June 2015, 17.00-18.30
Briefing note including cases and quotes.