DALIT SOLIDARITY N E T W O R K U KA world without caste discriminationCas

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l What is the caste system? l Who are the Dalits?l What is caste discrimination? l How can we help?

This woman sleeps on the cold and wet concrete.

Cover photo: Sewage workers are forced to dive in and clean with no protective clothing to shield them from human waste.

Dalit street sweepers contribute to Dhaka’s society but get very little in return.

GODS

BRAHMINPriests,

Academics

KSHATRYIAWarriors, Kings

VAISHYAMerchants, Landowners

SHUDRACommoners, Peasants, Servants

UNTOUCHABLES (DALITS)Outcast, Out of Caste, Street sweepers, Latrine cleaners

The Caste system involves the division of people into social and economic groups in which an individual’s rights are determined by birth, and there is no way of changing the caste that one is born into. It affects where people live, who they marry and the job that they do. Whilst the Caste system is traditionally related to the Hindu communities of India and South Asia generally (see diagram), it can also be found in Christian, Buddhist, Sikh and Muslim communities.

Dalits are the outcasts in society – deemed ‘untouchable’ as they are considered lower than the lowest caste. The term ‘Dalit’ is used by the people themselves to indicate a growing movement demanding equality and the right to dignity. Dalits are often forcibly

made to do the most dirty, menial and dangerous jobs, such as street sweeping, prostitution, and removal of human waste and dead bodies. Many are forced to do such work for no pay and under the threat of violence or social exclusion.

WHAT IS THE CASTE SYSTEM?

Awad was fired at by dominant caste men after trying to settle a dispute. He was semi-conscious for five days and lost both eyes.

WHO ARE THE DALITS?

© Jakob Carlsen

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© Jakob Carlsen

© Ja

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WHAT IS CASTE DISCRIMINATION?

The Caste system is very unequal but it is defended by those who enjoy the privileges of this inequality and those who use caste division to advance and defend their own interests.

Discrimination makes it almost impossible for Dalits (‘untouchables’) to find work outside of their inherited jobs. This makes it very difficult to change their lives. For example, although caste discrimination is illegal in India, hundreds of Dalits suffer from it every day. While caste discrimination can be largely invisible to wider society, it can cause enormous pain to those affected by it.

CASTE DISCRIMINATION AFFECTS AN ESTIMATED 26O MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDETHE WORST FORM OF CASTE DISCRIMINATION

According to unofficial estimates, as many as 1.3 million Indian Dalits are employed as manual scavengers to clear human waste from dry pit latrines, often with their bare hands and without protective gear. They are considered to be at the very bottom of the caste hierarchy and are treated as untouchables even by other Dalits. The children of manual scavengers are particularly vulnerable to discrimination in their schools, where they are forced to perform cleaning and scavenging work, and where discrimination undermines all aspects of their education and often causes them to drop out of school altogether.

❝ I used to sit in the front row of my class,” explained one Dalit girl. “But the students complained that they were getting polluted. So, the teacher started making me sit at the back... When I was in grade 6, unable to bear it anymore, I dropped out. I wanted to become a nurse or a doctor, but now all my dreams are broken. ~

CASTE INDICATORS

It is often possible to identify a person’s caste whether or not they subscribe to the concept of caste or are willing to state it.

A number of factors may indicate a person’s caste, including:

l Occupation prior to migration (if a migrant) or that of a recent forefather (or current relative).

l Village (or part of the village) from which one’s family originally comes.

l Last name (although this can also mislead).

l Religion and gurdwara, or temple of worship (evidence indicates many in Britain are caste-based).

CASTE DISCRIMINATION IN UK SCHOOLS

There is evidence that caste-based pupil-on-pupil bullying and harassment is common in schools and colleges including the use of caste-based insulting language.

The above example shows how caste taunts can result in violence. It also illustrates that many authorities fail to fully understand the issue and that casteism is not being treated as seriously as racism.

