Back at home, the political changes that took place in recent decades have a strong impact particularly on people at the social margin. Reinstatement of democracy in Nepal in 1990 provided people with an opportunity to voice their demands in an organized way. The Dalit also benefitted the freedom that democracy brought in setting up new social movements through a numbers of their own organizations and also through an alignment with international/multi/bi-lateral agencies. Meanwhile political participation and leadership also came into the fore from Dalit community; some Dalitleaders –although abysmal in number compared to people from other social groups –seized the opportunity in political leadership. Likewise, the political insurgency led by the Maoists as ‘People’s War’ for a decade since 1996also left its distinct impression. A considerable numbers of people from Dalit community along with others shared their dream of equity and prosperity with the insurgency. Dalits also stood at the front line of the popular April uprising in 2006 that ultimately dethroned the monarchy, brought in the insurgents in a peace-process and paved the way for Nepal towards a republic. Dignity, above all other agenda, has been a major thirst to attract Dalits in a front line of every political battle that Nepal has witnessed.
The changes unfolded in a global development arena and also at home, however, do not seem to be providing an amicable environment for Dalits to address their issue of dignity. Dalits who hold more than 13 percent share of national population, hardly hold about two percent position in education, public service, land-holding and even in politics; a large
To strengthen Dalit movement through knowledge production in collaboration
