Meeting of excluded women network in Asia

9-11 march 2008 at Bangkok-Thailand

CONDITION OF
DALIT WOMEN
IN PAKISTAN
BY: Kalavanti Raja from Pakistan
kalavanti.raja@gmail.com
 MY INTRODUCTION
 I am Kalavanti Raja, from Karachi
Pakistan
 First of all , I want to thank the host of this

program for better arrangements and this

chance of discussion with you all.
 On behalf of Pakistan, I welcome all

distinguished guests and participating

delegates
 MY PRESENTATION
 Contains four parts
 General overview
 Our activities

 Case studies

 Dalit demands
PART-ONE

GENERAL
OVERVIEW
 MY COUNTRY
 Pakistan is a largest Muslim country in south Asia,
bordered by Afghanistan, Iran, India, China and
Arabian sea. It came into being in 1947.
 Society is largely captured by feudal lords, religious
bigots and military generals
 Population is 180 million which includes:
 96% Muslims
 1.5% Dalits
 1.5% Christians
 0.5% Hindus
 0.5% Budhist, Parsis and other minorities
 DALITS IN PAKISTAN
 Instead of Dalit, the word Scheduled Castes is
commonly used in media and masses and all
scheduled castes are treated as Hindu by religion.
 Population is 2.5 millions belonging to 40 various
castes, mainly Menghwar, Bheel, Kolhi and Bagri.
 Like other regions, untouchability and inequality
made Dalits economically marginalized and
socially excluded group.
 DALIT WOMEN
 Women have to face more inhuman social, physical and
mental trauma everyday including
 Verbal abuse

 Sexual harassment

 Forced religion convergence

 Rapes / gang rapes / kidnapping

 Physical assault

 Medical negligence

 For above common happenings, no case being heard or

registered. All law enforcing agencies are working under
the command of feudal lords who are killing their own
women in the name of honour [Karo Kari]
 In such circumstances, who is Dalit women??? Having 03
demerits 1.Dalit 2. Women 3. Non-Muslim.
 SPECIAL INCENTIVES
 Earlier Pakistani constitution had provided 6%
reserved quota and 3 years age relaxation in
government jobs for scheduled castes.
 Though it was not observed properly when it

remained enforced but in 1998 it was cancelled.

Now no any special incentive exists.
 There is neither any incentive given to Dalit

women earlier nor planned so far to up lift her.

 DALIT OCCUPATIONS
 Being untouchables, Dalits are bound to do low jobs.
 Men
 Agriculture farms = 50%
 Garment factories = 20%
 Shoe making/polishing = 20%
 Sweepers = 5%
 Government jobs = 0.5%
 Other labour jobs = 4.5%
 Women
 Agriculture farms = 50%
 Embroidery = 20%
 House holding = 30%
 Being civic facility less, Dalit women have to spent long time to
collect food and water.
PART-TWO

OUR
ACTIVITIES
 DALIT NETWORKING
 Pak Dalit solidarity network [PDSN] is still in initial stage
and trying its best to create awareness among Dalits by:
 Holding work shops/consultation meetings
 Dialogues on religious harmony
 Highlighting discrimination cases to press
 Networking of small Dalit NGOs
 Publishing pamphlets, magazines and booklets.
 Initially following organizations are united under the banner
of PDSN
 Scheduled Castes federation of Pakistan
 Scheduled Castes educational society
 Menghwar welfare association
 Kolhi welfare association
 Roshni Sangeet Prize management
 Pak research institute of Dalit emancipation
DR. AMBEDKAR’S BIRTHDAY
AT HYDERABAD SINDH 2007
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
KARACHI-2006
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
KARACHI-2006
PROTEST FOR THE RESTORATION OF
JUDICIARY. KARACHI-2007
LONG MARCH FOR WATER
DALIT AWARD DISTRIBUTION
IDSN DALIT WOMEN STRATEGY MEETING
ON 25-72 FEB 08 AT KHATMANDU-NEPAL
PART-THREE

CASE
STUDIES
DALIT WOMAN AND CHILDREN
DALIT FARMERS IN SINDH
 EMPOWERMENT
 Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was genuine in his concern
for Dalits and he appointed Jogendar Nath Mandal as first
Law Minister of Pakistan
 After Jinnah’s death in 1948, feudal lords, religious bigots
and military captured Pakistan and things began to change.
 Except some socialist groups, most of political parties
support Hindu upper castes, having no space for Dalits.
 Presently there is only one Dalit parliamentarian out of 10
reserve seats for Hindu minorities while Dalit represents 75%
of Hindu minority population
 There is no Dalit women parliamentarian in history of
Pakistan.
 MANOO BHEEL CASE
 It is very tragic case of bounded labour
of peasant
 Due to allegation of involvement in
peasant struggle of escaping from land
lord’s private jails, in 1998 Rehman
Marri, a land lord, kidnapped 09
family members of Manoo.
 On the hunger strike for 02 years,
Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo
moto notice for the release of family.
But it is still untraceable because
nothing is above to land lord.
 RELEASE OF BONDED LABOUR
 In Pakistan, 'slavery'
persists. Land Lords
have private jails.
 After a decade of
Human rights activism,
In 2005 more than
7,000 bonded laborers
have either escaped or
been rescued in raids on • But Government has not
Pakistan's feudal fields. provided shade for them still.
Women facing very hard.
FORCED RELIGION CONVERGENCE
 Kidnap Hindu, force marriage to Muslim
 In 2003, Sanao Menghwar has had three of his
daughters kidnapped, then forced to marry
Muslim men.
 It is observed that only young women were
forced to become Islamics.
 This happens daily, particularly in the Sindh
province of Pakistan.
PART-FOUR

DALIT
DEMANDS
 DALIT DEMANDS
 We invite the attention of all intellectuals and
human right activist to force Pakistan to accord the
laws to uplift Dalits by reserving quota in:
 Jobs in military, judiciary and all Government
departments
 Seats in national, senate and provincial assemblies.
 Seats in higher educational institutions and scholarships
for abroad studies
 Ownership in agricultural lands and housing schemes
 Distribution of Presidential and national awards
 Special attention is needed to women participation
 THANKS
 Thank you very much for listening me
 In the end, I wish to dedicate you a poem
of great Sindhi poet Shaikh Ayaz
 Keep marching, keep marching

 Slowly if necessary

 Quickly if possible

 Keep marching, keep marching

 The path is hard and rocky

 And the body is tired

 But for the glorious goal

 Keep marching, keep marching

 Slowly if necessary

 Quickly if possible

 Keep marching, keep marching