[ZESTCaste] Dalits have low awareness about legal rights : Expert

[Siddhartha Kumar]

http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100306/812/tnl-dalits-have-low-awareness-about-lega.html

Dalits have low awareness about legal rights : Expert

Sat, Mar 6 11:59 PM
Patna, March 6 (IANS) The poorest of the poor dalits and exploited
sections of society have extremely low awareness about legal rights
and judicial remedies which is impeding welfare and human rights
objectives, a rights activist said Saturday.

'Unless Dalits and marginalised sections of society are aware of their
legal rights and are also aware of the ways and means to enforce them,
they will not be able to enjoy rights and privileges accorded to them
under Indian laws,' Sarita Bhoi of the Dalit Rights Initiative of
Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) said after the conclusion of a two day
workshop on 'Dalit Rights and the Law'.

The workshop was attended by 25 NGOs and 200 civil society
representatives from across the country.

'There is large scale ignorance about legal rights, together with
ignorance and fear of the judicial options and procedures among dalits
and exploited communities. The state of dalit affairs in Bihar leaves
much to be desired,' she said.