0

DALIT WOMEN
MANIFESTO

Vyshnavi Garapati

BBA LLB SEC – C

20171179
1

We, the Dalit women, have joined forces with the hope to ascertain our rights, which have

been subverted by the vicious cycle of oppression. We want women, especially the Hindu women,

to acknowledge the ordeals we face due to the patriarchal caste system. This manifesto is addressed

to the general public to increase the awareness about our condition and the oppressions we face.

This manifesto will talk about the oppressions faced by Dalit women based on gender that occurs as

a result of the patriarchal Hindu society; minority status that leads to them being marginalized, and

also caste that exemplifies the exploitation that the Dalit women face as ‘untouchables’.

Manual scavenging, the removal of human excreta from dry restrooms, railroad tracks and

sewers by hand, is a caste based and an innate occupation which is held only for us even when it is

prohibited in India according to the law. It is estimated that around 1.3 million Dalits in India,

mostly women, make their living through manual scavenging. (NFDW 2009) We seek recognition of

the fundamentally unjust treatment of women owing to the biased role relationships in household

matters. We are subject to humiliation and inhumane conditions. The dominant risk factors of being

a Dalit and also a woman, when coupled with an essentially insignificant political voice, increases

our vulnerability to violent and potentially dangerous situations; and at the same reduces our ability

to free ourselves from this uncouth ordeal. We are put to work, day and night alike, and are not

given our due or any compensation for it. Instead have to further suffer violence at the hands of this

patriarchal system. A pregnant woman and her family were attacked for refusing to dispose of a

cow carcass. Six family members were hospitalized, the men had hit the pregnant woman on the

stomach, seriously injuring her. (Dhar 2017) Such instances, nothing but make us feel powerless.

The influence of caste bias on the justice system made the lower caste women or Dalit

women to obtain any form redressal or reproach in case of atrocities or injustices done against them,

leaving them with a feeling of powerlessness. Thousands of us are raped and left helpless when

neither the system, nor you are willing to acknowledge our plight, rendering us essentially

powerless. Despite our attempts to escape the oppression, we live with the fear of being prone to

attack or harassment, only because of our identity as being ostracized Dalits.

2

Exploitation is based on the idea of one dominant social group, here upper castes being the

dominant exploiters, benefiting from the efforts of another group, that is us. Gender exploitation

seems to have two aspects: control of the benefits arising from women’s effort to men, as well as

the archaic role of the woman to solely satisfy the needs of the man. (Young 1979) We are often

subject to degrading acts, such working in fields for the upper castes for menial wages as is, that

makes us more susceptible to further exploitation and unfair treatment. We are poor and we are

women, specifically Dalit women.

Intersectionality is a framework that attempts to identify how the interlocking system of

powers impacts the groups which are the most marginalised in the society. (Cooper 2015). We are

vulnerable to exploitation that furthermore this intersectionality emphasizes our identity as Dalits

being a marginalized caste. You live with the assumption of basic privileges while we are stripped

of our basic needs, we walk in harsh conditions to fetch a minuscule share of scarce resources as

basic as water. Sanitation facilities are horrendous and are almost always inadequate. Material

deprivation is an unsettlingly prominent theme in our lives. We are isolated and excluded from

places of worship, whereas you don’t have to think twice before going to visit your almighty in a

temple.

The fraction of Dalit landowners is almost negligible, and more often than not, even those

who do own land, are unaware and oblivious to their rights on land. (Malik 1999) In some

instances, village girls are married to God by their illiterate parents. These girls are then exposed to

sexual exploitation by the upper caste landlords and other rich men. This invariably leads to an

increase in trafficking and prostitution. (Guru 1995)

The political scenario for us also seems hopeless with the current framework of our systems.

There is no acceptance of reservations for lower-castes and Dalit women by the higher or upper

castes, which frequently results in atrocities against political figures, including women. Dalit

children face a lot of discrimination at schools which is aimed at increasing the number of Dalit
3

student drop outs. We feel that education would help our children free themselves of the oppressive

society that we live in.

We have for the most part five demands which may conceivably help uplift us from the present

persecution we face.

