Dalit Rights

Dalit Rights

Over one-sixth of India’s population — some 200 million people — live a precarious existence, shunned by much of Indian society because of their rank as “Untouchables” or Dalits. The Indian Constitution banned the practice of untouchablity under Article 17 and the Schedule Caste/ Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989 was introduced to combat persecution and discrimination against Dalits and Adivasi (tribal) people. Despite the existence of these strong legal provisions, Dalit and Adivasi populations have found it virtually impossible to access their rights through the legal system. In this context, the Dalit and Adivasi Rights Initiative provides legal aid and rights-awareness to members of Dalit and Adivasi communities and uses the law to ensure that the violation of Dalit and Adivasi rights are addressed through the legal system.

What SLIC Does

This initiative works with the affected communities to set up legal aid centers to increase access to justice for Dalit and Adivasi populations. A crucial element of its work is creating awareness amongst these marginalized communities about their fundamental human rights through training programmes and publications in vernacular languages on Dalit/Adivasi rights and the law. Another significant component of this initiative is building a network of Dalit/Adivasi lawyers, while simultaneously sensitizing the judiciary to the needs and issues of populations marginalized by caste and tribal status. For this purpose, it organizes 10-12 training programmes annually, in different parts of the country, which function as a forum for discussion, consultation, and sensitization.

This initiative also files individual cases and public interest litigations to bring litigation on Dalit and Adivasi issues into the mainstream. It provides legal expertise in crisis situations by conducting fact-findings, rescues, and crisis-interventions in cases of atrocities. Its team has developed alliances with organizations, SC/ST unions and grassroots organizations, has engaged in advocacy and campaigns, and is part of the larger movement working for Dalit/ Adivasi rights in India.

Main Concerns

·      The practice of untouchability and discrimination against Dalits/ Adivasis
·      Unorganised labour (Migrant Labour, Bonded Labour & Child Labour etc.)
·      Manual scavenging
·      Dalit/ Adivasi women’s rights
·      Protecting the rights of couples in inter-caste/ intra-gotra marriages
·      Dalit/ Adivasi land rights
·      Affirmative actions/ Protective Discrimination
·      Special developmental schemes/ policies related to Dalit/Adivasi populations

SLIC Impact

SLIC uses the judicial system to assert the rights of the Dalit community. The creation of pro-Dalit government policies and schemes are a result of increased pressure due to landmark legal decisions.

Dalit populations are often forced into manual labour and scavenging (disposing of human excrement, animal carcasses, etc.). A decision passed by the Delhi High Court achieved significant results when the court directed the government to improve the safety conditions of sewer workers in Delhi. This case, however, also created a wider impact in the Dalit community, when the courts also directed that the state should aim towards completely phasing out of the employment of persons to clean sewers, on an emergent basis. (See: National Campaign for Dignity and Rights of Sewerage and Allied Workers Vs. MCD & Ors.)

The SLIC team places particular emphasis on ensuring that the perpetrators of caste-based atrocities are held accountable for their actions through the legal system. In a historic judgment, the Giridh District Court granted life imprisonment with a cost of Rs 25,000 to seven persons responsible for killing a Dalit man. Such judgments set a legal precedent and send out a hard-hitting message that the judicial system will grant no impunity to perpetrators of crimes against Dalits and Adivasis.

SLIC lawyers have filed a number of individual cases that have achieved significant large-scale results. For example, one of the major forms of discrimination against marginalized sections is police refusal to lodge FIRs against upper-caste perpetrators. The initiative has intervened in many such cases, securing court directions for lodging FIRs and carrying out investigations into cases of atrocities against Dalits/ Adivasis.

·      SLIC lawyers in Haryana are fighting over 60 cases of caste-based atrocities in the districts of Sonipat, Hissar, Panipat, Jind, Rohtak, Karnal, Ambala and Bhiwani. These cases include cases of sexual violence against dalit women.

·      In collaboration with the Maitri Network, SLIC is working on a 4-year project providing legal assistance to Dalit, Adivasi and vulnerable women in need of care and protection in 26 districts in the five states: Maharashta, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu.

·      SLIC over the last decade, has taken steps to ensure greater degree of inclusion in its attempt to build a cadre of lawyers from marginalised communities such as Dalit, Adivasi, Muslims, and sexual and ethnic minorities in its workforce, over the last decade particularly through its two programs

1.     Student for Human Rights

2.     Young Lawyers Programme

For this, a bursary scheme exists which helps defray expenses that a student from marginalised community may incur otherwise incur to gain a similar work experience.

training

HOOGHLY DISTRICT MEETING

Disabled people face discrimination on a daily basis. In this competitive and overpopulated world, finding proper empl ...read more

training

BANKURA DISTRICT MEETING

The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 recognizes the rights of the forest dwelling tribal communities and oth ...read more

training

Bankura District Meeting

The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 recognizes the rights of the forest dwelling tribal communities and oth ...read more

training

Forest Right Act 2006, Right to Property, Land related issues and Discussion on Violence against Women

