National

AIDWA to take up the cause of Dalit women

KOLKATA: The rights of Dalit women will be taken up strongly by the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA). At the ongoing eighth National Conference of AIDWA in Kolkata, a resolution was passed to unite all women to advance the struggle for the elimination of caste oppression, address the specific issues of Dalit women and ensure that the state fulfils its constitutional obligation to protect equal citizenship rights.

Dalit women continue to be victims of caste oppression, class exploitation and gender discrimination, the resolution states. They are not only forced to work in the most demeaning of occupations, but are also sufferers of sexual exploitation and violence both outside and within their homes. According to the National Family Health Survey – 3 more than half of Dalit women face domestic violence.

Subhasini Ali, president of AIDWA said, “in Uttar Pradesh, Dalit children are not served but thrown their midday meals, and Dalit teachers are not allowed to make the food for children of higher castes. Even in health centres, Dalit women are discriminated against,” she said.

AIDWA feels that the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that has been put in place to serve as a deterrent against violence against Dalits is rarely invoked in cases of violence against Dalit women due to prejudice of the authorities. It has strongly spoken out against globalisation policies that are intensifying inequalities and the growth of upper caste ideology of Hindutva forces that have adversely affected the rights of Dalit women.

AIDWA demanded that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi resign and the CBI reinvestigate all cases related to the Gujarat massacre; the admissions obtained from the Tehelka exposure be treated as confessional statements; all cases be taken out of Gujarat and action be taken against the Public Prosecutors named in the expose, and against police officers involved.

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