Dalit activists meet UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Dalit representatives from South Asia and Japan met the leading human rights official, Madam Navi Pillay, in Geneva on 16 September. The High Commissioner assured that all forms of discrimination – including caste discrimination – will remain a priority concern for her office.
Broad backing for new UN guidelines to eliminate caste discrimination
The government of Nepal is setting an international example in addressing one of the world’s most serious human rights issues. It strongly supports the UN guidelines on caste discrimination as an effective mechanism to eliminate a human rights outrage that affects 260 million people globally.
Dalits are victims of modern slavery
Bonded labourers in South Asia are predominantly Dalits, also known as ‘untouchables’. The UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery highlights this in her report about forced and bonded labour, which will be presented to the Human Rights Council at its 12th session in September.
Global call for action on UN caste guidelines
The UN Human Rights Council and caste-affected governments are urged to support the new comprehensive legal framework developed by the UN to eliminate caste discrimination. These principles and guidelines will be presented at an event in Geneva, supported by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Children speak up against manual scavenging
Dalit children in Gujarat will protest against being forced to clean toilets and septic tanks at the upcoming rally against manual scavenging, organized by Grassroots Dalit organization Navsarjan.
Nepali Dalits are given a helping hand in the Government’s new budget
The new Nepali Government budget proposal presents bold new provisions to fight caste-discrimination in Nepal, including financial assistance for stigmatized inter-caste couples.
Stand up and be counted
When Pakistan conducts its upcoming National Census, Pakistani low-caste or sub-caste members are strongly urged to register themselves as Dalits rather than Hindus. For while they may be considered ‘untouchable’, they must not also be made invisible, when the population is counted and divided into categories that will determine what reservations, development initiatives and means of political participation will be made available to them.
Supreme Court ruling brings India a step closer to ending manual scavenging
The campaign to end manual scavenging by the 2010 Commonwealth Games just got a push from a recent Supreme Court Decision, holding Government appointed District Collectors responsible for not eradicating the demeaning and hazardous practice.
The European Commission takes up the fight against caste discrimination
The European Commission conducted a 3 day regional workshop on Indigenous People, Minorities and Dalits in Dhaka, 15-17 June, 2009.
International Church Anti Racism Conference calls for action against caste discrimination
The international conference, “Churches against Racism”, delivered a strong message stating that they called for action with and on behalf of the marginalized, the poor and those facing exclusion.