3rd National Conference of Dalit Organisations

Introduction

India’s economic reform policies of the past two decades have significantly and positively impacted the country’s income and poverty levels. However, despite unprecedented economic growth, disparities in income and standards of living exist across the states, and socially excluded groups, along urban/rural lines remain unchallenged. With four years left to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), India need to renew its commitment not just to build on successes with greater vigour, but garner the necessary political will and resources to plug the critical gaps in attaining the MDGs.

India’s poverty level is expected to come down to 22 percent in 2015 from 51 percent in 1990 (Global MDG Report 2011). There is vast internal disparity with almost 65 percent of India’s poor concentrated in its heartland states, which is expected to rise to 71 percent (MDG India MDG Report 2009). The number of poor in 2015 is likely to be 279 million at all-India level. On hunger, the situation is still alarming in India, which accounts for 50 percent of the world’s hungry people (Global Report 2011). An estimated 46 percent of Indian children are considered undernourished.

India has been successful in getting children into primary school with an enrolment rate of over 90 percent; it has also enacted Right to Education making primary education a fundamental right. However, retaining children in school still remains a big challenge, as does the quality of education imparted.

While India has made considerable progress in reducing its infant and child mortality over the past two decades, it will fall short of reaching its under-5 child mortality target. Neo-natal mortality continues to cause the majority of IMR-related deaths and malnutrition needs serious focus as a major cause of death for children under-5 years of age. Similarly, since 1990, India has recorded a considerable decline in maternal mortality. However, at nearly 80,000 deaths of women per year from child delivery, India still has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

However, the enormous challenges for development are the marked disparities among different geographical regions, between social groups, among different income levels and between the sexes. High initial levels of inequality are a poor foundation for both growth and poverty reduction. Socially excluded Dalit Communities are also most invisible and are least able to participate in development processes and experience least accountability from others. For example, using state level data from the Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) 1998 from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, it is estimated that Scheduled Caste/Tribe groups were 1.5 times more likely to be below the poverty line than the rest of the population, a gap of 25%. It is crucial to address glaring disparities if we are to achieve more sustainable, equitable progress towards the MDGs.

In India, percentages of children (aged three or under) who were underweight for their age was between 54–56 per cent among Dalit and Adivasi groups compared with 44 per cent for the rest of the population. Infant mortality rates were 83, 84 and 68 per 1,000 live births, respectively for Dalit, Adivasi and Other groups, while under-five child mortality was 119, 126 and 92 per 1,000 live births. Maternal mortality rates are highest in Tribal areas, where 65 per cent of women are anaemic compared with 48 per cent for the general population.

Dalits, which forms about one fourth of India’s population, make 4% of the World’s Population. This is a size bigger than 72% of 189 countries of the world. ‘Bottom of the Indian Pyramid’, Dalits have poorest socio-economic/human development indicators and pose a daunting developmental challenge as to why developmental effort failed to bridge the gaps between the socially excluded Dalits and the others in the society. As current and strategies have hardly focused on mobilizing the social-cultural-political leadership of Dalits, it is critically important to develop the critical interests of the community leadership and organisations led by them to amplify the governmental and non-governmental efforts. Having more than 135 Members of Parliament and more than a 100 Members of Legislative Assembly, Dalits are the strongest ally in shaping the political will of the Government.

NACDOR: National Confederation of Dalit Organisations

NACDOR, the national apex body of the Dalits, has been organising a Quinquennial Conference of Dalits since its inception in 2001. Centre for Alternative Dalit Media (CADAM), which established National Confederation of Dalit Organisations works as the Secretariat of the Confederation and the National Conference of Dalit Organisations.

Quinquennial National Conference of Dalit Organisations is a prescient rallying point of Dalit Community Leaders, thinkers, academicians, professionals, employees, social activists, community based organisations, non-governmental organisations, employee associations, entrepreneurs, and social, cultural, political leadership of the community. The National Conference of Dalit Organisations has now become the most awaited activity in the life of the Dalits, their organisations and the leaders leading the community. It is an opportunity for the promoters/supporters of the Dalit Cause to show case the impacts of their work.

The third National Conference of Dalit Organisations will challenge contemporary intellectual discourse viewing Dalits as passive beneficiaries of doles; a wretched wanting in merit, creativity and human scholarship. Despite being declared as social rejects, excluded socially or geographically, and ordained to live at the periphery of India’s ‘Civil Life’, they survived and continue to progress in most difficult conditions, like an entrepreneurs surmounting all risks. The Conference will offer new and refreshing perspectives visualizing Dalits as the reservoir of talent, skills and abilities.

