Cycle rally against hunger and practice of untouchability
A cycle rally was organised involving thousands of Dalit youth includes large number of young Dalit women to create awareness and build solidarity among Dalits. 29 days cycle rally was organized across 254 villages, covering more than 1850 kms. During the cycle rally, several issues related to land rights, indebtedness, abuse, practice of untouchability, denial of entitlements, no access to government welfare services, incidents of sexual abuse, lack of water, lack of housing and denial of basic rights etc were highlighted and discussed in the public meetings demanding for social justice.

The rally took-up several issues and submitted petitions to the concerned government officials and police officials. The rally’s impact on Dalits could be observed in terms of enhanced r self-respect, self-dignity and rights and entitlement assertion.

During the rally, around 12,500 petitions were given to Dalit Samakhya. They are related to housing (1,500 families), ration cards (1,300 families do not have the cards), ration cards are available for 2,600 families but no coupons were given to families, land (landless families 5,026), pensions (1,002 persons) house site pattas (1,500 families do not have house site pattas), 136 families have pattas but no land was given to them and 74 land garbing from dalit families and 82 cases related attacks, abused by caste name and counter cases etc, widows (452 persons) and 2,665 petty cases at the local level.

Dalit Samkhya’s First General Assembly (first Mahasabha)
Following cycle rally, on December 10, 2002, the Dalit Samakhya organised a public meeting, in which around 10,000 people participated including large number of women and children.

This has demonstrated strength, power and confidence of Dalit communities at the state level. The following charter of demands was declared in public meeting.

• To put an end to 120 forms of practice of untouchability and caste based discrimination.
• For effective enforcement of Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for speedy justice.
• To provide two acres of land to landless Dalit families.
• To implement minimum wages act
• For entitlements and basic right of the dalits
• To put an end to hunger.
• Full protection to the Dalits to participate in the panchayat Raj Institutions and other democratic institutions.

Rallies on issues of Drought
Dalit Samakhya organised rallies in Pathikonda, Koutalam and Yemmiganur mandals. Dalit Samakhya district committee approached the district administration and submitted petitions demanding proper implementation of food for work programme. In these mandals, government has responded immediately to create work opportunities to the poor under food for work programme. The impact was also seen in other mandals, where people started taking up rallies for effective implementation of food for work programme and demanding for public accountability.

Leadership building among the 1700 Dalit Activists
Dalit Samakhya identified 1700 Dalit youth (three women and three men from each village) to enhance their leadership qualities. To build their capabilities to deal with the problems they experience in day-to-day life, leadership trainings were held to increase their knowledge about various government programmes/ schemes like old age pensions, widow pensions, loans, aids and appliances for persons with disabilities etc.

On the other hand, Dalit activists were educated to tackle the issues related to caste-based discrimination and practice of untouchability, child labour, livelihood related concerns etc. Community level activists have addressed issues without any inhibitions and sense of fear. The strong leadership emerged among these marginalized communities. Dalit community activists firmly say “we will not allow dominant caste people to abuse our women and men, exploit and take away our basic rights just because we are silent and voiceless”.

The impact is evident that several local issues related to securing water from community water-points (wells/handpumps, raps), accessing government schemes, approaching government officials, ensuring effective functioning of public distribution system, ensuring attendance of primary school teachers and health works. This has also helped to build their confidence levels. Dalit activists say that “ If we are united and firm, things will change for us”.

Foot-March against Untouchability
Dalit Samakhya decided to wage war against evil and dehumanizing untouchability practices. They have organised ‘Padayatrass’ (protest march) and dharanas (picketing) to put an end to untouchability practices. Padayadta yielded good result and brought an impact on the lives of the Dalit communities. Dalit Samakhya was successful in eliminating the practice of two-glass system in 121 villages; temple entry is possible for Dalits without any fear in 25 villages; Dalits are allowed to draw water from common well in few villages. In Chinnavanagali, Dalits are prohibited riding bicycle. Rally was organised by dalits in protest against it. Several places, demonstrations are made in protest of these practices. Now the dalits in several villages ride bicycles. These small achievements helped them to build their confidence levels and leading to live a life with dignity and respect.

