Sanitation worker deaths spark protests demanding an end to manual scavenging in India

The call to action has come from the Safai Kramchari Andolan (SKA), an organization that has been fighting for the rights of manual scavengers and helping them break out of the practice. The protesters included relatives of many who died due to manual scavenging and human rights activists including many of […]

|Categories: Human Rights Defenders, India, Manual Scavenging|Tags: |

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IDSN engages with the 39th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

IDSN engaged with the 39th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), held in the Palais des Nations from the 10th to the 28th of September 2018. IDSN delivered statements, lobbied Member States and OHCHR staff and met with the High Commissioner and the NGO Committee – find our recommendations here. Find the full agenda and programme of […]

|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |

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Senior UN official raises concern over the ‘de facto’ rejection of ECOSOC status for IDSN

In his address to the Human Rights Council, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Andrew Gilmour, raised concern over the “repeated deferrals and apparent lack of transparency amounting to a de facto rejection on the granting of IDSN’s UN consultative status.”  His comments came as part of his oral presentation to the Human Rights Council on 19 September 2018, covering […]

|Categories: Human Rights Defenders, India, Political Participation, Uncategorized, United Nations|Tags: |

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MEPs: EU should cancel agreements with India until unjustly jailed human rights defenders are released

The letter from the MEP’s  specifically demands the immediate release of Prof. GN Saibaba, Varavara Rao, Gautam  Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves,  Arun   Ferreira, Surendra Gadling, Prof Shoma Sen, Sudhir Dhawle, Rona Wilson, Mahesh Raul, and Sudha Bharadwaj. The letter also states: “We, the undersigned Members of the European Parliament, condemn the raids on homes and arbitrary […]

|Categories: Access to justice, European Union, Human Rights Defenders, India|Tags: |

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India: MRG & IDSN strongly condemn latest arrests of prominent human rights defenders  

‘These and other arbitrary arrests undermine free speech and dissent, which are cornerstones of truly democratic societies,’ emphasises Carl Söderbergh, Director of Policy & Communications at Minority Rights Group International (MRG). ‘India should be a safe home for ideas and arguments, and those who call for equality and fairness should be celebrated rather than threatened and detained.’ The activists arrested […]

|Categories: Access to justice, Human Rights Defenders, India|Tags: |

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Five female anti-trafficking activists kidnapped and raped in India – EU responds

The statement from EU High Representative and Vice President of the EU Commission, Frederica Mogherini, came as a response to a question from the Member of the European Parliament. The MEP asked for details on how the EU can “strengthen its support and effectiveness in protecting human rights defenders in India, specifically through its delegation, the European Instrument for […]

|Categories: Dalit Women, European Union, India, Violence and atrocities|Tags: |

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The UK fails to ensure legal protection against caste discrimination

The decision, which the Government states is due to the ‘controversial nature’ of the issue, comes following many years of procedural delays in implementing a clause that would include caste under the remit of the UK Equalities Act. A parliamentary order in 2013 directed the Government to “amend this section [of the Equalities Act] so as to provide for […]

|Categories: Solidarity Networks, UK|Tags: |

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Regional conference on equal access to justice calls for action to end caste discrimination

There were national human rights practitioners and advocates from the region, key state champions and regional actors to highlight the state and national efforts to advance the rights of Dalit and marginalized communities. The practitioners shared their experiences, examples of how organizations and coalitions are implementing wide-ranging changes to advance justice, […]

|Categories: Human Rights Defenders, Nepal, South Asia|Tags: |

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EU High Representative asked to outline how the EU intends to support IDSN’s application for UN consultative status

The MEP’s question also states that, “It is extremely troubling to learn that the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN), an international NGO focusing on caste-based discrimination and other forms of discrimination based on work and descent, is now the longest pending application for UN Consultative Status accreditation. IDSN’s application has now been unjustly deferred by the UN NGO Committee for […]

|Categories: European Union, Human Rights Defenders, United Nations|Tags: |

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Australian Parliament passes motion on caste-based discrimination

The motion was passed on 27th June 2018 and moved by Senators Claire Moore and Lee Rhiannon. It states that 260 million people across the globe are estimated to face discrimination based on descent and work– Dalits, Burakumin, Osu, Romani, Quilombo and other communities. They comprise a little less than 4% of the world’s population including 210 million Dalits […]

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

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