The Conference would showcase the best minds from the academia, intelligentsia, activism, business, culture and polity to deliberate on ‘Inclusive India: Upholding Equal Dignity of All’. A five day affair, the third National Conference of Dalit Organisations will have plenary, seminars, workshops, dialogues, exhibitions and cultural extravaganza. National, Regional and Local leadership in Economy, Society and Polity will offer their wisdom towards a better emancipatory future of all.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM FOR THE CONFERENCE

Inclusive India has brought the most marginalised sections of Indian Society into focus once again. It is well recognised that the Dalits and the other deprived sections have been striving to secure a respectable human existence and a just place in an essentially caste ridden society. Many personalities like Jotiba Phule, Gopal Baba Walangkar, Sahuji Maharaj, Swami Achutanand, Dr. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Narayan Guru, Periyar Ramaswami Nayakar, and Jagjivan Ram etc. have worked tirelessly for the amelioration of Dalits. Dr. Ambedkar, however, was in the forefront in articulating the emerging aspirations and consciousness of the Dalits. He gave a definite direction to the Dalit movement. Starting from a perspective of securing a place of self-pride, for the untouchables in society, he talked of a larger cultural renaissance, and established linkages with the struggles of the other toiling classes to forge a unified struggle of the depressed.

Dalit movement, to some extent, was successful in articulating its needs, but it got caught in the existing hegemonic order, the social order that it had set out to challenge. Dalit leaders in political parties, activists and organisations soon forgot his vision of socio-cultural transformation, a prerequisite for social change and transformation. Consequently, thrust of the movement got narrowed down so much so that it started addressing itself vis-à-vis the state, and pressurising it to get concessions.

The focus of the post-Ambedkar Dalit leadership and movement has been on acquiring political power, anticipating that by acquiring this they would be able to improve the lot of the Dalit. They, however, failed to realise that unless alternative social, economic cultural and other institutions of the oppressed and deprived are established and strengthened the political power alone was unable to deliver the goods.

The stress, therefore, has to be on translating the existing vibrant Dalit Consciousness into powerful alternatives aiming at creating inclusive society based on equal dignity. To achieve this, the Dalits and other excluded sections have to lay stress upon psychological transformation. Those below the poverty line also need to develop their own social organisations, education and research institutions to transmit and consolidate a new value system. These should be based on fraternity and inclusivity, and must propagate and practice equal dignity of all.

To fasten and sustain their development, they have to work out models of economy, providing fair distribution, dignified livelihood, and inclusive control of resources. Eradicating poverty and economic deprivation has to be its foremost target.

Trends visible in current Dalit Movement, however, clearly show that there is hardly any organized effort to develop perspectives on wide range of problems and issues that Dalits were facing. Though there exist numerous Dalit organisations, but their concerns are limited to reservation, atrocities and celebrating days associated with Dr. Ambedkar. Apart from this, these organisations are dependent on Governmental efforts for intervention for the improvement of the Dalit. This has not only proved counter-productive for Dalits but has also killed the initiative amongst the Dalit communities. Dalit Movement, therefore, today is caught between seeking privileges from the State and charting out a radical course of action for itself. They, at this juncture of time, Dalit need to review their vision, strategies and actions to meet the challenges thrown by the re-organisation of state welfare mechanisms, poorest socio-economic/human development indicators and existing critical developmental gaps between the Dalits and the rest.

National Confederation of Dalit Organisations in association with the Centre for Alternative Dalit Media (CADAM) and along with other organisations has been holding formal and informal discussions, talks and meetings, to develop a common understanding. Discussions with organisations, people in UP, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal have produced positive responses.

The 3rd quinquennial National Conference of Dalit Organisations is the culmination of a year-long process. The Conference is an attempt to set clear priorities in the light of emergent situation that Dalit face. It aims at discussing policies, programmes, and interventions by the Government(s), non-governmental agencies and others towards the advancement of the life of the Dalits. The conference will also be discussing the role of the corporate world, civil society organisations, INGOs, political parties and leadership in addressing the concerns of the masses.

Thrust of the conference will strengthen the dialogue mechanism, prioritize activities and actions for the overall development of Dalits in the 12th Five-Year Plan Period.

The conference will be focusing on the following objectives:

Integrate the experiences, challenges, aspirations and successes of different disadvantaged groups
Evolve collaborative a road map addressing inequalities and helping the Dalits to Bridge the Developmental Gaps that they face vis-a-vis others in the society.
To seek a formal co-operation strategy of concerned organisations and individuals

Other Events Associated with the 3rd National Conference of Dalit Organisations

There would be a few other events associated with the conference which are mentioned below:

Dalit Dignity March and National Dalit Assembly at the Parliament: On 5th December, 2012, the National Dalit Assembly will be organised which is expected to be participated by more than 10,000 Dalits from all over the country. This day is also observed now as the Dignity Day, which falls on the eve of the Death Anniversary of Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.
1st National Conference of Dalit Women: The Women remain marginalised even in the Dalit Organisations. This Conference aims at mobilizing Dalit Women Leadership from all over India to come out with a Declaration of Dalit Women Leaders.
National Youth Conference: Dalit youth face several challenges. This Conference will bring the emerging youth leadership in contact with the Dalit Youths to start interacting with them and weave their models around the needs of the Dalit Youth.
1000 Lights of Dignity: In the evening of the National Dalit Assembly, a programme called “1000 lights of dignity” will be organised at Ramlila Maidan. With 1000 candles, the Dalit social workers will pledge to carry forward the mission of a progressive, egalitarian society valuing equal dignity of all.
Publishing a Souvenir: A souvenir will also be published to commemorate the occasion. It will have messages from different organisations and individuals from different walks and sectors.

