One can fight oppression with violence or with education. Hema Konsotia, a 32-year-old Indian woman, has chosen the latter. She is helping to change a situation affecting an estimated 165 million Indian Dalits. Also known as the 'untouchables', they are a mixed population of numerous caste groups all over South Asia. Although the caste system has been abolished under the Indian constitution, there is still widespread discrimination and prejudice against Dalits, particularly the women.
Dalits are frequently denied such basic rights as education, housing, property, freedom of religion, choice of employment and fair treatment before the law. This situation led Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to draw parallels in 2006 between 'untouchability' and apartheid. As a result of discrimination, Dalits are denied full participation in Hindu social and political life.
Every 20 minutes a crime is committed against Dalits, according to one government report. Although distressing, it probably represents a fraction of all crimes against Dalits, since most of them remain unreported for fear of reprisals.
For several years now, Hema Konsotia has been working to change that situation. She is a union activist and college graduate, leader of New Delhi's sewage workers and their wives. For the past 10 years, she has been working to empower them and make them aware of their rights while improving their education through mobile education centres she created in Delhi.
A woman of strong character, she has the unwavering support of her mother, who had been through an abusive marriage herself, and she is determined that Dalits, particularly women, will not suffer what women of previous generations did.
Centuries of discrimination has affected the health and quality of life of the Dalits and their children. For most of them, good health care is unaffordable and inaccessible.