Petition: UN – Act now and hold member states accountable for elimination of caste-based discrimination

The Dalit Human Rights Defenders Network has launched a petition to call for the United Nations to build forward better on descent and caste-based discrimination. The petition includes concrete recommendations for civil society, UN human rights council members and UN members states, UN special procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies.  The petition can be signed here >> The petition […]

|Categories: Human Rights Defenders, South Asia, United Nations|Tags: |

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The Dalit Solidarity Network Finland celebrates its 10th anniversary

The Dalit Solidarity Network – Finland (DSNFi) celebrated its tenth anniversary as an online celebration on 16 November 2020. The celebration brought together more than thirty participants from Nepal, India, UK and many parts of Finland. In her keynote address, Heidi Hautala, Finnish MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament, emphasized human rights for Dalits including the need for clean […]

|Categories: European Union, Solidarity Networks|Tags: |

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IDSN submits replies on caste discrimination to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights consultation

IDSN has highlighted the need to address caste discrimination in relation to human rights due diligence and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in the response to the UNGP+ 2020 Questionnaire. Read the IDSN submission of questionnaire responses Replies from the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) to the Questionnaire UNGP+10 November […]

|Categories: Business, United Nations|Tags: |

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South Asia: Authorities must urgently protect sanitation workers risking their lives on the COVID-19 frontlines

  AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, WATERAID AND INTERNATIONAL DALIT SOLIDARITY NETWORK JOINT PUBLIC STATEMENT 19 November 2020 As the UN marks World Toilet Day, Amnesty International, WaterAid and the International Dalit Solidarity Network call on authorities in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan to take immediate action to protect sanitation workers who are risking their lives on the […]

|Categories: Bangladesh, Health, India, Manual Scavenging, Nepal, Pakistan, United Nations, Water and Sanitation|Tags: |

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IDSN co-organises global OHCHR webinar “When language excludes and discriminates”

The webinar highlighted the need to move away from using the stigmatising concept of “social distancing”, which has been commonplace across UN agencies during the Covid-19 pandemic, and replace this with the term “safe distancing”. As Dalit activists explained, the term “social distancing” feeds directly into notions of untouchability, purity […]

|Categories: Health, South Asia, United Nations|Tags: |

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IDSN participates in Regional Forums on Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities

There was broad participation from the IDSN network in the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on “Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities” to provide insights on caste discrimination, which will feed into the thematic work of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues for his report to the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council in March 2021. Dalit human rights […]

|Categories: Diaspora, United Nations|Tags: |

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Statement: Rapes of Dalit women and impunity for dominant caste perpetrators must end now

IDSN Statement, October 7, 2020 IDSN strongly condemns the rapes and murders of Dalit girls and women in South Asia. The recent case of gang rape and murder of a 19-year old Dalit woman in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, has highlighted the ongoing brutality against Dalit women and the impunity with which it is administered. We stand in solidarity with Dalit […]

|Categories: Dalit Women, Human Rights Defenders, India, Nepal, South Asia, Violence and atrocities|Tags: |

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IDSN engages with the UN Human Rights Council 45th session on caste, slavery and water and sanitation

IDSN issued recommendations to States, contributed to statements and observed and noted caste-relevant issues presented at the UN Human Rights Council 45th Session held in Geneva. IDSN International Associate, The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR), delivered two statements mentioning caste. One was a general statement and the other an oral statement on

|Categories: Manual Scavenging, United Nations, Water and Sanitation|Tags: |

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Statement on Human rights to water and sanitation for Dalits in India – at the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council

IMADR delivered the oral statement on “Human rights to water and sanitation for Dalits in India” at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council. The Whole text can be read below or download here. ——— Oral Statement: 45th session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to […]

|Categories: United Nations, Water and Sanitation|Tags: |

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IDSN Recommendations – Human Rights Council 45th Session

Caste discrimination is found in various regions of the world including the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe and continues to be addressed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Procedures’ mandate holders. Nonetheless, more needs to be done to ensure that caste-based discrimination is recognised by the Council and mainstreamed into UN resolutions. In the context […]

|Categories: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, United Nations|Tags: |

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