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“The term ‘Dalit’ means ‘oppressed’ and originates from the Indo-Aryan root ‘Dal,’ which means ‘to press’ or ‘to crush.’ National Dalits Commission defines “Dalits” as “those communities who, by virtue of atrocities of caste-based discrimination and untouchability, are most backward in social, economic, educational, political, and religious fields, and deprived of human dignity and social justice.” Dalits are communities that have historically faced systemic exclusion, economic marginalization, and social discrimination, including practices of untouchability. Dalits are a large and historically marginalized group of South Asian people.
Dalits with disabilities represent one of the most marginalized, invisibilized and underrepresented groups, facing entrenched and compounded discrimination at the intersection of caste, disability, and often gender. “Dalit” refers to the historic and ongoing exclusion rooted in caste-based oppression and the violence of untouchability, while “disability” signifies the systemic barriers and stigma faced by persons with impairments. Together, “Dalits with Disabilities” underscores the urgent reality of individuals who are subjected to multiple, overlapping layers of exclusion. Their experiences demand an intersectional human rights-based approach that challenges structural inequality, amplifies their voices, and centers their leadership in the movement for social justice and inclusion.
There are an estimation that 260 million Dalits worldwide.[iii] The vast majority of Dalits live in South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri-Lanka) and in communities who migrated from South Asia across the globe.[iv] Persons with disabilities constitute 16% of the world’s population, with 80% living in the Global South.[v] Though there is no any data on the prevalence of Dalits with Disabilities accurately, it can be estimated that Dalits with Disabilities should be 16% of the 260 million Dalits – 41.6 million Dalits with Disabilities. However, it should be noted that there is an estimation that 80% of them live in poor countries like the South Asia Region. So, there is a higher prevalence of Dalits with Disabilities in the South Asia Region.
DDAN believes that lasting change is achieved through strong partnerships and collective action. We value the trust, expertise, and commitment of our government, development, civil society, academic, private sector, and OPD partners, whose collaboration strengthens our mission to advance the rights, leadership, and inclusion of Dalits with disabilities. Together, we are building a more inclusive, equitable, dignified, and accessible society where no one is left behind.
