Working Municipalities       

Surunga Municipality, Khadak Municipality, Balanbihul Rural Municipality, Agnisar krishabran Rural Municipality & Saptkoshi Municipality

Project Summary

JDS will conduct community based and advocacy activities to bring visible changes to the living and working conditions of Harawa-Charawa communities, who are vulnerable to agricultural bonded labour. JDS will work to strengthen the capacity of HarawaCharawa freedom groups and networks in the district, mobilise the groups to conduct advocacy activities and claim their rights and services.

The Saptari district is one of the districts where the Dalit population is comparatively high and the conditions for poor Dalits extremely hard. Most of the Dalit communities in this district do not have their own land and properties and are entirely depend on landlords for their livelihood. Due to their dependency on landlords Dalits in these circumstances are particularly vulnerable to bonded labour. The Dalit community in this district has a low socio-economic status in society. Due to age-long socio-economic discriminations, exploitation, injustices and subordination imposed upon them by the so-called high caste society and landlords, the life of the Dalit community in the entire district has become very difficult. They are still prevented from accessing their fundamental rights to health, education, shelter, employment and other social protection measures. Due to lack of education and awareness, they are not equipped to claim their rights and access the available social protection measures of Government.  The given scenario requires a series of organised actions for policy advocacy so that the marginalised Dalit community can gain access to basic rights and facilities as enshrined in government policy and laws. Further, there is a need to strengthen the advocacy capacity of the existing 30 HarawaCharawa freedom groups and networks so that they can continuously intensify advocacy initiatives to intervene in the policy making bodies of local government and fight for the rights and justice of the entire Dalit community in the Saptari district. Considering this, the project plan has been devised in order to bring some visible changes in the living and working conditions of the Dalit community in Saptari district.   

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