Dalit Catholic women seek bigger role

The women resolved to form solidarity groups.

New Delhi:  The Dalit Catholic women of India have recommended the Church leadership to work towards leadership development of women from the community.

They asked the Church leaders representing various commissions to create possibilities of including them as leaders in campaigns for dalit Christian rights.

The women made they recommendations at a national seminar on Dalit Catholic Women Leadership Building in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

Some 35 women took part in the program jointly organized by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) offices for Scheduled Caste/Backward class, women and youth in with Catholic Relief Services and IGSSS.

They have also asked the Church leadership to create a women forum to strengthen their voices in society, especially in relation to political leadership.

The participants resolved to form solidarity groups at their own level to grow in consciousness of the empowerment of the Dalit women.

They also decided to speak to the concerned leaders of the Church about the need to strengthen Dalit Catholic women leadership in the diocesan, regional and national levels.

The participants realized that the Dalit community contributes immensely to the process of nation building but their contribution is not adequately acknowledged and they continue to be relegated to the margins of the society, a press statement issued by the CBCI office of women stated.

“Dalit women face multiple forms of discrimination and it can be said that they are the Dalits among Dalits. Dalit Christian women are victims of sexual violence, trafficking, unsafe migration and forced labor like manual scavenging,” the statement said.

Source: press statement