Social Inclusion and Diversity
For a majority of Indians, life is still ruled by the dictates of caste society. With whom one eats, lives and marries is determined by the caste to which one belongs. The hierarchy of purity and pollution assigns each caste a rank, and gives each individual a fixed identity at birth. Trying to break out of that assigned place invites opposition, even violence.
For centuries, the Untouchable castes were the worst oppressed by the caste system. They were condemned to live outside the village or town, confined to ‘polluting’ occupations that involved dealing with human and animal waste, coerced into serving the higher castes at all times. After Independence, untouchability and other practices of caste-based discrimination were abolished. Steps were taken to help the newly-designated Scheduled Castes gain access to education and government jobs. However, the movement towards equality has been slow.
Achieving equitable social progress requires addressing structural inequalities arising from caste and gender discrimination. Historical social hierarchies have long restricted access to productive assets, quality education, and social mobility for marginalized communities, particularly Scheduled Castes (Dalits) and Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis).
While constitutional guarantees, including the abolition of untouchability under Article 17 and protective legislation like the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act provide strong legal safeguards, eliminating socio-economic discrimination remains an ongoing challenge. Many marginalized families continue to face barriers in accessing land, water sources, housing, and fair economic opportunities.
Concurrently, gender equality is vital for sustainable social development. Women from marginalized backgrounds often face intersecting challenges of economic vulnerability and social exclusion. Empowering rural and urban women, adolescent girls, indigenous women, migrant workers, and unorganized labourers is essential to building an inclusive society.
SRUTI supports community-led initiatives that utilize constitutional and statutory rights to combat social discrimination, prevent gender-based violence, and advance social dignity. SRUTI Fellows assist communities in accessing affirmative action programs, legal aid, and state welfare schemes. Integrating gender equity and social inclusion into all grassroots interventions directly advances SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).