Dignity Initiative is a Kathmandu-based not-for-profit, non-government organization, which works on knowledge production on the issues of social exclusion and human rights with a special focus on Dalit. The Dalit community shares 13.4 percent of the total national population of Nepal. They are politically excluded, economically deprived, and socio-culturally discriminated. They have been struggling for more than seventy years to claim Dalit as equal as other human beings.
The foundation of political-economic governance structure in Nepal stands on the discriminatory caste system. Such a hegemonic system has contributed to caste-based power relations in all sectors of the state. The tradition of knowledge production in Nepal is predominantly casteist, seeking to institutionalize the hierarchical caste system; rare academic interventions have been made to counter these dominant narratives.
Dignity Initiative aims to counter the dominant narratives by highlighting the pertinent issues of Dalit and marginalized communities. The organization further aims to support the Dalit movement through research, knowledge production, academic activism, and policy advocacy to ensure the dignified life of the Dalit community. In addition, it strives to provide alternative narratives through wider public discourse and by building critical masses to change caste-based power relations.
Dignity Initiative is committed to amplifying Dalit voices and working to hold the state accountable to ensure the implementation of constitutionally guaranteed Dalit rights. To this end, Dignity Initiative collaborates with national and international organizations, universities, intellectuals, researchers, academics, analysts, and activists.
