Two-day workshop against caste discrimination concludes by issuing 16-point declaration

KATHMANDU: A two-day national workshop against caste discrimination has concluded today (Tuesday) by adopting a 16-point declaration.

The workshop was organized by Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) on the occasion of the 57th International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The workshop attended by more than 120 participants from all the provinces issued a 16-point declaration aimed at ending discrimination against the Dalit community in Nepal.

The declaration demanded the government of Nepal to abide by Right against Untouchability and Discrimination (Article 24) as well as the  Right to Equality (Article 18), Rights of Dalit (Article 40) and Right to Social Justice (Article 42) — the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Nepal (Part 3).

The assembly also called on the government to effectively implement relevant laws in regard to the Right against Untouchability and Discrimination, which embraces the principle of zero tolerance for caste discrimination.

Reminding Clause 5 and 6 of Article 40, which states that Dalits should be provided with housing and land for once, the conference called on three-tiers of the government to implement the provisions at the earliest.

During the two-day workshop, various working papers were also presented.

In the first session of the first day of the workshop, Bhola Paswan presented a working paper on Dalits of Terai Madhes and their status.

In the second session, INSEC Secretary General Rudra Bahadur Charmakar presented a working paper on the legal efforts and state of implementation for ending ethnic untouchability.

Other key persons also presented working papers on the subject matter.