Kalavanti Raja from Pakistan gave a presentation on the condition of Dalit women in Pakistan. She discussed how Dalits make up around 2.5 million people in Pakistan, belonging to various castes, and face untouchability and social exclusion. Dalit women in particular face verbal abuse, sexual harassment, forced religion conversion, rape, and physical assault with little legal protection. Raja also outlined the activities of the Pakistan Dalit Solidarity Network to create awareness and unite Dalit organizations. She presented some case studies including bonded labor and forced religious conversions. Raja concluded by calling for legal protections and quotas for Dalits in government, education, land ownership, and awards to address discrimination.

1. 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

2. 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

3. MY PRESENTATION
Contains four parts

General overview

 Our activities
 Case studies
 Dalit demands

4. PART-ONE
GENERAL
OVERVIEW

5. 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


6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. PART-TWO
OUR
ACTIVITIES

11. 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


12. DR. AMBEDKAR’S BIRTHDAY
AT HYDERABAD SINDH 2007

13. WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
KARACHI-2006

15. WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
KARACHI-2006

16. PROTEST FOR THE RESTORATION OF
JUDICIARY. KARACHI-2007

17. LONG MARCH FOR WATER

18. DALIT AWARD DISTRIBUTION

19. IDSN DALIT WOMEN STRATEGY MEETING
ON 25-72 FEB 08 AT KHATMANDU-NEPAL

20. PART-THREE
CASE
STUDIES

21. DALIT WOMAN AND CHILDREN

22. DALIT FARMERS IN SINDH

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. PART-FOUR
DALIT
DEMANDS

28. 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


29. 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