Support ICDR International to save lives of Dalit Journalists in South Asia

We are pleased to share a FELLOSHIP PRGORAM for 50 Dalit Journalists in South Asia, who have been financially and professionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This will not be possible without your gifts and supports.

Journalists should be casteless, and they have the right to speak for their own group. However, Dalit journalists have to face multiple professional and financial challenges because of their caste. In South Asia, Dalit journalists barely work for mainstream media, because they are not accepted there. And when they do work in this field, they suffer from professional and social discrimination. The small size and vulnerability of this group leads to Dalits’ rights being ignored. Mainstream journalists often ignore caste-based discrimination, violence and social exclusion, and if they cover these issues they manipulate the facts.

According to research, over 75% of anchors and writers in the mainstream media are from dominant castes, just like 100% of leader positions in Hindi television news. In addition, because of COVID-19, Dalit journalists are going through worse health and financial hardship than ever before. However, despite the challenges, they continue to do their job exposing injustice.

With your help we will be able to further defend equality and freedom of speech. Through your donations, we can provide financial and technical support to COVID-19 impacted Dalit and pro-Dalit journalists in South Asia. This way they can continue to report and expose discrimination, injustice, caste and gender-based violations against Dalits, minorities and marginalized populations. Your gift will save the lives of many dedicated professionals on the ground.