A new study by the National Dalit Watch of National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights and the Society for Promotion of Wasteland Development
Dalit stakes in environment are high due to their dependence on natural resources for livelihoods. Though climatic uncertainties have implications on many sectors, rural livelihoods are most affected by changes in climatic patterns. Dalits, who are highly dependent on earnings from agricultural labour and, livestock rearing dependent on forests and other common lands have fewer resources and options to combat the damages to the resource base because of climate change. The internalization of discrimination and exclusion continue to deprive them of their social, economic and political rights and opportunities. Their locational, social and economic vulnerabilities place a greater strain on their adaptive capacity to climate change and ability to deal with shocks, stresses and change.
The study by SPWD and National Dalit Watch (NDW) attempts to investigate if there is an imposition of hierarchies of caste in the event of climate change induced disasters. The study becomes signifi cant given that climate change is more and more recognized as a global concern and available data suggests that in India it is increasing the frequency and severity of weather-related hazards. The present institutional mechanisms for disaster management do not recognise caste induced vulnerabilities. Casualties and damage or loss of properties, infrastructures, environment, essential services or means of livelihood on such a scale is beyond the normal capacity of the affected Dalit communities to cope with. Unlike indigenous communities, the state neither recognizes Dalit communities as local minority communities nor acknowledges their contribution to biodiversity conservation. Any policy or programme that does not include Dalit communities among biodiversity-dependent set of communities remains highly subcritical in adopting adaptation and mitigation measures. The study reviews the exclusion of Dalit communities in climate change adaptation programmes and policies through case studies and desk review.
As a part of the study, the issue of inclusion of Dalits in climate change discourses from the disaster risk reduction (DRR) perspective was studied in two locations in India – Assam and Karnataka. The individual case studies were done in the fi eld areas of NDW partners – Human Rights Forum for Dalit Liberation (HRFDL), Karnataka and Rural Volunteers Centre (RVC), Assam. The position of Dalits has been set out in terms of their increased vulnerability to already degraded natural resources base such as land, water and forest because of climate change impacts, and their interest in protecting their environment for sustaining their livelihoods.
There is a need for proper state support to develop the adaptation mechanism of Dalits and support livelihood diversifi cation strategies. Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation need to inform the social protection policy so the poor Dalits and other marginalized sections can be shielded from shocks and risks owing to climate change and their livelihoods protected effectively.
The study recommends that the government take up social protection initiatives for transfer of income or assets to the poor marginalized communities like Dalits to protect them against livelihood risks, as well as to enhance their social status and rights. The state and its governance institutions should specifi cally protect and promote the livelihood rights of vulnerable groups like Dalits during climate change induced disasters. Emphasis should be placed on taking up agricultural development programmes on a priority basis in areas with high Dalit populations.