Bigotry based on the idea of 'caste' has no place in modern Britain.
We want to see those at risk of caste discrimination protected by UK law.
'Caste' systems are rooted in ancient religious and cultural beliefs. They are imbued with inequality and discrimination, and are wholly incompatible with human rights.
There are an estimated 50,000 – 200,000 people in the UK who are regarded by some as 'low caste' (sometimes known as 'dalits') and at risk of caste discrimination. There is evidence of caste-based discrimination and harassment present in employment, education and in the provision of services.
Caste-based prejudice and discrimination is a gross violation of human rights and must not be tolerated. All individuals have the right to protection against discrimination on the basis of their caste or perceived caste, in the same way that they do on the basis of race or gender
Our equality laws do not explicitly deal with the issue of caste, meaning victims of caste discrimination have to use unclear and precarious case law to secure justice. Both parliament and the United Nation Human Rights Council have called on the government to explicitly outlaw caste-based discrimination, but it has delayed doing so for years.
It's time to outlaw caste discrimination.
Take action!
1. Have you experienced caste discrimination? Report it!
The Dalit Solidarity Network's "everyday casteism" campaign is cataloguing instances of casteist behaviour, including incidents of discriminatory or caste hate speech behaviour, experienced on a day to day basis by people perceived to be 'lower' caste in the UK.
If you have been affected by caste discrimination, please consider reporting it to them.
You can also report caste discrimination to the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance here.
2. Write to your MP
Tell your MP that it's time to outlaw caste discrimination.
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
House of Lords renews support for legislation to outlaw caste discrimination
Posted: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:58
The National Secular Society has praised the House of Lords for its renewed support of victims of caste discrimination in the UK after peers voted to retain their original amendment making caste a protected characteristic (as an aspect of race) under equality law.
MPs last week rejected a Lords amendment to make discrimination on grounds of caste unlawful via a new clause in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill. But late last night peers defeated the Government by 181 votes to 168, insisting that their amendment to outlaw caste must stand.
Last night's vote means the Bill will now return to the House of Commons (possibly tomorrow) with the amendment intact for MPs to vote again.
Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, commented:
"We are delighted that the Lords has reaffirmed the need for legislation, rather than kick the issue into the long grass as the Government and the majority of the Commons seems more inclined to do. 'Informal conciliation' is obviously no match for such deep-seated discrimination that ruins people's lives, as the Government is proposing, perhaps in deference to high caste (and high influence) Hindus.
"We urge peers to keep up the pressure on the elected house which will be anxious to resolve this issue in the next fortnight to avoid the entire Bill being lost when this Parliamentary session ends."
Read the debate in full at Hansard
For further details on this issue, please see our briefing on caste discrimination (pdf).
NSS condemns Government's callous disregard for UK victims of caste discrimination
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:25
The National Secular Society has criticised the Government's "callous" disregard for victims of caste discrimination in the UK after MPs rejected a Lords amendment to make discrimination on grounds of caste unlawful.
The House of Lords voted last month by a majority of 103, despite Government opposition, to make caste a protected characteristic (as an aspect of race) under equality law via a new clause in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill.
Today's vote in the Commons was lost by 243 votes to 307, with the Government speaking against the amendment. It will return to the Lords on Monday 22 April.
Equalities minister Jo Swinson told MPs that she thought legislation could increase stigma rather than ease the problem. She said: "This is an issue that is contained in the Hindu and Sikh communities. That's why we are working with those communities to address these problems."
However, Conservative MP Richard Fuller said: "This is a straightforward issue, caste discrimination in the work place is wrong and the people who suffer from it deserve legal protection. That's it. Beginning and end.
"Meena Varma of the Dalit Solidarity Network said: "I am very disappointed. But we'll keep going until we get this legislation."
Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, which has campaigned for several years for caste discrimination to be made unlawful, commented: "I hope that peers will seize the opportunity next week to vote once more in favour of making caste discrimination unlawful, reversing the Government's cynical and callous rejection of it today. In opposing statutory protection now, the Government has kicked the issue into the long grass, shamelessly abandoning its international Human Rights obligations, instead apparently paying greater heed to those, however influential, who have a vested interest in perpetuating this debasing discrimination."
The National Secular Society has obtained a legal opinion, supported by leading equality lawyers, showing that the UK's failure to outlaw caste discrimination is a violation of Article 2(1) and 6 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The UN has formally recommended amending the Equality Act 2010 to make caste discrimination unlawful "in accordance with [the UK's] international human rights obligations".
Mr Porteous Wood said: "The Government's alternative of 'informal conciliation' is toothless and entirely inadequate, given the power wielded by those of high caste – often the employers of those subjected to caste discrimination, and the widespread and endemic nature of caste discrimination."
Prior to today's vote, The Christian Institute and the National Secular Society sent a joint letter to conservative and LibDem MPs urging them to support the Lords amendment.