Rally against atrocities
On March 2002, in Chinna Kambulur village of Rudravaram mandal, rally 400 Dalits was organised in protest against attack on four Dalit families by the local police. The issue was later referred to Municif magistrate court, and the court ordered police to arrest the accused. After three months, the police came and apologized to the Dalits.

On 16 October 2002, in Krishanpuram village, non-dalit communities attacked 40 Dalit families and imposed social boycott in the village. Dalit Samakhya organised rally and dharna at mandal headquarters in which nearly 2000 Dalits participated. Dalit Samakhya submitted a memorandum to district collector and SP for social justice. District administration ordered an enquiry into the incident and later arrested 42 non-dalits under SC/ST(PoA) Act.

Further, district administration gave compensation to victims. 12.5 acres of land for quarry for the livelihood of 16 families, 71 families milk animals (each family got Rs 20000/-), houses for 20 families under Indira Awas Yojana Scheme; Two houses occupied by non-dalit communities were acquired and given back to Dalit families; ; 3kms road was laid under food for work scheme which gave 39 days work for 40 families; Another significant achievement was that 6 families which were forced to leave the village 10 years back were brought back to the village.

Formation and strengthening of Labour Contract Societies (LSCs)
To address immediate poverty of the Dalits in 347 villages, Dalit Samakhya initiated a process of registering 17 labour contract societies in 13 mandals. The purpose of the labour contract societies (LSC) is two fold: (1) to enable Dalit communities to demand for a share in market sphere through building strength and confidence. (2) Dalits also have rights over the common property resources and they are capable of becoming entrepreneurs in society so that they get gainful employment and access and control over local resources.

In 2003, the process of forming and registering labour contract societies was started under Mutually Aided Cooperatives Act of 1995. 13 labour contract societies were registered and completed all statutory requirements.

The present status is that the labour contract societies have membership of 1020 of which 50% are women.

Thus, Dalit Samakhya was able to prevent 205 families form its usual migration to other districts from Pathikonda mandal. As the families stayed back in the villages, the children are with the families and 487 children could continue their education in school. Dalit women from labour contract societies have played a major role in getting public works by approaching concerned government authorities. Dalit women feel that their self-confidence is enhanced as they are also able to compete with men in these villages. Further, these small efforts have helped the women and men in the 347 villages to realize their rights and assert their rights over the resources in the village. Similar efforts are on in other villages by the labour contract societies.

Formation of Dalit human Rights Monitoring Committee (DHRMC)
The objective of the DHRMC is to monitor human rights violations committed against Dalit and prevent their occurrences in future at all levels. At village level, in all the villages, a five members committee was constituted and orientation was given to them as to how to monitor the Dalit human rights violation and also take necessary steps to prevent them in future course of time. A coordination committee was set up at the mandal and district level to coordinate and monitor the Dalit human rights violations. Efforts have been made to strengthen their role and functions so that Dalit atrocities will be minimized and prevented further. As of now, these committees are at various levels, and need to be strengthened further. However, district level committee is playing very important role in taking up issues of violence against dalits and women.

Building and nurturing community level activists
To promote and strengthen the leadership among Dalit communities to fight for their basic rights and entitlements, Dalit Samakhya identified and nurtured the community level activists at the village level.

In each village, there are 6 activists, both men and women. In all 347 villages, there are nearly 2100 activists, of which women account for 50%.

To build the capacities and leadership qualities of community level activists, Dalit Samakhya facilitated series of capacity building programmes like poverty and denial of basic rights, role of Dalit Samakhayas in fighting social justice issues, SC/ST (PoA) Act, gender issues, common property resources and dalits, labour contract societies etc. on a regular basis for 508 persons, among these; there are 258 young women who participated in the training programmes. These young community activists are playing an important role in sensitizing their community members and civil society on various issues and concerns faced and experienced by dalits. Women Dalit community level activists are playing an important role in the process of empowering the Dalit communities.

