Indian women queue for a free medical check-up in Mumbai. The country’s Dalits, the “untouchables”, are excluded from all jobs except the worst-paid and most degrading – on the pretext of maintaining the spiritual purity of those in higher castes. Photo: AP
Indian women queue for a free medical check-up in Mumbai. The country’s Dalits, the “untouchables”, are excluded from all jobs except the worst-paid and most degrading – on the pretext of maintaining the spiritual purity of those in higher castes. Photo: AP
Kanika Meshram
Opinion

Opinion

Kanika Meshram

No escape from caste: India’s ‘untouchable’ women face discrimination in schemes meant to help them

  • Despite India banning caste-based discrimination, it remains a fact of life for Dalits who continue doing the worst-paid, most degrading jobs
  • Dalits are caught in a Catch-22 situation where they must show a caste certificate when applying for assistance, but which is then used against them to deny them help

Kanika Meshram
Kanika Meshram

Updated: 8:00am, 2 Jan, 2023

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Indian women queue for a free medical check-up in Mumbai. The country’s Dalits, the “untouchables”, are excluded from all jobs except the worst-paid and most degrading – on the pretext of maintaining the spiritual purity of those in higher castes. Photo: AP
Indian women queue for a free medical check-up in Mumbai. The country’s Dalits, the “untouchables”, are excluded from all jobs except the worst-paid and most degrading – on the pretext of maintaining the spiritual purity of those in higher castes. Photo: AP
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