Five-point program:

1. Acknowledgment of Dalit women as an independent classification: We face oppression

in view of our gender, caste and class. Dalit women from lower economic backgrounds must

be given special reservations in schools, universities and work environments. This special

reservation would give us a chance to be informed and be on our own by not being made to

depend on patriarchy. Along these lines, there is a need to recognize us as a separate group

which will make individuals conscious of the atrocities we are subjected to and a more

effective action should be taken to enhance our position in the general public.

There is a need to identify us as a separate group other than Dalit and woman because of

intersectionality and the triple oppression we face.

2. Political participation and realization of fundamental rights: We demand more political

representation as this would prompt to a fairer portrayal of our interests and an initiative to

change our position in the general public so our issues are in any case tended to and

addressed. Political participation of Dalit women in local administration is a focal human

right in itself and enables the acknowledgment of a large group of other human rights.

Political voice and basic leadership control concerning essential administrations, monetary

advancement and social equity are basic factors in testing and changing structural caste-

class-gender discrimination, and empowering Dalit women to understand their central rights.
4

3. Eradication of manual scavenging and providing basic amenities: We are tired of

working in the midst of agonizing filth and stench. This work is menial and these working

conditions turn us vulnerable against our genuine well-being and exposing us to viral and

bacterial contaminations. There is a prompt need to provide basic facilities like food, shelter,

proper sanitation and education as they are the founding prerequisite that one can expect and

our access to these will also lessen the exploitation and brutality by upper ranks on us.

4. Setting up of free workshops and vocational training for Dalit women to gain better

job opportunities: We work in harsh conditions just to get some menial wages and survive.

Some of us do not even get this opportunity because our parents get us married and send us

away as they look at us like a burden. These workshops would enable us to find better

employment opportunities and prepare us for them. We ought to be given similar job

opportunities like the dominant class as this would likewise help in stopping the oppression

we face.

5. Strengthening of existing laws to safeguard the position of Dalit women in the society

and simpler access to legal redress: There have been many laws implemented for our

safety but they have been of no use as we are still attacked and prone to violence either in

the work environment or at even one’s house by our men. So, there is an urgent requirement

of affective laws to offer help to Dalit women and make it easier for us to report and get

redressal for the wrongs being committed on us. We ought to be dealt similarly as how the

dominant ranks are treated.

5

References

1. "Manual Scavenging." International Dalit Solidarity Network. Accessed May 10, 2018.

https://idsn.org/key-issues/manual-scavenging/.

2. Dhar, Damayantee. "An Assault on Pregnant Dalit Woman in Gujarat Has Once Again

United the Community against Oppression." Scroll.in. January 03, 2017. Accessed May 10,

2018. https://scroll.in/article/817819/an-assault-on-pregnant-dalit-woman-in-gujarat-has-

once-again-united-the-community-against-oppression.

3. Young, Iris Marion. 1979. “Five Faces of Oppression.”

4. Cooper, Brittney., 2016 “The Oxford Handbook Theory”.

5. Bela Malik. "Untouchability and Dalit Women's Oppression." Economic and Political

Weekly 34, no. 6 (1999): 323-24. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4407623.

6. Declaration of the National Federation of Dalit Women (NFDW) in its VIII National

Convention on 26th June 2009, New Delhi.

7. Guru, Gopal., 1995 “Dalit Women Talk Differently.”

6
7

References

8. "Manual Scavenging." International Dalit Solidarity Network. Accessed May 10, 2018.

https://idsn.org/key-issues/manual-scavenging/.

9. Dhar, Damayantee. "An Assault on Pregnant Dalit Woman in Gujarat Has Once Again

United the Community against Oppression." Scroll.in. January 03, 2017. Accessed May 10,

2018. https://scroll.in/article/817819/an-assault-on-pregnant-dalit-woman-in-gujarat-has-

once-again-united-the-community-against-oppression.

10. Young, Iris Marion. 1979. “Five Faces of Oppression.”

11. Cooper, Brittney., 2016 “The Oxford Handbook Theory”.

12. Bela Malik. "Untouchability and Dalit Women's Oppression." Economic and Political

Weekly 34, no. 6 (1999): 323-24. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4407623.

13. "Dalit March." Key Issues - Dalit Women Atrocities | Dalit March. Accessed May 10, 2018.

http://dalitmarch.org/dalit-women-atrocities.html.