Mainstreaming Dalits in Nepal
Reinforcing Dalit's Leadership and Mainstreaming in Nepal: Learning from across the Border is the outcome of a India visit by Nepalese delegation. This publication by Panos South Asia aims to reinforce the role of dalits in Nepal's democratisation efforts, and offers policy recommendations for their effective inclusion.
Reinforcing Dalit’s leadership and mainstreaming in Nepal: Learning from across the Border
Publisher: Panos South Asia, January 2009
The dalit communities in the current democratisation context of Nepal are of the position that the historical discrimination rendered to them by the state needs to be compensated in all tiers of statecraft and sub-systems of society.
This publication is the result of the visit of a Nepalese delegation to India comprising dalit representatives from media, civil society and government agencies, to learn from the experience of their counterparts in the world’s largest democracy. It seeks to disseminate the information and knowledge gathered from the visit in the hope of influencing the political transition process in Nepal.
The project jointly organised by Panos South Asia, Jagaran Media Centre and National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights assessed the loose ends in the Indian Constitution regarding provisions for dalits that could be addressed while making the Nepalese Constitution.
The report notes that there is a daunting gap between policies and implementations and realisation of dalit rights. Other major challenge is transformation of embedded social mindsets that perpetuate discrimination.
Some of the recommendations of the report include:
- Constitutional safeguards for dalits in Nepal with respect to services, education and economic and political development
- Restoration of agricultural land
- Mandatory fund provisions for overall dalit development
- An SC&ST forum in parliament
- Drafting a mock constitution for the Constituent Assembly
