Why Global Forum on Discrimination on Work and Descent matters
Over 270 million people around the world continue to face discrimination—not for what they’ve done, but for who they were born as. Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD)—including Dalits, Burakumin, Haratine, Osu, Roma, Quilombola, and others—have been historically treated as “impure.” Entire generations have been relegated to so-called “polluting” jobs: manual scavenging, leather work, […]
UN Special Rapporteur Dr Surya Deva cites status of CDWD in his report on Right to Development
Paul Diwakar, Convener of the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD), welcomed a recent report, presented by the UN Special Rapporteur Dr Surya Deva, that extensively cited the Collective for Discrimination Based on Work and Descent (CDWD). Diwakar emphasised that every human being, regardless of their background or occupation, possesses an inherent right to […]
Towards an Informal Working Group on the the Rights of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent
Statement by the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) HLPF 2024, United Nations, New York Speaking at the HLPF 2024 side event titled “Good Practices and Challenges in the 2030 Agenda – Showcasing ongoing inclusive strategies of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent,” Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives from Canada, Spain, Colombia, North Macedonia, Nepal, Sri Lanka […]
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR): A Catalyst for Roma Rights in Albania
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR): A Catalyst for Roma Rights in Albania By Siljana Hyseni, Roma Rights Expert, GFoD As a marginalized group, the Roma minority, estimated to be between 8,301 and 120,000 people, continues to experience systemic discrimination, social exclusion, and poverty. These challenges have significantly impacted their access to education, healthcare, employment, and housing. On Friday, August 30, […]
Leave No One Behind: Does India’s Union Budget 2024-25 reflect this sentiment?
The following statement has been issued by the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights ‘Leave No One Behind’ is the Central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals which is a priority of India too. The question is, does our action at the national level reflect our commitment to this promise? And how do we […]
GFoD convener Paul Divakar makes passionate appeal to save India’s CDWD among intense heatwave
Paul Divakar, the convener of the Global Forum on Discrimination, has issued a passionate appeal against the increasing dangers of climate change and how it is leaving India‘s CDWD with nowhere to go. In a story published by Al Jazeera titled: “‘I’m in hell’: How rising heat is amplifying India’s social divides”, Divakar said the exclusion from welfare on caste-basis […]
Fact Sheet on Roma minority in Albania
The Roma community is one of the largest Communities Discriminated based on Work and Descent (CDWD) in Europe. In Albania, the Roma population is estimated to be between 8,301 and 120,000. Roma minority was recognized as a national minority in October 2017 based on Law No. 97/2017 “On the Protection of National Minorities in the Republic of Albania. […]
Climate change impact CDWD extensively, says UN Special Rapporteur Dr Surya Deva
A report by Dr Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, highlighted the severe impacts of climate change on Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD), linking these challenges directly to the broader context of climate justice. The report, which referred to the work done by Global Forum on Discrimination extensively, underscored how these communities, marginalised due […]
2024 was a seminal year for discriminated communities across the world: Now, we need your help to sustain the momentum
In October 2024, something historic happened. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) passed a landmark resolution that explicitly recognised and condemned discrimination based on descent and work. For Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD), it wasn’t just a legal breakthrough—it was a long-overdue affirmation of their lived reality. A shift that […]
“Caste Exists Only in South Asia” is a Myth
The belief that caste exists only in South Asia is a myth—one that erases the lived realities of millions across the globe. While the word “caste” may be most commonly associated with India or Nepal, its logic—the division of people by birth, labor, and inherited stigma—is tragically global. These systems may go by different names, […]
