Jan. to March., 2014 Vol. 03, Issue 01
ISSN : 2278-3067
Sangharsh/Struggle : e-Journal of Dalit Literary Studies
Human Rights of Dalit Women: Issues and Challenges Dr. Seema Mathur1 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. So, we are all equally entitled to our human rights without any discrimination. 2 Human rights are moral principles that set out certain standards of human behaviour, and are regularly protected as legal rights in national and international law. They are "commonly understood as fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being. But in case of Dalits, women and Dalit women in particular it is not applied as they are treated unequal. “Many [Dalit women] experience some of the worst forms of discrimination. The reality of Dalit women and girls is one of exclusion and marginalization, which perpetuates their subordinate position in society and increases their vulnerability, throughout generations.” Rashida Manjoo, the UN Special Rapporteur and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, on June 4, 2013, in Zeneva on Multiple and Intersecting Forms of Discrimination and Violence against Dalit Women. According to her the combination of caste and gender makes millions of Dalit women extremely vulnerable to discrimination and violence, including rape, forced prostitution, and modern forms of slavery. Specific types of work continue to be assigned to them on the basis of their hierarchical status. Although there are laws to protect them, implementation remains an obstacle. Also new laws are useless unless they are implemented, as we have seen with previous efforts to ensure protection of Dalit rights. Therefore all United Nations member states should focus urgent attention and decisive action to improve conditions for Dalit women.3 In India, some around 200 million people or more than 16% are ranked as ―untouchables‖ or Dalits at the bottom of caste system. Dalits are ‗outcastes‘ falling outside the traditional four classes of Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, & 1
Dr. Seema Mathur Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Kalindi College, University of Delhi, Delhi Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) „Women and Girls Facing Caste-Based Discrimination Need Special Protections‟, available on http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/06/07/take-action-improve-conditions-dalit-women, retrieved on 10.4.2014 2 3
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