Inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction

Discrimination by default’ is as much an issue as discrimination by norm and intent and is prevalent both within civil society and administration. Being aware of this fact, National Dalit Watch (NDW) was instituted within Swadhikar, which emerged from an informed recognition of rampant caste discrimination and exclusion faced by Dalit communities during the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 and Bihar flood in 2007 & 2008. The NDW is a specialized wing within Swadhikar that addresses and counters caste-based inequality in disaster response, and advocate inclusive and responsive Disaster Management policy, legislation and guidelines to systematically combat the same for overall resilient building of Disaster Affected Communities.

NDW visions at ensuring rights and entitlements to Dalits through inclusive disaster response, risk reduction and building of resilience, with Dalit voices and experience informing the processes of climate change adaptation and climate justice.

AREA OF WORK

NDW core belief is to monitor systematically the extent of Dalit inclusion in specific disaster situations and deploying that evidence to influence policy, law and guidelines both at the national and international levels thereby facilitating equity and inclusion in DRR, and decisive participation in Climate Change Adaptation processes. It works collaboratively with organizations striving for the protection of human rights, and those particularly working for Dalit human rights, in disaster situations.NDW has developed tools and methods to identify, expose and document caste-based discrimination and exclusion in disaster management. Based on the primary evidences gathered from inclusion monitoring studies, the process of advocacy and mobilization is initiated to get the State and humanitarian aid organisations to take corrective steps and institute favourable policy. NDW advocates for recognition of caste induced vulnerabilities and inclusive programming with Humanitarian stakeholders, inclusive of the State.