Pakistan: a human rights defender was booked on murder charges for raising the cases of scheduled caste Hindus
Urgent appeal from the Asian Human Rights Commission:
Dalit girls working under slave like conditions in India’s garment industry
Multinational clothing brands are sourcing from cotton spinning mills in Tamil Nadu that exploit teenage girls, subjecting them to what the ILO terms the ‘worst forms of child labour’.
The cost of cotton – Every 30 minutes an Indian farmer commits suicide
India is failing to address its farmer suicide crisis, says the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ), in a report released yesterday that has indentified an agrarian crisis in India where farmer suicides are on the rise and caste discrimination only exacerbates the problem.
Dalit millionaires warn: caste system prevails despite India’s economic boom
Even a Dalit millionaire in India can’t buy a house for his mother in the ‘upper caste’ part of her village, or see his son marry an ‘upper caste’ girl. Despite the economic success of a small fraction of India’s Dalits, discrimination prevails and a top economist argues that in fact discrimination and repression are what underpin India’s economic growth, forcing the majority of Dalits into low paid and insecure labour situations.
India’s Prime Minister: Combating violence against Dalits a priority
In his inaugural address at Civil Services Day on April 21st in New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned civil servants that there was no room for relaxation of vigil when it came to dealing with violence in India. He pointed out the violence committed against Dalits was a priority and stressed that the Government would work for the development of far-flung areas in order to strengthen internal security.
Supreme Court: Caste discrimination is holding up India’s progress
India’s Supreme Court is pushing local law enforcement and state Governments to stop caste discrimination by clamping down on discriminatory practices. Recent verdicts include a ban on using different cups for Dalits in tea shops in Tamil Nadu, cracking down on caste-based violence across the country and outlawing the use of derogatory caste names.
IDSN on YouTube
IDSN have launched a YouTube Channel on www.youtube.com/IDSNVideo
Bills to end untouchability in Nepal must be adopted says top UN Human Rights Official
UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kyung-wha Kang, strongly urges Nepal to act to adopt new legislation to fight rampant caste discrimination in the country. The statements came in connection with Ms. Kang’s April visit to Nepal.
Dalit women in Nepal rally, chant, dance and get creative for their rights
March was a very active month for Dalit women in Nepal who have been busy with activities to mark the International Women’s Day, the Social Women’s Forum and the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The many active participants at the events confirmed that there are plenty of women ready to ensure discrimination against women in Nepal is a thing of the past.
Hundreds of Dalit homes bulldozed without warning
On the 23rd of March the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) bulldozed 750 houses in the Gayatri colony - 80% of which belong to Dalits.