Reps of India's discriminated Dalit community to visit Azerbaijan

Representatives of India's Dalit community, who face discrimination in their own country, are planning a visit to Azerbaijan in the near future, reads a review by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG) on the situation of discrimination against Dalits in India, Report informs.

It is noted that the BIG closely cooperates with the Dalit community and places particular importance on increasing the visibility of caste-based discrimination on the international agenda.

The visit aims to draw the international community's attention to the problems of Dalits, who have been subjected to isolation, inequality, and violence for centuries.

"Dalits have been marginalized in Indian public life for centuries, subjected to violence, and restricted in their access to water sources, entry into religious temples, and sharing social spaces with members of the upper castes," reads the review.

The document lists the main organizations working to protect Dalit rights in a number of countries. These include the International Dalit Solidarity Network, Equality Labs, International Commission for Dalit Rights, Ambedkar International Center and Dalit Solidarity Network UK: "The fundamental demands of Dalits are the elimination of caste discrimination, an end to violence and impunity, the creation of equal opportunities in education and employment, increased access to land and economic resources, increased political representation, and the provision of equal and safe living conditions based on human dignity."

Dalits constitute approximately 16-17% of India's population-almost 200 million people. According to official data, more than 40,000 crimes were registered against lower castes in 2016 alone. In 2018, eight people were killed during mass protests involving Dalits: "These facts demonstrate that caste-based discrimination in India is not isolated incidents, but a systemic and widespread problem."

Despite the prohibition of caste-based discrimination in Indian law, Dalits face significant pressure in their daily lives: "Dalits face isolation, economic hardship, and violence in their daily lives, demonstrating that existing legal mechanisms do not fully protect their rights. Therefore, the root of the problem lies not only in historical caste traditions, but also in the failure of the Indian government to take sufficient steps to effectively address this systemic problem."

The issue of caste discrimination has been repeatedly raised at the international level. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has recognized caste discrimination as a human rights violation. The European Parliament also adopted a separate resolution on this issue, emphasizing the importance of mainstreaming caste-based discrimination into international human rights policy.