Casteless or Caste-blind? Launch of study on caste-based discrimination in Sri Lanka in book form
“Casteless or Caste-blind?” was launched at a ceremony at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, on the 6th of February. Early reports show that the study has already generated increased public interest in the issue.
Nepal: Little democracy within political parties for Dalits – Constitutional Assembly members grilled by Dalit NGOs at seminar on Dalit rights
Approximately 50 members of Nepal’s Constitutional Assembly – the body charged with making a new constitution and restructuring the state – were gathered at a seminar on Dalit human rights in the constitution making process from 12 to 14 December 2008 outside Kathmandu. At the seminar hosted by the Dalit NGO […]
Dalits’ access to education debated at the UN Forum on Minorities
When the UN Forum on Minority Issues met for the first time on 15-16 December in Geneva to discuss the issue of minorities’ access to education, Ms. Meghna Guhathakurta from Bangladesh was invited to speak about Dalit rights and access to education. Ms. Guhathakurta is the Executive Director of Research Initiatives and she contributes actively to the work […]Welcome to our new website!
Being a resource hub on the issue of caste discrimination is one of our main goals. We hope we have come a little closer to that goal with our new website. Here you can get a brief introduction to the issue, go deep into research reports, watch videos, read news, learn about our international advocacy efforts, take a look […]Bangladesh Dalits formulate demands ahead of December elections
In a letter of 22 November the newly formed platform for Dalits and other excluded groups in Bangladesh – Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement – make 15 demands to the political parties and coming government. The platform demands inclusion in the country’s decision making processes, a criminalization of “untouchablility practices” and an increase in health and education […]Commission recommends inclusion of Muslim and Christian Dalits in reservation schemes in India
The National Commission of Minorities in India issued a report in January 2008 that strongly recommends that Muslim Dalits and Christian Dalits be awarded “Scheduled castes” status. Currently the Scheduled Castes status brings with it benefits such as reservation schemes in public employment and higher education. The report looks into the material well being and social status of […]New Dalit platform formed in Bangladesh
A new Dalit platform has been formed in Bangladesh. The new platform, called bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement (BDERM), came in to being on April 22. The platform was the concrete outcome of a national consultation organised by Bangladesh Dalit Human Rights, Nagorik Uddyog and others. It brought together organizations individually working on the rights of Dalits and […]IDSN granted accreditation for the Durban Review Conference
At the 2nd substantive session of the Durban PrepCom between 6-17 October, IDSN was granted accreditation for the Durban Review Conference in April 2009 despite objections from the Indian Government to its application. The Indian Government argued that since caste-based discrimination is not mentioned in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), NGOs working on that issue […]Bihar floods: When the boat doesn’t come
A recent report released by Dalit Watch documents caste discrimination in the relief efforts following the latest round of devastating floods in the Indian state of Bihar.