Tony Baldry MP is Conservative MP for Banbury and became chairman of the Conservative Human Rights Commission in July. He has formerly served as both a Foriegn Office minister and chairman of the International Development Select Committee. Here he describes his experience working with Dalit communities in Nepal where he volunteered with VSO during the summer recess.
There has never been a more exciting time to volunteer in Nepal. Still recovering from years of violent Maoist conflict, a nervous peace settlement is holding and has paved the way for a new, democratically elected Constitutional Assembly.
Political change has tentatively started to build a more inclusive society however there is still a long way to go. Nepal has made the caste system illegal however Dalits, often referred to as untouchables, are still persecuted and perceived as at the bottom of the social pecking order. There are only two Dalit ministers in government and despite representing 20% of the population, Dalits have only omne twelfth of the seats of the constitutional Assembly.
Through VSO’s Parliamentarian Volunteering Scheme I mentored Dalit MPs to help draft a new constitution and campaign for greater inclusion and influence. Traditionally blacksmiths and ironworkers, Dalits were people associated with trades unclean. But actually they cover the whole spectrum of society, just like any other group.
Changing perceptions is a difficult challenge. With its roots in Hindu religion, the caste system has been an integral part of Nepalese society for hundreds of years and forms the backbone of society. However tackling Dalit exclusion and prejudice is the biggest hurdle Nepal faces in moving towards development.
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