KP Ashwini, an Ambedkarite scholar from Kolar is all set to take over as the Special Rapporteur At the UN by November. With this, she becomes the first Indian as well as an Asian woman to hold the post.
KP Ashwini, a Dalit scholar with roots in the Kolar district of Karnataka, was appointed as the Special Rapporteur for United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) earlier in October. Endorsed by the 47-member United Nations (UN) human rights body, Ashwini would become the first Indian and Asian woman to be appointed to this post.
The international posting comes with a huge responsibility of identifying and presenting resolutions on human rights concerns. As someone coming from a marginalized community with a long legacy of ancestors who have been part of several Dalit movements, she would play a crucial role in rewriting the human rights crisis faced in the country and beyond.
An Ambedkarite To Be The Voice For Human Rights
The 36-year-old is an Ambedkarite and Ph.D. scholar from the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University. Her academic profile comes along with an illustrious line of works surrounding indigenous communities and their rights. Taking this ahead to a global platform, Ashwini hopes to address issues of racism and casteism, which are growingly seen across social media platforms as well during her tenure.
Special Rapporteurs (SR) with the UNHRC are independent experts who serve personally and report on human rights from an extensive perspective. The position, which was created back in 1994, holds communications with states and has the authority to issue urgent appeals over violations of international human rights laws.
Ashwini would be taking over as the sixth SR on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance, as Zambia’s E Tendayi Achiume resigned from the post unexpectedly. In her application letter to fill in the vacancy, she brought along a long line of experience working with indigenous communities of different Indian states and her efforts in addressing descent and occupation-based discrimination.
She wrote in her letter that, “belonging to a marginalized community myself, an Indian Dalit woman,” the space of activism is not new to her. She has been vocal about ideas revolving around caste discrimination and once even noted that her caste identity had haunted her and gave her quite the backlash when she stressed an anti-caste narrative.
Unlayering Years Of Discrimination
According to a report by The Wire, she has been appointed by the UN Body on October 7 and will be taking over the post by November.
Talking about the work she expects to get done at the UNHRC, Ashwini said, “I am keen to focus on racism in terms of gender and the intersectionality perspective. This is because we always look at racism in a vague space, sometimes forgetting the many layers it comes in, like caste, class, and gender.”
Ashwini, who took after her family, has always fought against Dalit oppression, racism, and racial discrimination through a multitude of social movements. An article by the Indian Express quoted Ashwini saying, “Many of my family members were part of Dalit movements, and I personally have a keen interest in anti-caste and women’s rights movements.”
These movements of her created the much-needed ripple effect that took her ahead to a post in which she would now be protecting the rights of millions across the world. As someone who has always found her interest in understanding the kinds of social exclusion that persist in society, this platform would prove to be the right place to create the change.
thelogicalindian.com