Progress in the fight to #EndCasteDiscrimination in the global South Asian diaspora
Over the past months the campaign to end caste discrimination in key South Asian diaspora communities has gathered momentum. Anti-caste groups and activists in the US, Canada, UK and Australia have carried out targeted advocacy and made significant progress towards the goal of ensuring protections and legal recourse for those experiencing caste discrimination in South Asian communities […]
Bangladesh: Gathering momentum for inclusive anti-discrimination legislation
In a significant step towards fostering equality and social justice, the Bangladesh Dalit Parishad (BDP) and Parittran recently organised a National Consultation Meeting on the Anti-Discrimination Bill-2022. Held in Dhaka, the event served as a platform for diverse stakeholders to provide feedback and recommendations on the proposed legislation. The meeting aimed to address the concerns and aspirations […]
UN UPR Review: UN member states call on India to address caste discrimination
During the 4th cycle of the UN Universal Periodic Review of India, the country received eight direct recommendations on caste, including topics such as racism, water, forced marriage and child labour.
On November 10, 2022 India was reviewed by 193 UN member states through the UPR, a peer review mechanism. Under this mechanism, […]
IDSN Annual Report 2022-23
The IDSN Annual Report 2022-23 has just been released and is ready for download. The report covers key developments and activities within IDSN’s work under the thematic areas Dalit women and gender justice, business and human rights and equality and participation. The report can be downloaded here: idsn.org/ar2022-23.
The European Parliament calls for stepping up consultations with Dalit communities and the adoption of a policy addressing intersectional discrimination
The International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) welcomes the adoption of the European Parliament’s annual report on human rights and democracy in the world 2022 and the European Union’s policy on the matter.
In addition to the calls by the European Parliament for the EU to adopt a “policy on […]
Dalit voices heard at the UN Forum on Minority Issues
IDSN delegates from South Asia spoke out on the human rights issues faced by Dalits at the UN Forum on Minority Issues in December 2022. Speaking on the panel and from the floor, human rights defenders from India and Nepal shared their experience of discrimination and injustice and their thoughts on the way forward for their communities. […]
Young Dalit leaders speak out at UN Business and Human Rights Forum
An IDSN delegation of inspiring young Dalit rights leaders participated in the the 11th session of the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva. The Forum was created by the Working Group on Business and Human Rights as a means to facilitate dialogue between several stakeholders working for compliance with human rights norms by […]
A long awaited and hard-fought victory for us and a triumph for Dalit voices everywhere
Today is a day for celebration. Following a historic vote at the UN our big-little human rights solidarity network, IDSN, was finally granted UN consultative status after fighting 15 years for it. After having been repeatedly deferred due to silencing in the form of arbitrary questioning in the smaller UN NGO Committee – IDSN, alongside eight other […]
India rights review: Action on caste discrimination recommended by States across three continents
During the 4th Cycle of the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of India, the country received recommendations on caste, including the need to ensure implementation of legislation to protect Dalits from discrimination and violence, develop an action plan to prevent caste discrimination in labour, protect Dalit women and girls from violence and sexual abuse, ensure equal access to […]
Dalit activists and theologians discuss ways to tackle caste discrimination
A well-attended workshop brought Dalit activists and theologians together to discuss caste discrimination, within and beyond the church, addressing challenges and ways forward. The workshop formed a part of the 11th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Karlsruhe, Germany, which took place in September 2022.
Activists from across India and Nepal spoke […]