UN Minority Forum: Dalit rights defenders deliver statements on shocking lack of justice for Dalits

This year’s Forum on Minority Issues took place on 24th and-25th November and had a thematic focus on “Minorities in the Criminal Justice System”. This is a key issue that is faced by Dalits in India who are not only impaired from accessing mechanisms of justice but also often the main victims of police torture and custodial death, due […]

|Categories: United Nations|Tags: |

Read More

IDSN Statement – 50 years of ICERD – from paper tigers to global action

IDSN Statement for the 50th Anniversary of the International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination – 26 November 2015 Today, we join you in celebrating 50 years since the momentous occasion where the International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination was adopted. Set against the backdrop of the international struggle against Apartheid, […]

|Categories: United Nations|Tags: |

Read More

Stand for Human Rights Campaign launched by Human Rights and Democracy Network

Today The Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN), of which IDSN is a member has launched the year-long campaign Stand 4 Human Rights Defenders. urging the EU to take action on commitments to protects and defend human rights defenders. Please find the full press release below a feel free to share this – also using #Stand4HRDS on social media.

|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |

Read More

IDSN November Newsletter

Read the latest IDSN newsletter here http://eepurl.com/bFpUBb : The November edition of the newsletter includes: Caste violence in India rises as Dalits assert their rights Nepal UPR – UN Members deeply concerned about caste Dalit singer arrested and film on caste refused clearance Caste-based discrimination highlighted at Human Rights Council New publication from ADRF on UN mechanisms and caste Caste should be addressed in the […]

|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |

Read More

Caste violence in India rises as Dalits assert their rights

In October, the burning to death of two small Dalit children, asleep in their house, grabbed international headlines. The children were reportedly victims of a dispute between Dalits and members of the dominant caste. This horrific incident is unfortunately by no means unique, as the past years have seen a rise in violence, rape and murder of Dalits. The […]

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

Read More

Dalit singer arrested and film on caste refused clearance – the right to expression curtailed in India

A documentary on the caste system and eating habits was withdrawn from a recent film festival in New Delhi. According to the BBC, the documentary “Caste on the Menu Card” was the only film among the 35 sent to India’s information and broadcasting ministry to be refused clearance for “technical” reasons last week. BBC’s Vikas Pandey spoke to the […]

|Categories: India, Political Participation|Tags: |

Read More

Nepal – UN Members deeply concerned about caste discrimination and untouchability

PRESS RELEASE issued jointly by the Nepal Dalit National Social Welfare Organisation (NNDSWO), Dalit NGO Federation (DNF), The Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO) and the Jagaran Media Center (JMC) on behalf of the Dalit Civil Society Organisations Coalition and by the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN). UN Nepal UPR Review calls for effective implementation of Caste-Based Discrimination law (Geneva, […]

|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |

Read More

Yemen: Groundbreaking UNICEF survey reveals enormous welfare gap between Muhamasheen (“Al-Akhdam”) and the general population

Access to services Significant disparities are found in access to services such as water and sanitation, electricity, quality of housing. For example only 9% of the homes of Muhamasheen communities have piped water against 29% of the general population, and only 42% of Muhamasheen households have a latrine inside their dwelling. It was also found that over half of the […]

|Categories: Yemen|Tags: |

Read More

Minority Rights Group urges Governments to ensure ‘no one is left behind’ as SDGs are adopted

Caste-related extracts from MRG briefing note on the Sustainable Development Goals Livelihoods In India, Dalits are presented as ‘untouchable’ and as a result 17 per cent of the population are ‘largely exiled from mainstream society’ due to work restrictions and other barriers. Health In terms of health outcomes, minorities and indigenous peoples continue to be left behind: In India, for example, though […]

|Categories: Bangladesh, Dalit Women, Education, India, Pakistan, South Asia, United Nations|Tags: |

Read More

Stand up for Dalit rights at the UN SDG Summit 2015

A series of events including a protest rally are being organised at the UN summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from 22-26th September in New York, by the Asia Dalit Rights Forum (ADRF) and other Dalit rights networks. The events culminate in a demonstration on the 26th September at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza in NYC from 1:30-3pm. We urge those in New […]

|Categories: development, Human Rights Defenders, United Nations|Tags: |

Read More