The problems Dalits experience and face on a regular basis is untouchability, atrocities, hunger, women-abuse and domestic violence, child labour, denial to draw water from common water points, denial to enter public places such as health centers, gram Panchayats, post offices etc. children are discriminated in schools.

These community level activists started sensitising and mobilising around these issues and challenged the dominant castes/communities in their own villages. The concerted efforts yielded good results in many villages.

The outcomes are clearly visible. The examples are mentioned below:

• Practice of two glass system in 142 villages eliminated. In 123 villages
• Dalits are allowed to walk through the main streets in 123 villages
• Temple entry is allowed in 5 villages
• Dalits are taking water from common water points in 23 villages

The efforts made by the community activists have remarkable impact on Dalit communities. In 134 schools, children used to face and experience discrimination by non-dalit children and even teachers used to lookdown on the Dalit children. Now Dalit children are treated equally in government schools in 134 villages because of the efforts made by Dalit Samakhya activists.

There are 711 community level activist are very active and dynamic. These empowered activists have taken up issues of human rights violation, gender violence, land issues, entitlement issues etc. They have demonstrated to take up issues of the Dalit communities in villages they are working for.

During the year 2003, Dalit Samakyas have taken the position to address issues of Dalit human rights violation and atrocities committed against Dalits. Around 130 Dalit human rights violations such as atrocities, attacks and rapes etc, have taken place in Kurnool District alone. Dalit Samakhya took the position to raise the issues with the civil society, police and state. Dalit Samakhya have organized mass rallies, dharnas and protests to sensitize the civil society and state.

Dalit Samakhyas have approached legal course to fight injustice and atrocities. As a result of these efforts, 304 dominant perpetrators were arrested and punished under law.

During 2004, Dalit Samakhya has taken position to address issues of Dalit human rights violation and atrocities committed against delits.101 Dalit human rights violations such as atrocities, attacks and rapes etc, have taken place in Kurnool District alone. Dalit Samakhya took the position to raise the issues with the civil society, police and state. Dalit Samakhya has organized mass rallies, dharnas and protests to sensitize the civil society and state. Dalit Samakhya has approached the legal course to fight injustice and atrocities. As a result of these efforts, 157 people were arrested and punished under law.

The details of the human rights violations taken up by the Dalit Samakhya are below:

Orientation to Dalits elected representatives
In 347 villages, Dalit Samakhya identified 153 Dalit elected representatives. In the initial meetings, the sarpanches and ward members expressed that they need to know about their roles and functions. Based on the need expressed, Dalit Samakhya organized orientation programmes.

To sensitize the elected body members, Dalit Samakya organized five-day orientation programme on the roles and functions of Dalit Sarpanches and Ward members. The resource persons from government and Dalit Samakhya leaders sensitized elected members on their roles and functions. The orientation was organized in phased manner.

The impact is seen in terms of improved performance of the sarpanches in their roles and functions. They have taken up the responsibilities to ensure regular attendance of the teachers in the schools, the funds allocated for the development of the villages ensured that the funds are being spent properly.

Dalit children are encouraged to go to school regularly. Notable change is that Dalit panchayat members demanded to implement the programmes under special component plan. Government allocated 15% of the fund on total fund allocation for the development of dalits. In reality, on an average 4% fund was utilized as per survey by Dalit Samakhya. In four Panchayat, Kouthalam, Soganur, Upparahal, Thimmapuram, Dalits demanded to implement the programmes under special component plans, as a results, they have taken up works related to infrastructure building like roads, bus shelters and drainages etc.

Elected body members were assertive of their rights and duties and they are now respected as an elected body members. The self-confidence of the elected members also enhanced and they are attending meetings without fail and raising their concerns. The members also organized gramsabhas in their villages and shared the development that has taken place in their villages with the communities.

