People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), had linked up local Jan Mitra Gaon Samitis (People-Friendly Village committees’) aligning to previously isolated victims of caste discrimination, usually Dalits or so-called "untouchables." PVCHR draws on international human rights organizations like Amnesty International to pressure the Indian government and broaden support for the movement against caste. PVCHR has encouraged other human rights organisations and funding agencies to begin setting their own goals and priorities in terms of caste
Its convenor, Lenin Raghuvanshi, was awarded Gwangju Prize for Human Rights in South Korea in 2007 for putting up vehement resistance against the untouchability and caste system in the backward districts of Eastern UP.
PVCHR work marks a shift in the Indian human rights movement, which has been reluctant to address injustices in the name of caste as a fundamental human rights issue. It declares that such discrimination goes against democratic principles by promoting inequality. It works from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, one of the most traditional, conservative, and segregated regions in India but demonstrates his resolve.
It reaches out to the dalits through his "policy to practice" approach in those villages, where caste discrimination is acute. Thus, he focuses on implementing policies laid down by law. PVCHR campaigns on various issues concerning the dalits including schooling for children, fair wages, land titles, and basic rights. On the other hand, PVCHR works in collaboration with NGOs, social action groups, activists, academics, and general supporters, it believes in the "from practice to policy" approach. Its focus at this level is pushing society to acknowledge caste discrimination as a fundamental human rights issue. These strategies complement each other effectively.
PVCHR is putting on its endeavour to empower the dalits to restore a balance of power in society between economic and other forces. It facilitates its participation and increasing the bargaining power of the poorest of poor through labour, environmental and other social movements. The organisation mobilises the power that people have in doing so, it teaches the value of united action through real life example, and build the self-confidence of both the organisation and individuals in it. PVCHR avoids shortcuts that don’t build people’s powers, such as bringing in lawyer to handle the problem, asking friendly politicians to take care of it or turning it over to a Government agencies.
Its convenor, Lenin Raghuvanshi, was awarded Gwangju Prize for Human Rights in South Korea in 2007 for putting up vehement resistance against the untouchability and caste system in the backward districts of Eastern UP.
PVCHR work marks a shift in the Indian human rights movement, which has been reluctant to address injustices in the name of caste as a fundamental human rights issue. It declares that such discrimination goes against democratic principles by promoting inequality. It works from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, one of the most traditional, conservative, and segregated regions in India but demonstrates his resolve.
It reaches out to the dalits through his "policy to practice" approach in those villages, where caste discrimination is acute. Thus, he focuses on implementing policies laid down by law. PVCHR campaigns on various issues concerning the dalits including schooling for children, fair wages, land titles, and basic rights. On the other hand, PVCHR works in collaboration with NGOs, social action groups, activists, academics, and general supporters, it believes in the "from practice to policy" approach. Its focus at this level is pushing society to acknowledge caste discrimination as a fundamental human rights issue. These strategies complement each other effectively.
PVCHR is putting on its endeavour to empower the dalits to restore a balance of power in society between economic and other forces. It facilitates its participation and increasing the bargaining power of the poorest of poor through labour, environmental and other social movements. The organisation mobilises the power that people have in doing so, it teaches the value of united action through real life example, and build the self-confidence of both the organisation and individuals in it. PVCHR avoids shortcuts that don’t build people’s powers, such as bringing in lawyer to handle the problem, asking friendly politicians to take care of it or turning it over to a Government agencies.
