Session I - A:

UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and General Recommendation XXIX

09:00

09:15

09:25

09:40

09:50

10:00

10:15

Witness statement

Global Overview of Forms and Extent of Caste-based Discrimination 

Mr. Paul Divakar, Convenor, National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights, India/Co-Convenor, IDSN

CERD General Recommendation XXIX and the Review of Nepal’s Periodic Report 2004

Ms. Nathalie Prouvez, Secretary – CERD

Implementation of the Concluding Observations

Mr. Subodh Pyakurel, Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Committee, Nepal

A Dalit Perspective

Mr. Tek Tamrakar, President, Dalit Development and Law

Comments

Mr. Bal Krishna Prasai, Secretary, Ministry of Local Development, Nepal

Plenary Discussion

10:45

Tea

11:00

11:10

11:30

11:40

11:50

12:00

Session I – B: CERD General Recommendation XXIX and Country Situations

India: Mr. Henri Tiphagne, Director, People’s Watch / National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights

Sri Lanka: Mr. PP Sivapragasam, Director - Human Development Organisation

Bangladesh: Mr. B.G. Murthy, Bangladesh Dalit Human Rights

Japan: Ms. Nozomi Bando, IMADR Japan Committee

Africa/Senegal: Mr. Abdoul Lamine Kamara, RADDHO

Plenary Discussion

13:00

Lunch

Session II

Effective Use of United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms, UN agencies and National Human Rights Institutions in Eliminating Caste-Based Discrimination

Chair: Ms. Smita Narula, Dalit Solidarity Forum-US 

14:00

14:10

14:20

14:40

14:00

14:20

Session II – A

Witness Statement

Overview of Developments in the United Nations Human Rights Bodies - Discrimination Based on “Work and Descent”

Mr. Peter Prove, Office for International Affairs and Human Rights, The Lutheran World Federation

Principles and Guidelines for the Elimination of Discrimination Based on Work and Descent/UN Study on Discrimination based on Work and Descent

Ms. Chin-Sung Chung, UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights / Special Rapporteur

Educational Measures for the Elimination of  Caste-Based Discrimination

Mr. Vernor Munoz Villalobos, UN Special Rapporteur on Education

Some Measures in Eliminating Caste-Based Discrimination

Mr.Miloon Kothari,, UN  Special Rapporteur on Housing

Plenary Discussion

15:45

Tea

16:00

16:15

16:30

16:45

17:00

Session II – B:

The Role of National Commissions in Protecting and Promoting Dalits’ Human Rights

Chair: Prof. Mungekar, Planning Commission, India

Introductory remarks and the Perspective of the Indian Government

Prof. Mungekar

Mr. Kedar Prasad Poudyal, Acting Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Nepal

Respondents

- Mr. Padam Lal Biswarkarma, Tribhuwan University, Nepal

- Mr. Basil Fernando, Director - Asian Human Rights Commission

Plenary Discussion

17:45

18:00

18:10-18:30

Session II – C

The Role of UN Organisations in the Elimination of Caste-Based Discrimination

Chair: Mr. Peter Prove,  Lutheran World Federation

Ms. Carla Covarrubias, Human Rights Officer, UNDP, Kathmandu

Comment: Mr. Vincent Manoharan, General Secretary, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, India

Plenary Discussion

19:00

Dinner

Session III

Role of the Private Sector and Trans-National Corporations in Addressing Caste-Based Discrimination

Chair:  Mr. Paul Divakar, Convenor - National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, India

09:00

09:15

09:30

09:45

10:00

10:20

Witness Statement

Context, Instruments and Challenges

Mr. Gerard Oonk, DSN-Netherlands/IDSN Working Group on the Private Sector and Transnational Corporations

Remedies Against Market Discrimination: International Experience of Reservation Policies in the Private Sector

Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, Director- Indian Institute of Dalit Studies

Measures against Caste-Based Discrimination at the Market and the Workplace

Ms. Leyla Reddy, Director - ILO Country Office, Nepal

Respondents

Mr. Laxman Basnet, Chairperson of the Trade Union Congress, Nepal

Mr. Binod Shrestha, Chairperson, Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industry (not confirmed)

Questions/answers

10:30

Tea

10:45

11:00

Way Ahead – A Code of Conduct

Mr. David Haslam, Dalit Solidarity Network-UK, & IDSN Co-Convenor

Plenary discussion

12:00

Lunch

Session  IV A: Mainstreaming of Dalit  Rights in Development Programming

Chair:  Ms. Guna Laxmi Sharma, Under-Secretary, Ministry of Health

13:00

13:10

13:25

13:40

13:55

14:10

14:25

Witness statement

Dalits and Development in India

Ms. Ruth Manorama, National Alliance of Dalit Women/National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights

International Development Assistance; Inclusion of Dalits 

Mr. J.C. Pokharel, former member of the National Planning Commission, Nepal

Dalit Women of Nepal; Issues and Challenges

Ms. Durga Sob, President, Feminist Dalit Organisation

Combatting Caste-Based Discrimination through Non-Formal Adult Education

Ms. Laurie Vasily, Researcher – Department of Education, Cornell University

The Government’s Perspective on Mainstreaming Dalit Rights

Mr. Hem Sharma Pokharel, Under-Secretary, Ministry of Local Development, Nepal

Plenary Discussion

14:45

Tea

15:00

15:15

15:30

15:45

16:00

16:15

16:30

Session IV B: Mainstreaming of Dalit Rights in Development Programming

Chair: Ms. Rikke Nöhrlind, IDSN Coordinator

Mr. Keith Leslie, Director, Save the Children, US

Mr.Hira Vishvakarma, NGO Federation Nepal

Dr. Jit Bahadur Gurung, Project Advisor, Danida/HUGUO

Ms. Jasmine Rajbhandri, Social Development Advisor, DfiD

Ms. Lynn Bennett, Lead Social Scientist, World Bank, Nepal

Mr. Guy Banim, Delegation of the European Commission, Kathmandu

Plenary Discussion

Closing session

Chair: Mr. D.B. Sagar Bishwakarma, National NGO Federation, Nepal

17:00

Mr. G. D. Sunar, General Secretary - Dalit NGO Federation

Mr. Schönemann, Royal Danish Embassy-Nepal/Local Acting EU Presidency

Presentation of Consultation Declaration

Mr. David Haslam, IDSN Co-Convenor

Mr. Yubraj Gyawali, Minister of Local Development

Word of Thanks

Ms. Ambika Gajmer, Treasurer of the Dalit NGO Federation

Ms. Rikke Nöhrlind, International Dalit Solidarity Network

Closing Remarks by the Chairperson