IDSN’s fight for UN consultative status – a case of reprisal against a human rights NGO
For seven years IDSN’s application for UN ECOSOC consultative status has been blocked on spurious grounds. IDSN is a key actor in bringing the plight of 260 million Dalits, suffering from caste discrimination worldwide, to the attention of the UN. Blocking IDSN’s accreditation is an attempt to silence the human rights issues of a quarter of a billion people. The IDSN application is now the application that has been deferred the longest by the ECOSOC committee.
Dalit women activists bring the struggle to end violence against Dalit women to Europe
Asha Kowtal, General Secretary of the National Dalit Women’s movement in India (AIDMAM), and Dalit filmmaker Thenmozhi Soundararajan, brought the campaign to end violence against Dalit women to European decision-makers and public gathering in May. The two women spoke at a number of significant events in Europe to report back on the recent Self-respect march for Dalit women in India.
Dalit leaders speak at EU Human Rights Defenders Forum
Dalit Human rights defenders and a team from the IDSN secretariat took part in The European Instrument on Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) 2014 Forum on Protecting Those Who Protect. Asha Kowtal, General Secretary of the National Dalit Women’s movement in India, spoke about Dalit women human rights defenders as part of a panel while Henri Tiphagne raised the issue of shrinking space for human rights defenders in India from the floor.
UN experts slam India’s child rights policies (NCDHR press release)
India’s child rights policies came under sharp attack at a crucial meeting of UN experts on 2-3 June in Geneva. The UN Committee on Rights of Child had met to review the progress made under the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its two Optional Protocols in India.
UN: Plight of Dalit women highlighted by the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
“The intergenerational nature of caste-based discrimination condemns women to a life of exclusion, marginalization and disadvantage in every sphere of life. Many of those women are denied an education and economic opportunities, and perform dangerous and unprotected work, including … modern forms of slavery,” stated the SR on Violence against Women, Ms. Rashida Manjoo, in her report following her mission to India.
UNICEF: Yemen takes a major first step in reaching the Al Akhdam people
A project to map Al Akhdam communities in Yemen has been launched by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MoSAL). IDSN has been working to promote the rights of Al Akhdam people for a number years and welcomes this much needed survey, expected to reach some 10,000 households.
Human Rights Watch Report: India’s marginalized denied education
Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims are most at risk of dropping out of school and being denied an education in India – states the comprehensive report “They say we’re dirty” – Denying an Education to India’s Marginalised, just released by Human Rights Watch.
Dalit girls exploited in India’s garment industry
A new report finds that Dalit girls in India's garment industry live in hostels, with little freedom of movement, are underpaid for long working-days and working under hazardous conditions.
Groundbreaking Report on Claiming Justice for Dalits in India
Told directly from victims, witnesses, community members, human rights defenders and public officials, the report analyzes over 400 atrocity cases, with 20 in-depth case studies covering atrocities such as murder, rape, mass attack, and land grabbing.
Dalit women ignite the audience at the Women in The World Summit in New York
“Even if no one else recognizes us as human, we will shout it from the rooftops. … The shame is not on the women, the shame is on India,” said US Dalit woman filmmaker Thenmozhi Soundararajan in the talk she gave together with Asha Kowtal from AIDMAM, at the high profile Women in The World Summit in New York**. Uma Thurman introduced the talk by playing the part of a Dalit woman rape victim and NBC anchor Cynthia McFadden moderated the discussion.