After UK, Australia passes a parliamentary resolution against discrimination of Dalits

In a big boost towards raising global awareness on Dalit oppression, the Australian Parliament last week passed a resolution on Discrimination based on Work and Descent (DWD), a United Nations initiative banning caste discrimination.

Moved by Australian Senators Claire Moore from the Labor Party and Lee Rhiannon from the Australian Greens, both left of centre political parties, on June 27, the resolution states 260 million people across the globe face discrimination based on descent and work.

“While some countries are taking progressive steps towards elimination caste system, like India and Nepal, they lack structural mechanisms to ensure legal and legislative rights, especially against violence and discrimination for Dalits,” states the resolution.

The Australian resolution also urges the government to consider intervention in inclusion and non-discrimination in humanitarian aid, inclusive recruitment practice and management practice in all business partners, strengthen policy and human rights dialogues for elimination of DWD in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, among others. It further calls for support projects combating DWD as serious human right violations.

Senator Lee Rhiannon told National Herald that it was an important move as 260 million people across the globe are facing discrimination based on descent and work. “We all should be concerned about it. We all have to work to end all kind of discrimination. This resolution talks about 210 million Dalits in South Asia, especially in India and Nepal,” said Rhiannon.

Asia Dalit Rights Forum (ADRF), an outfit that has been advocating for Dalit rights, is being credited majorly for lobbying the Australian lawmakers to introduce the resolution.

The head of ADRF, Paul Divakar, has expressed satisfaction that the outfit was finally able to put Dalit rights on a global agenda.

"It will put global pressure and help us to keep our fight in United Nations. Atrocities against Dalits are on rise and discrimination based on work and descent is a global phenomenon. So we want world to acknowledge this and move towards its eradication. We are struggling to put this in UN under Sustainable Development Goals,” said Divakar.

“In that sense, the Australian Parliament resolution is going to be very helpful,” said ADRF.

So far, racism, gender, indigenous rights are recognised, but caste is not. Dalit human rights groups are working from many years to get the issue of caste and caste-based discrimination considered at UN level. So far they were able to push their agenda only in the United Kingdom, where the parliament passed Bill for Equality.

*The story was updated at 3:56 PM on July 3 with the name of ADRF President Paul Divakar. The earlier version didn’t mention the name.