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, is a key piece ...read more

training

State Level Meeting on Violation of Human Rights in West Bengal During Covid 19

Prior to the announcement of the National Lockdown on 25 March 2020, a number of courts had shut down in response to t ...read more

litigation

Police violence in Jharkhand against Adivasi man

Govind kumar Hansda Vs. The State of Jharkhand & others
Pending

news_story

Family's Lea For Hathras Trial in Delhi

Family's lea for Hathras trial in Delhi KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 10/16/2020 10:52:07 AM NEW DELHI, ...read more

news_story

SC reserves verdict on pleas on Hathras case

SC reserves verdict on pleas on Hathras caseNew Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) The Supreme Court Thursday said the Allahabad High ...read more

litigation

Upper Caste Boys molest women from the Dalit Community and harass her husband

Prince Kumar vs State of Harayana, BA/1973/2020
Pending

litigation

Dalit Minor Girl attacked with Acid after being Gang Raped

Roopsingh Vs State of M.P., W.P. No 1066/2019
Pending

litigation

Survivor of Rape and Domestic Violence overcomes odds with Karate

Pooja Ahirwar Vs Manoj, CRR. 1404/2020
Pending

litigation

Tribals Facing Eviction

Roopsingh Vs State of M.P., W.P. No. 6651/2020
Pending

training

Webinar on District Consultation Meeting on Training, Coaching and Mentoring of Paralegals of Santhal Pargana Development Cluster (SPDC), Pradan

Socio-Legal Information Centre conducted a zoom Webinar on District Consultation Meeting on Training, Coaching and Men ...read more

training

Webinar on The Provisions of Legal Services Authority Act, Compensation under Prevention of Atrocities Act & Victim Compensation Policy

Our constitution grants us a life which should be protected and dignified but since it is only an ideal thought and numb ...read more

training

Webinar on Discrimination on Caste, Creed and Race

Due to the pandemic situation a lot of Global Issues remain non-attended and these leads to increase in the perils of ...read more

litigation

Minor SC Girl demands her right to abortion

Shashikala Vs. State of Madhya Pradesh, W.P. No. 8689/2020
Disposed Off

training

Dalit Rights and Law in Gujarat

In the wake of Covid 19, a group of researchers and lawyers from SLIC began the process of organising a series of webi ...read more

training

Rights and Challenges faced by Students with Disability, Girl Students and Students from Scheduled Caste Community

"Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in bre ...read more

training

Webinar On Dalit Land Rights: ‘The Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Act, 1961’ Provisions, Challenges & Strategy

In Punjab, upper castes, mostly Jat Sikhs, dominate the farming landscape. Only 3.5% of private farm land belongs to Dal ...read more

litigation

Dalit youth flogged to death in Gujarat

Jayaben v Tejas Kanubhai Zala
Notice issued

publication

Fact Finding on Manual Scavenging

A team comprising one lawyer from Socio-Legal Information Centre (SLIC) , a law student and a couple of local Social Act ...read more

publication

Caste Atrocity against Kum S. Dharani

ASTE ATROCITY AGAINST KUM S DHARANI, BANGALORE, FACT FINDING REPORT OF ADVOCATE DHRANI ON 14-06-2019 ...read more

publication

Caste Atrocity in Gundlupete, Chamrajnagara

ASTE ATROCITY IN GUNDLUPETE, CHAMRAJNAGARA KARNATAKA - FACT FINDING REPORT ...read more

publication

Using the law and building a Legal Network for the struggles of marginalised communities

...read more

litigation

Challenging Demolition of houses of Tribals in Jabua District

Khemchand and Others Vs. State of Madhya Pradesh, W.P. No. 6669/2020
Pending

litigation

House Demolition in Madhya Pradesh

Thavariya Vs State of Madhya Pradesh, W.P. No. 7213/2020
Pending

litigation

50 Year old Upper Caste Man rapes a Dalit girl for over a year

Praveen Kumar v. State of Haryana
On-going Investigation

litigation

PIL for Leprosy Patients

Sarang Vs State of Madhya Pradesh W.P. No. 903/2020
Pending

publication

Report of the Indian People’s Tribunal on Caste Based Atrocities on 'Dalits in Varanasi and Surrounding Areas in UP - Indian People’s Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights (IPT)

The upper castes and richer and landed classes are countering this with violence and threats to frighten the Dalits by u ...read more

publication

Fact Finding Report of the Indian People’s Tribunal on the Atrocities Against Dalits in the Banaskantha District of Gujarat - Indian People’s Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights (IPT)

Gujarat is one of the states with the worst track record on protection for Dalits. A baseline survey conducted by the Be ...read more

publication

Untouchability on Trial: Report on Indian People’s Tribunal on Untouchability (Hindi)

Translated By Veena Taneja Discrimination, untouchability and atrocities are all caste based human rights violations o ...read more

publication

Untouchability on Trial: Report on Indian People’s Tribunal on Untouchability

Edited By Abid Shah Discrimination, untouchability, and atrocities are all caste-based human rights violations on a lin ...read more

publication

Struggle for Dignity

Edited By Baghambar Pattanaik. This is the story about a struggle undertaken by members of Orissa's barbers' community. ...read more

litigation

Delhi High Court convicts 33 accused persons in Mirchpur caste atrocity case

publication

Letter to the Governor and summary of the Indian people's tribunal on the issues of tribal land and alienation under LTR in Telangana

To His Excellency Governor The State of Telangana Hyderabad Dear Hon’ble Your Excellency, Sub: Report of Indian ...read more

litigation

After violence against Balmikis, petition filed asking the Court to frame and implement a scheme to provide adequate protection to Scheduled caste families so that they are not under threat in the future

litigation

Petition against the decision to shift the Fundurdihari Primary Health Centre from Patel Para to Rampur, Sundarpur, in Chhattisgarh

litigation

Sexual violence, physical assault, looting of property and destruction of property by the security forces consisting of CoBRA, CRPF, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the local police in the villages of Pedagallur, Chhattisgarh

litigation

Stay issued on the Demolishment of Tribal Juggies

litigation

Petition seeking the recognition and implementation of the provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 in Chhattisgarh

litigation

Petition challenging the decision of Public Health & Family Welfare Department to restrict certain tribes from availing sterilization facilities

litigation

8 lac compensation to the family of the sewage worker who died from suffocation inside a sewer chamber and contractor banned for 7 years

litigation