Madheshi Dalit
Being an umbrella organisation, DNF's working approach is to engage in rights-based advocacy and policy influencing campaigns to ensure Dalits' inclusion in the political and socio-economic mainstream in the country addressing caste-based exclusion and discrimination. DNF grants its membership extends networks and alliances to build solidarity for pushing forward Nepalese Dalits' rights movement. DNF also facilitates to implement programmes at grassroots level through its member organisations and alliances in partnership approach. It supports its member organisations by enhancing their organisational capacity, developing quality leadership and facilitating them for programme implementation.
Although, the Terai Dalit are similar to the other Dalits, but the Terai Dalit face more discrimination than other Dalits and among these Terai Dalit women are facing triple discrimination due to caste, culture, low economic status and patriarchal society in comparison to other Dalits. Some of the major castes in Madhesi Dalit are:
- Kalar,
- Kakeihiya,
- Kori,
- Khatik,
- Khatwe (Mandal, Khang),
- Chamar (Ram, Mochi, Harijan, Ravida),
- Mushahar,
- Pasi,
- Pattharkatta,
- Dhobi (Rajak),
- Dom (Marik),
- Daraika,
- Chidimar,
- Tatma (Tanti, Das),
- Bantar,
- Mestar (Halkhor),
- Dusadh (Paswan, Hajara) and
- Sarbhang (Sarwaria)
Terai Dalits have to bear various forms of discrimination. Some major problems of Madeshi Dalits are:
- work and decent based discrimination,
- low income,
- lack of citizenship,
- landlessness,
- poor family health status,
- lack of health facility
- inadequate access to common property and natural resources
- lack of access to education
Harijan, Mushahar, Pasi, Pattharkatta, Dhobi, Dom, Daraika and Chidimar are the main castes intensively facing the caste discrimination in the mid-southern zone and spatially Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Kapilbastu. They leave a life of deprivation in unrelenting poverty and marginalized housing. They are unaware of health matters, and there is a high level of illiteracy.
- These three districts are recognized as the area where the significant size of Terai Dalits, both men and women are living a life of exploitation, discrimination and severe form of exclusion in all spheres of social economic, political, cultural, and civil rights.
To reduce these problems of Madhesi Dalit community, Dalit NGO Federation jointly with CARE-Nepal and financial support of European Commission has launched SAMANATA project-”Promoting Human Rights and Social Inclusion of Terai Dalit“ in three districts Nawalparasi, Kapilbastu and Rupandehi of mid-western region.
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