❝ If you are not considered human, human rights do not apply to you. ~Mona Rani Das, Dalit Activist

❝ The blight of caste discrimination, under which millions in India are regarded as ‘untouchable’, has spread to this country virtually unnoticed. ~Keith Porteus Wood, National Secular Society

A 14-year-old boy was taunted at school using caste terms. The boy hit back on two of the worst occasions. This led to police involvement and suspension from school when he was taking his GCSE exams. The teacher handled it as best she could but she did not understand the severity of the remarks and how damaging they could be. The family commented that, if they had been racist remarks, the other boy would have been suspended. The family also felt that the police did not understand what had happened and just saw it as a feud between two Asian people. The victim did worse in his exams than expected and has found it difficult to cope.

CASTE DISCRIMINATION IN THE UK

It is estimated that between 50,000 and 250,000 Dalits live in the UK. UK citizens of mainly South Asian origin continue to experience the effects of the caste system. Dalits experience discrimination, prejudice or abuse by those of caste in work, education and in their daily lives. Evidence shows that caste discrimination is not dying out, as some believe, and continues to blight the lives of those who experience it.

DALIT SOLIDARITY N E T W O R K U KA world without caste discriminationCas

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WHAT WE DO AT DSN-UK

Dalit Rights are Human Rights and our aim is to fight injustice by combating violations of Human Rights, which Dalits suffer on a daily basis. Their lives are a violation of all aspects of the Declaration of Human Rights – from entitlement to a life free from discrimination to one of dignity and equality. Caste-based discrimination is one of the most serious ongoing human rights violations in the world today, yet one that continues unacknowledged and unchallenged across the world. Victims both here in the UK and in South Asia have little or no access to justice.

Lobbying: DSN-UK lobbies, campaigns and informs parliament, development agencies, the media, business and the public about caste discrimination, highlighting the atrocities, humiliation and poverty that over 260 million Dalits suffer due to this discrimination.

Corporate Responsibility: As a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, DSN-UK urges company members sourcing from India and South Asia to address caste discrimination throughout their supply chains.

Campaigning: DSN-UK holds governments, organisations and business accountable to the international and national pledges and promises they have made to end human rights abuses and discrimination.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

l ON 10TH OCTOBER 2013, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTED WITH A HUGE MAJORITY TO PASS A RESOLUTION TO COMBAT CASTE BASED DISCRIMINATION AROUND THE WORLD.

l THE RESOLUTION WAS SUPPORTED BY UK AND IRELAND MEPs BUT ACTION IN THE UK TO IMPLEMENT DISCRIMINATION LAWS TO INCLUDE CASTE HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY DELAYED BY THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT.

l DSN-UK IS STILL CAMPAIGNING FOR THE UK GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT THIS LEGISLATION.

HOW CAN YOU HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF CASTE DISCRIMINATION?

1 Write to your local MP or the Prime Minister. There is a letter template on our website that you can sign and send. 2 Educate others about the issue of caste discrimination by sharing this leaflet.

3 Show your support by following us on Twitter and liking our Facebook page. 4 Submit a complaint to UN special procedures reporting a violation of human rights. Find out more about this at www.idsn.org.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CASTE DISCRIMINATION AND FIND OTHER WAYS OF RAISING AWARENESS:VISIT OUR WEBSITE

www.dsnuk.org

facebook.com/DalitSolidarityNetworkUKtwitter.com/DSNUK

DSN-UKThe Director,Thomas Clarkson House, The Stableyard, Broomgrove Road, London SW9 9TL

Phone: +44 (0) 20 7501 8323 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7738 4110 E-mail: info(at)dsnuk.org Registered charity no: 1107022

❝ What of my rights? Am I not human too?~Vincent Manoharan, Patron, Dalit Solidarity Network UK

DSN-UK ensures caste is on the development agenda and campaigns for institutions to recognise caste discrimination where appropriate and to work towards its eradication.

DSN-UK holds regular seminars and meetings on caste at the Department for International Development, in Parliament, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

This leaflet has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The content of the leaflet is the sole responsibility of DSN-UK and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

Leaflet written by Callum Barker (14); edited by Martha Daniels (16).

www.dsnuk.org

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DALIT SOLIDARITY N E T W O R K U KA world without caste discrimination

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