We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
Stating that the Dalit community is still suffering from the vicious cycle of caste discrimination, untouchability, violence and impunity, Dignity Initiative, an organization that is conducting studies on Dalit rights, has demanded that the justice system be made effective to end such injustice and atrocities.
Regarding the National Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Untouchability, the organization also published a brief policy paper on Wednesday. In practice, the Dalit community had to struggle even to get minimum justice.
'13.4 percent of Nepal's total population ie about 3.9 million Dalits. But their representation at the government level is very low - only 7.18 percent in the federal parliament, 5.45 percent in the provincial assembly, and 2.37 percent in the civil service are Dalits. There are no Dalit judges in the Supreme Court till date," said the organization.
President of Dignity Initiative Rup Sunar also demanded to make the justice system effective to end the injustice against the Dalit community that has persisted for centuries.
Dalit community needs an effective, proportional and sensitive system to get justice. The Dalit community cannot feel justice until the system of not only making laws but also of implementing them is improved," he said. "To ensure equal rights of all Nepali citizens, it is necessary to implement a policy of zero tolerance against caste discrimination and untouchability at all levels of the state." "The literacy rate of the Dalit community is limited to 67.2 percent, 27.5 percent of Dalit children in the Terai have never even seen the mouth of a school," the policy says.
Dignity Initiative Secretary Resham Biswakarma issued a press statement on Wednesday and asserted that although the Dalit community had significant participation in every stage of political change in the past, they did not get their due value. The conclusion of the study is that even after 19 years of Nepal being declared an untouchable nation, prohibition against them continues in public places, temples, hotels, shops, watercourses, places of worship.
'When trying to adopt the legal process in such incidents, the victims are forced to endure pressure, threats and insults from various levels of the society. In some cases, the tendency to pressurize settlement before the case is registered has also obstructed the justice process,'' the policy paper states. Analyzing the data through the
policy paper, Dignity has demanded to ensure immediate, fair and effective investigation and action in cases of caste discrimination, untouchability, violence and oppression against the Dalit community.
Similarly, the police, public prosecutors and court officials have been requested to provide training on the legal system against caste discrimination and victim-friendly behavior and to take strict action through zero tolerance for violence and social exclusion against inter-caste marriage.
Similarly, to ensure Dalit community's access to justice, Dalit legal aid centers should be established in every district, a strict monitoring and action system should be implemented against caste hatred spreading on digital media, and the investigation, prosecution and victim protection system should be strengthened with special attention to cases of sexual violence and discrimination against Dalit women.
