News | Dalit Solidarity Network

Dalit Solidarity Network UK Launches New Look Website

18th February 2020

We are delighted to introduce our new website: https://dsnuk.org. The DSN-UK team have been working hard over the last few months to ensure that the new site is easier to navigate and has a more contemporary appearance, with the help of designers Eighth Day. Divided into categories, you can now explore further under the main titles of Caste Discrimination, Caste in the UK, What We Do, Take Action and News. Whether you want to find out about caste discrimination globally or are more focused on how you can change things here in the UK, the new website can direct you [..]

Anti-Legislation Lobby want ‘caste’ to be replaced with ‘class’

15th August 2019

Our Director, Meena Varma, appeared on Radio 4’s Sunday programme, to discuss the Guidance Document on Caste Discrimination, which is shortly due to be published by the Government. At present both sides are unhappy with what has been produced. Satish Sharma of the National Council of Hindu Temples has argued that the use of ‘caste’ brings up an association with Hindus and implies that the religion is discriminatory. Instead, they would like to see the word ‘class’ put in its place – however, there is a vast difference between the two terms. In response, Meena stated that there is no definition of [..]

UK Government will repeal caste law

15th August 2019

The Government Equalities Office have finally published the results of the six-month public consultation on Caste in Great Britain and Equality Law, determining whether ‘caste’ should be included in the Equality Act 2010. The consultation, launched in March 2017 and finished in September 2017, has at last been announced, one day before the beginning of Parliament’s Summer Recess, leaving little opportunity for pro-legislators to respond in a timely manner. Consisting of 13 questions, the crux of the matter was to find out whether caste discrimination should be included in Statue Law or remain under Case Law. Penny Mordaunt, the Secretary [..]

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on racism visit to the UK

15th August 2019

The Special Rapporteur (SR) on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Ms. E. Tendayi Achiume, on Friday, 11 May 2018, concluded her official visit to the UK and issued her end of mission statement. During the visit the Special Rapporteur met with the UK government and Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales representatives. Ms Achiume also met with civil society in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast. Dalit Solidarity Network UK made a submission to the SR prior to her visit to raise the issue of caste-based discrimination and attended meetings in London to further discuss [..]

Celebrate Zero Discrimination – end caste-based discrimination

7th August 2019

Today is March 1st and we mark the celebration of Zero Discrimination Day. Set up by UNAIDS, it is an annual day celebrated by the UN and other international organisations. This year focuses on tackling discriminatory laws around the world. With the strapline ‘Saving Lives, Leaving No One Behind’, it is a timely reminder that however far we think we have come in progressing past discrimination on the basis of race, religion, caste, gender, sexual orientation or disability, there remains much to be done around the globe. Theoretically, there are a number of human rights treaties (including the Universal Declaration of Human [..]