Dalit women human rights defenders across the country are working bravely and tirelessly to support survivors of sexual violence; sometimes at great risk to their own personal safety and security. Dalit WHRDs need to be supported by the government and other NGOs, and recognised for their exemplary work and struggle for social justice.
A year after the Hathras gang-rape case, Dalit women from across South Asia, came together to speak out about sexual violence and to discuss the systemic changes required to #EndCasteBasedSexualViolence
Situation of Dalit Women in India lecture given by Abirami Jotheeswaran.
Gerard Oonk, co-founder and former director of the National India Working Group (LIW), received a ribbon today from the mayor of Utrecht, Sharon Dijksma, during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Arisa, formerly LIW.
Homeworkers, mainly women, are often engaged in informal tiers of apparel and footwear supply chains beyond the factory. Their precarious employment, out of sight of auditors and inspectors, combined with weak or absent legal protections, put them at risk of exploitation, and they have some of the worst pay and conditions of any workers in the value chain. The lack of visibility of homeworkers hampers the ability of international Brands and retailers to address the issues of homeworkers within their own supply chains. This is a toolkit to help businesses (and organisations working with them) improve transparency about homeworking within their supply chains.
The College has recently added caste to its nondiscrimination policy. With this, Colby has become the second educational institution in the nation to recognize caste in its policies.
IDSN member the Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) Nepal brought together speakers and participants from across Nepal to discuss the negative effects of caste in Nepal and strategies for action. Topics covered included food security, economic opportunities, shelter, and WASH for the Dalit community and especially Dalit women. Participants also heard about efforts already being made to mitigate the problems faced by Dalit women in Nepal.
In the present case of gang rape and murder of 19 years old girl of Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, every statutory provision prescribed by law of the land (especially PoA Act) to ensure relief and justice to the victim’s family was set aside by the police and administration of the State.
Dalit women and girls are often subjected to more severe or aggravated forms of sexual violence, such as gang rapes or rape with murder, and there is commonly a collective nature to these crimes, with offenders from dominant castes acting in groups to commit offences.
A survey-based study by the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR)'s Dalit Adhikari Andolan found that 56% of the surveyed students from the marginalised communities in the annual income group of Rs 20,000-40,000 were unable to access online classes. Further, 73% respondents from particularly vulnerable tribal groups were unable to access online classes in the COVID pandemic.
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.
IDSN has issued key recommendations to the UN member states for the 48th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council (13 September – 8October 2021) .
Interactive dialogue on the Secretary-General's report on cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights, pursuant to resolution 36/21 (A/HRC/48/28)
"Dalit women in particular suffer multiple discrimination at the intersection of caste and gender discrimination, including as targets of sexual violence and forced prostitution." - calling for engagement at the United Nations Human Rights Council 48th Session - 2021
On the 30 September, during the Interactive Dialogue with the HRC Advisory Committee, Pradip Pariyar, from IDSN member organisation Samata Foundation, highlighted the need for the UN system to keep engaged in eradicating caste-based discrimination.
Minority Rights Group (MRG) strongly condemns the widespread attacks against Hindus in Bangladesh over the past week. Violent attacks began sweeping Bangladesh as its Hindu minority community was celebrating its biggest annual festival, the Durga Puja, starting on 13 October. The violence commenced after a video went viral on social media apparently showing the Qur’an being placed on the knee of a statue of the Hindu god Hanuman, in a shrine for the festival in the eastern district of Cumilla.
The Bangladesh authorities should exercise caution and restraint in containing the deadliest spate of sectarian violence in Bangladesh in years, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should take immediate steps to protect Hindu religious minorities and prosecute those responsible, including members of law enforcement agencies, for unlawful violence.
IDSN strongly supports the statements by our International Associates, Minority Rights Group and Human Rights Watch, condemning the deadly attacks on Dalits and other Hindu’s in Bangladesh that took place during the Durga Puja
The Dalit Women Conclave on caste and gender justice and a subsequent road rally to demand the long-overdue enactment of the anti-discrimination act in Bangladesh called for action to ensure the rights of Dalits in Bangladesh.
This chapter, written by Philip E. Veerman, reviews and critiques the work of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child through the lens of caste- and descent-based discrimination. The chapter explores both the promise and the limitations of the work of the Committee in addressing discrimination that is, in many cases, fundamentally woven into the cultural and the religious practices of a society. In particular, it explores the promise and limitations of the Committee’s work in India, Nepal, and Mauritania to combat caste- and descent-based discrimination, inter alia, through its Concluding Observations. The chapter calls attention to the rights of children who are considered ‘untouchables’ or ‘outcastes.’ The chapter shows the challenges the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC Committee) confronts in addressing such discrimination. The chapter concludes by exploring ways the CRC Committee further the potential of the CRC to be an instrument of change.