Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) June 17, 2014
Over 260 million Dalits around the world are socially, politically, and economically oppressed. Every day Dalits are forced into slave and bonded labor, denied access to communal water sources, and refused service at public establishments solely on the basis of their caste or descent. On June 21, 2014, the International Commission for Dalits Rights (ICDR) will host a Global March Against Caste-Based Discrimination in Washington, D.C. to raise awareness of the issues faced by Dalits and other caste-affected individuals.
ICDR Founder and President Dil Bishwakarma (who goes by DB Sagar) said, “This march is about restoring the basic human rights that are denied to people every day at the hands of the caste system. The United Nations has done extensive work that documents the perils of caste discrimination and The United States can take the global lead in eradicating this gross injustice. ICDR is grateful for the support it has received from organizations across the US and internationally, and we think this will be a historic milestone in the fight for equality.”
The event is scheduled to begin at 2:00pm ET and will conclude at approximately 4:30pm ET. Participants are asked to gather at Dupont Circle in the park located near 1 Dupont Circle NW, Washington, DC. Participants will walk from Dupont Circle to The White House before continuing to the US Capitol. ICDR has confirmed participation from hundreds of individuals that will travel from as far as New York, Texas, Canada, England, Nepal, and India to join in the march.
The march is set to precede a global conference tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2014. Organizers have announced two primary objectives for the march which include (1) endorsement by the White House of Draft UN Principles and Guidelines for the Effective Elimination of Discrimination based on Work and Descent established by the UN Human Rights Council (A/HRC/11/CRP.3) and (2) passage by the US Congress of a binding resolution against caste-based discrimination that mandates action by US government agencies in caste-affected countries (House Concurrent Resolution 139 of 2007).
Participation in the event is free of charge; however, online registration is encouraged. To register, please visit the ICDR’s website or the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/global-march-against-caste-based-discrimination-tickets-11061145183. The deadline to register is June 20, 2014.
The International Commission for Dalits Rights (ICDR) is a non-profit international advocacy organization. The ICDR seeks to bring recognition to the discrimination and relevant disparities experienced globally by individuals under caste or work and descent-based systems. The organization is dedicated to developing and implementing services and policies that promote equality and social justice via research, education, and advocacy in collaboration at all level.
For more information on the event, please contact Brian Hill via email at brian(at)icdrintl(dot)org.