BHA: Groups meeting in London launch global initiative against untouchability

The first “World Conference on Untouchability” concluded today with the launch of a global initiative against caste discrimination. The conference, organized in London on June 9 and 10 by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), brought together nearly a hundred politicians, academics and grass roots leaders to share successful strategies to combat caste discrimination and help the nearly 250 million victims of Untouchability. The conference declaration, passed unanimously, proposes expanding successful grass roots programmes, improving national legislation, and strengthening UN enforcement mechanisms.

The conference declaration notes that “Untouchability is the most widespread, pernicious and intractable form of discrimination on Earth, affecting the lives of millions of men and women, and with a negative impact of the lives of untold millions of children and their potential for growth and development”.

Political leaders at the conference included: Lord Desai and Lord Avebury from the House of Lords; Binod Pahadi, Member of the Constituent Assembly, Nepal; and Tina Ramirez, US Congressional Fellow on International Religious Freedom. They were joined by scores of grass roots activists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Nigeria, Sudan and Pakistan; plus academics and experts from across Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Untouchability – the social exclusion of people because of the population group they are born into – is found in many different cultures and traditions, afflicting nearly 250 million people in countries ranging from Japan to Nigeria. Conference speakers, such as Lord Avebury, highlighted the growing problem of caste discrimination in the UK and other Western nations. Other speakers described the persistence of Untouchability in Africa, Japan and Western Asia, as well as throughout South Asia. And researchers reported on studies showing that women and children often bear the heaviest burden from caste discrimination and violence.

The IHEU is a global union of more than 100 Humanist, Freethought and Ethical groups from 40 countries. Founded in 1953, it has consultative status with the UN, UNESCO, Council of Europe, and African Union. The IHEU “World Conference on Untouchability” was supported by the British Humanist Association and South Place Ethical Society.

For more information contact Matt Cherry at pr@iheu.org and +1 518 248 9645, or Babu Gogineni at +1 91 99 66 55 2222.