Caste discrimination is one of the biggest human rights violations facing the international community today; both in terms of the numbers affected and the severity of the human rights violations caused by this form of discrimination. IDSN therefore works for the promotion and protection of Dalit human rights through the UN human rights framework.
IDSN offers input to UN mechanisms and facilitates Dalit advocacy at the global level.
Latest caste & UN documentation links
- Dalit leader urges action to address the situation of Dalit women at UN CEDAW Review of Nepal (IDSN News)
- UN report on intersectionality by the Special Rapporteur on Racism 2025
- UN report on intersectionality calls for action on caste and gender justice (IDSN News)
- Joint UPR Nepal 2025 submission report
- IDSN input on the Nexus Between Gender Equality and the Right to Development to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development
- IDSN input on the situation of human rights defenders working on climate change and a just transition for the UN SR on human rights defenders
- IDSN input to the Secretary General Minorities Report 2025: Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
- IDSN input on the Worst Forms of Child Labour for UN SR Slavery 2025 report
- IDSN Submission to UN SR Racism 2025 report
- IDSN submission to 2025 report of the SR Minority issues
- Child labour in the primary production of sugarcane (ILO)
- International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Safety and Health Fact Sheet Hazardous Child Labour in Agriculture – Cotton (ILO, 2025)
- IDSN’s Recommendations for the 58th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council (24th February – 4th April 2025)
- Joint Shadow Report on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women regarding Dalit women and girls in Nepal (2025 Full Report)
- SUMMARY: Joint Shadow Report on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women regarding Dalit women and girls in Nepal (January 2025)
- Report to the SP on violence against women and girls in sports (GFoD Submission April 2024)
- Joint Submission to the UN CEDAW 2024 – Caste and Gender Justice in Nepal
- UN rights review calls for stronger anti-discrimination measures in Bangladesh (IDSN News – 2024)
- PROTECTING MINORITY RIGHTS: A Practical Guide to Developing Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Legislation (OHCHR and Equal Rights Trust)
- Pakistan through Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent Lens (GFOD Report
- Advocating for equality: IDSN delegation addresses challenges faced by Dalits at key UN Forums (IDSN news)
- Addressing the situation of Dalits in Bangladesh at the UN UPR pre-session (IDSN News)
- Joint NGO submission related to the review of Bangladesh for the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review 2023 – The Situation of Dalits in Bangladesh
- Recommendations for the 53rd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council (19 June – 14 July 2023)
- UN Human Rights Council Regular Session 53 Activities (IDSN News 2023)
- Caste and gender-based violence addressed at IDSN’s first UN side-event (News 2023)
- Pakistan UPR review: caste-related recommendations (IDSN)
- Submission on the situation of Dalits in Bangladesh for the UN Universal Periodic Review (2023)
- India rights review: Action on caste discrimination recommended by States across three continents (IDSN News)
- A long awaited and hard-fought victory for us and a triumph for Dalit voices everywhere (IDSN News – ECOSOC status)
UN mechanisms
The UN human rights bodies have addressed the issue of caste discrimination in several reviews of caste-affected countries and relevant thematic UN studies, as documented by IDSN. Find more information on the links below:
- UN Human Rights Council
- Universal Periodic Review
- UN Treaty Bodies
- UN Special Procedures
- Principles and Guidelines for the Effective Elimination of Discrimination based on Work and Descent
- UN Sub-Commission study on discrimination based on work and descent
- List of UN parallel events
Country information
IDSN facilitates the submission of shadow reports and supports joint NGO statements to several UN human rights bodies. Below is a list of relevant publications, statements, reports and resolutions prepared in relation to different countries:
Database
IDSN has created an extensive database on caste-based discrimination.
Find all documents related to UN and caste in IDSN’s database
Link to UN-related news in IDSN’s database
Read about the United Nations in our Annual Reports
UN Chapter of the IDSN Annual Report 2017
UN & EU chapter Annual Report 2016
UN – Annual Report 2015
UN – Annual report 2014
UN – Annual report 2013
UN – Annual report 2012
UN – Annual report 2011
UN – Annual report 2010
UN – Annual report 2009
UN – Annual report 2008
