Areas of work / Programme
Access to justice.
For CDWD, access to justice is obstructed at every step - by caste and descent-based bias embedded in policing, investigation, prosecution and the courts.
Survivors, especially women, face immense hurdles in filing police complaints, navigating hostile legal systems, and securing fair hearings. Even where protective laws exist, implementation is weak, legal aid is scarce, and discrimination is systemic. As a result, impunity remains the norm and justice remains out of reach for many.
What we do
Our CDWD Rights Experts receive specialist training on national and international legal frameworks, complaint procedures, and advocacy strategies. These experts play a vital role in documenting violations, supporting survivors, and holding institutions accountable.
Through partnerships with legal networks - including Lawyers Without Borders Africa - we have strengthened efforts to bring cases of caste and descent-based violence to court. By building alliances with local and international legal actors, we ensure that CDWD cases are not just heard but pursued with the seriousness they deserve.
At the international level, we bring these issues to light using United Nations Treaty Bodies and Special Procedures - contributing data, testimonies and stakeholder reports. Through ongoing national, regional and global reporting, we push for systems where justice is not selective, and where CDWD voices are at the centre of reform.
