The National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) is an outcome of a people centred process conceived, steered and organised by the Centre for Alternative Dalit Media (CADAM), a Dalit NGO registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in May 1995.

CADAM, which right from its inceptions has striven to provide an alternative platform to the suppressed voices of Dalits, marginalised and other lower castes in India, began dialogues, discussions and exchanges with other Dalit organisations and groups across the country. This process resulted into a first ever National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR – I) from 8th December 2001 to 10th December 2001 in New Delhi. The conference, which was attended by more than 150 organisational representatives from all over the country, evaluated the Dalit Movement, organisations and socio-political processes being dominant among the dalits thoroughly and decided to build and develop National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) a vibrant national network of Dalit organisations.

NACDOR is a process based network that emphasises on ever-expanding process of discussions, deliberations, introspections, action programmes, interventions and seeking greater mutual understanding and like-mindedness amongst various groups, organisations and individuals involved, who while retain their autonomous identities, work on common agreed agenda, alternatives and action. NACDOR is a part and parcel of the broader ‘secular, democratic, egalitarian’ movement, but without losing its ‘Dalit perspective’.

NACDOR strongly believe in people-centred and people controlled development model where establishment of dignity of dalits and marginalised is of paramount importance and their overall development, including social, economic, political and cultural, is central to all decisions made and processes involved and evolved. NACDOR undertake advocacy, do a great deal of lobbying with all stakeholders. It discusses and evaluates policies, programmes, documents, and interventions and focuses on the role of the all kinds of organisations, institutions, entrepreneurial efforts, agencies, corporate bodies, political parties and leadership of various entities to make them accountable to positively address the concerns of the masses in general, and Dalits in particular.

To achieve this NACDOR works towards increasing participation of dalits and marginalised through various enabling strategies, programmes and processes such as advocacy, lobbying, networking, sensitising, exhibitions, publications, issue based workshops, debates, seminars, conferences, group meetings, public meetings involving grass root organisations and communities and their leaders; and identifying activists, individuals, officials, political leaders, groups, organisations to intervene to ensure fundamental socio-economic rights, including human rights, enshrined in Indian Constitution and in various covenants, treaties, declarations, resolutions of International bodies such as United Nations.