FEDO justifies its existence by the need to protect Dalit women and girls from all types of violations and abuses, and improves their access to justice. Its interventions lead to legal protection and expand social solidarity for the promotion and protection of human rights and access to justice of Dalit and Dalit women. FEDO’s awareness and advocacy stresses on effective implementation of national and international legislations which ultimately contribute to gain a solidarity of human rights community within country and across the globe on Dalit women’s issues. It raises awareness on legal provisions and harms of superstitions which encourage community people of all gender to change their attitude and behavior on caste and gender based discrimination. It also prepares Dalit and women to resist injustice and seek justice. Its advocacy for accountability of legal system and enforcement agencies contributes to improve an atmosphere for fair and timely investigation and prosecution of the cases of caste and gender-based discrimination and violations. FEDO also complements justice procedure by monitoring and generating facts on the cases. It empowers survivors through psycho-social counseling and helps to overcome the possible threats of reprisal. It also provides legal aid and referral services to those needy survivors who will ensure their access to justice.
Key Interventions:
- Awareness and advocacy for combating violence against Dalit women and girls-VADWG (e.g. domestic violence, rape, witchcraft accusation, dowry, violence in inter-caste marriage, modern slavery/human trafficking, etc.)
- Awareness campaigns and advocacy to eliminate harmful practices including child marriage, Chaupadi, etc.
- Advocacy support for Dalit girl’s rights to quality education.
- Psycho-social counseling to VADWG survivors
- Fact-findings and case documentation of VADWG cases
- Legal aid and referral support to Dalit women survivors of gender -based violence and caste -based discrimination.
- Awareness and inter/national advocacy for implementation of CEDAW, BPFA, CERD, UPR, SDGs from Dalit women perspectives.
Key Success Indicators:
- Dalit women claiming justices and accessing legal aid
- Share of Dalit women experiencing lesser violence
- Dalit women accessing psychosocial counseling
- Share of Dalit girls married after 20 years of age.