METHODOLOGY

The third National Conference of Dalit Organisations will be an interactive process enhancing understanding and scholarship about the Dalits – the largest block of the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’ forming 4% of Worlds’ total population. Interaction with the community leadership, their experiences and suggestions would help in creating new ideas for business and Industry, Government and non-Governmental Institution, Research bodies, INGOs/CSR/Sustainability efforts, and other stakeholders for Making India Inclusive Responsibly Upholding Equal Dignity of All.

Highly acclaimed and articulate speakers drawn from various sectors representing the community, government and private sectors will deliberate and debate in carefully designed plenary and parallel sessions enabling the participants and the stakeholders to build actionable consensus.

Expected Outcomes:

The conference and associated activities will bring together the Dalit social workers, strengthen the bond among them and strengthen the linkages between the Dalit organisations.
Bridges for the Dalit Civil Society will get stronger with the Government, Corporate sector and general civil society sector.
A list of bottlenecks and barriers hindering the development of Dalit communities will be developed.
Based on various recommendations and suggestions from the conference, a National Dalit Development Agenda will be developed. This will be submitted to the Prime Minister, National Planning Commission, National Advisory Council, state governments, different ministries and various national and international development support agencies.
Launching Campaigns and Initiatives
Initiatives, Partnerships and Collaboration with Dalits.

Follow up Processes

The National Dalit Development Agenda will be followed up by the National Confederation of Dalit Organisations in its regular interactions with the National Planning Commission, Finance Ministry and other Ministries. Other development support agencies will also be contacted regularly for review of action on the agenda.
A massive capacity building/leadership development programme will be undertaken for the Dalit Civil Society organisations and community organisations so that they are able to access the government schemes and entitlements for their development.

Follow up process will also be strengthened with the private sector companies and bodies to intensify the affirmative action initiatives in the right perspectives.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Understanding the key issues, concepts, concerns and challenges from the perspectives of the Dalits.
Gaining insights into how the Dalits are potential ally in India’s Inclusive Growth
Questioning conventional wisdom and finding out of the box solutions
Building partnership with Dalit Civil Society.
Exploring opportunities with the largest block of ‘bottom of the pyramid’ for business, entrepreneurship, supply chain and human resources.
Learning grass-root reality of existing development paradigm through interaction with more than a thousand grass-root community leaders and workers.
Networking with think tank, leadership and like-minded people working at various levels in various organisations in various parts of the country.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The third National Conference of Dalit Organisations is an opportunity for the CEOs, Strategic Business Heads, CSR/Sustainability heads and managers, Human Resource and other functional heads from Business, Industry, Academia, INGOs, bi-lateral and multilateral support organisations, Dalit Organisations, large, medium and small NGOs, students and researchers, media organisations keenly interested in supporting, promoting and building bridges with the 300 million strong Dalit Community.

The Conference will gather Ministers, Secretaries, Policy Makers, Corporate and Business Houses, stakeholders from civil society organisations, NGOs, INGOs and decision makers working on the well being of the Dalits. The Conference is designed at enriching local, regional and global efforts at inclusive growth and development. The Conference will dwell upon the roles and responsibilities of Government, Civil Society Organisations, Business & Industry, INGOs and other mechanisms that have been put in place for the well being of the Dalits.

Organisations led by the Dalits – the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Minorities and Socially Excluded Working People.
Senior Management Members of Private Sector to understand the Dalits froming the largest slice of the Bottom of Pyramid in India.
Representatives of Liberal, Progressive, Democratic Organisations empathizing, working or planning to work with the Dalits or on Bottom of the Pyramid.
Policy Makers, Planners, Social and Political Analysts, Strategy formulators, Human Resource Development Experts etc.
Research Institutes, Members of Academia, Support Organisations, INGOs, NGOs, CSR Heads and Managers, Intellectuals, Media Representatives etc.

Contact

Ashok Bharti/Rajesh Upadhyay,
National Confederation of Dalit Organisations ( NACDOR)
M-3/22, Model Town-III, Delhi 110009, INDIA
Mobile: 09810418008 Landline: 011-27442744 Fax: 011-27419002
Email: and Website: nacdor.org