Conference On Human Rights in India Dalits, Tribals and Minorities
- Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar -
- Last Date : October 10, 2013

A Two Day National Conference
On
Human Rights in India: Dalits, Tribals and Minorities

23rd -24th 0ctober, 2013

Organized by
Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar
School of Social Sciences

Sponsored by
Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi

Concept Note

The history of India has witnessed and still witnessing discrimination and atrocities either in one form or the other on Dalits. They are deprived of their socio-economic and political rights. Even after centuries the same situation is predominant in India. The violation of fundamental human rights and the viciousness has been perpetrated on them, particularly on Dalit women. Tribals too have faced alienation from the main stream society due to their identity like social discrimination of dalits. Understanding of contemporary tribal societies requires a basic appreciation of the historical processes which have determined the course of successive changes in economic, socio cultural, ideological and political life of the tribes. The Indian state is talked about as a model of federalism where the rights of ethnic and religious groups are protected and social justice is striving for. However, the democratic experiment has not been successful without significant challenges like that of ensuring inclusive development.

Economic equality, social justice, cultural pluralism, human rights, dignity and security are all important aspects of Indian Constitution but there is a lack in implementation. Hence, there is a spurt in people’s movements in the country. As like Dalits and Tribals, another section i.e. Minorities also has been marginalized. They too are suffering and it is witnessed exploitation and violation of their fundamental human rights. As the Sachar Committee has rightly pointed out that the minorities are deprived of their economic and political rights. The protection of the rights of ethnic, linguistic and religious Minorities remains highly controversial. These areas of research further need to be probed critically from human rights point of view. Hence, this conference intends to fill this research gap.

The basic premise of current national and international law postulates that human rights are inherent in the human person and these rights are entitlements as every human person is by definition human. The United Nations has been entrusted with the enormous responsibilities to take care of the human rights across the globe. Sixty years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) there now exists a substantial corpus of international human rights laws and a large number of mechanism for dealing with human rights violation at the national and global levels. Along with the crucial involvement of the UN, there emerged worldwide vibrant civil rights and human rights movements exposing and denouncing human rights violations.

Thus, human rights have become prominent on the national and international agenda. Coinciding with the UN Declaration, the Indian Constitution also reaffirms that the State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, place and birth and agreed that the promotion and protection of all human rights is a legitimate concern of the State. These include the civil and political rights, the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; the right to freedom of movement; and the right to take part in the government directly or through freely chosen representatives.

The second generation rights: economic, social, and cultural rights to which everyone is entitled. These include basic survival rights to food, shelter, health care, and social security; the right to work; the right to education; and the right to participate in the cultural life of one’s community. However, there is an enormous gap between the ideal of the human rights laws and the reality of continuing gross human rights violations of Dalits, Tribals and Minorities. The atrocities committed against the Dalits in India are a mechanism for maintaining the order of the caste system. Religious persecution and ethnic cleansing are perpetrated against the Minorities in several parts of the country.

Further, the gap between ideal and reality is stark and deadly considering the rights of Dalits, Tribals and Minorities in India. The seminar has two aims in this context: firstly, conceptualize the Dalits, Tribals and Minorities Human Rights in India and secondly, discuss the status and rights of Dalits, Tribals and Minorities. The scourge of caste discrimination, violence against Dalits, Alienation of Tribals, religious intolerance, massacre, torture and discrimination against Minorities would be the focus of the seminar. We welcome papers that focus on the research areas of Dalits, Tribals and Minorities vis a vis the legal system in india.

The themes that mentioned below encourage critical reflections on globalization, political economy, citizenship and human rights apart from dalits, Tribals and Minorities. We invite submissions from academicians’ research scholars, policy makers and social activists. Here, we have identified broad themes, you are free to select anyone of the topics and contribute a paper.

Broad themes:

1. Philosophical Foundations of Rights of Dalits, Tribals and Minorities
2. Political Economy of Human Rights relating to Dalits, Tribals and Minorities
3. Citizenship, Democracy and Human Rights probably with a focus on India
4. Socio-economic and Political Rights
5. Democracy, Globalization and Human Rights
6. Caste and Class: trends and challenges
7. Social Movements, Dalits, Tribals, Denotified Tribes and Minorities Rights
8. Caste, identities and Human Rights: Alternative notions of rights with reference to Dalits, Tribals and Minorities
9. Dalit Women and Human Rights
10. Violence against the Dalits, Tribals and Minorities
11. Development and Displacement
12. Legal Regime and Enforcement of Human Rights
13. Human Rights and Human Dignity
14. Literature, creativities and assertions

The last date for submission of abstract is October 10, 2013,

Details at http://www.cug.ac.in/HRI_SSS_2013.html