Dalit Women in South Asia – Access to Economic Rights Focus on Land Higher Education and Employable Skills for Livelihood

This study attempts to draw attention to the current existing policies on land, higher education
and skill development for employment. The study is carried out in 4 South Asian countries of
Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. We have under taken this study to create an evidence
base on the existing gaps in policy and budgetary frameworks on Dalit women's economic rights at
the regional and national level. After examining the gaps we have drafted recommendations to
existing policies in India and Nepal. We have also made suggestions on new policies in Bangladesh
and Sri Lanka which do not have specific policies with regard to the three thematic areas of land,
higher education and skill development of Dalit women. The study tried to reach out and build an
evidence base on policy and budgetary gaps on Dalit women's economic rights within regional and
national frameworks.

The recommendations we hope will be useful to the policy makers as well as Dalit women networks
on the one hand also the regional networks of Dalit and women's networks at SAARC. The
evidence base will be used to build consensus of multiple stakeholders, including Dalit and women
parliamentarians, Dalit women and men, Dalit groups and international and national solidarity
networks and stakeholders on existing gaps and the need to address these in South Asia through
a regional mechanism, and also nationally within policy and budgetary frameworks.