Legal support
Dalit Samakhya provided legal support to Dalit victims and also mobilized resources from the state. During 2003, legal support was provided in 23 cases. In 5 major atrocities, Dalit Samakhya mobilized compensation from the state government.

Orientation and sensitization workshops on gender equity
To bring about change in the condition and position of women in all aspects of their life, Dalit Samakhya felt that there is need for concerted efforts to work on gender issues. During the meetings of Dalit Samakhya at the village and mandal level, women and men roles were analysed and reflected, the themes such as gender roles, patriarchy , domestic violence ,women in trafficking were discussed and members were sensitized on the negative aspects of these conditions and also efforts to make improvements in these areas.

The impact is seen in terms of changing attitudes among men and women. Domestic violence issues were dealt by Dalit Samakhya members and resolved at community level. The increased self-confidence and self-respect among women leaders of Dalit Samakhya is quite evident. There has been increasing participation of Dalit women in Dalit Samakhya activities. Dalit Samakhya women members took up issue of rape in Yeskulure village of Gosupadu. Dalit women are approaching concerned government officers with the problems with out any hesitation and fear. They are spearheading the rallies and protests during the atrocities and caste based violence. For instance, Peapili issue was lead by Dalit Samakhya women leaders.

Women Rights Forum.
Dalit Samakhya believes that Dalit women face and carry a heavy burden because of their caste, class and gender. Dalit women face and experience abuse and violence at every movement, her contribution to the family and community always go unnoticed. They are projected with an image of low status and inferior in a male dominated society.

To sensitize on the problems Dalit women face and experience in the family and community, Dalit Samakhya facilitated a series of meetings at mandal level and a women’s convention was organised on 8th and 9th December 2003. Around 500 women leaders participated in the convention and discussed wide range of problems and concerns they face and experience. The main problems they discussed are gender discrimination, abuse, child trafficking and domestic violence, property rights, Dalit women’s education etc. The convention provided them a forum to share and exchange their learning’s and problems. Resource persons with field and academic backgrounds shared the women status in today’s changing world, the on going struggles to secure women rights and the issues of violence and trafficking etc .

Dalit Women’s Federation
The Dalit Samakhya felt the need for a forum where Dalit women would be able to address their problems, violations against them and discuss matters relating to them. As part of this, a series of discussions were held and a convention was also organized, where the need for a separate forum for Dalit women was felt necessary. Following the decision at the Convention, Dalit Mahila (Women’s) Samakhya (Federation) was established in 2004.

Today 78635 Dalit women are members of the Samakhya and are actively taking part in various activities of federation. Be it in understanding and assertion of women’s rights, combating any kind of violation or violence, mental and physical, of women, fighting domestic violence, discrimination at work place or in payment of minimum wages, girl child labor, girls being dropped out of school to work at either home or outside.

Earlier, when a case involving women came up before Dalit Samakhya, victims or their family members had to speak to the Samakhya members in general. There was no woman who would exclusively address Dalit women’s grievances. Also, local women’s groups were in place but were manipulated by the upper-caste women members of the groups. As a result, the other women, who took advantage of the Dalit women’s ignorance, exclusively brazenly appropriated the entitlements of Dalit women. Today, thanks to the organization’s information dissemination through trainings and workshops, they are completely aware of their benefits and claim them rightfully.

Fighting for land rights
DALIT SAMAKHYA has been fighting for land rights of Dalits and marginalized communities, as land is a major source of employment for the Dalit communities in rural area. To date, Dalits are dependent on land as a source of income inasmuch as they get to work on it as agricultural labor. They hardly ever own the land they work on. Almost all the private land in the State and even in other parts of the country is under the ownership of upper castes. As such the continued employment of Dalits is always in the danger of stopping abruptly, even on an imagined wrong. Otherwise, Dalits are considered either as slaves or are forced into bonded-labor and exploited indiscriminately, they are paid minimally and are made to work for more than 14 to 16 hours per day. Bonded labor means that at least three to four generations of Dalits have to slog their bodies to death in return for meager amounts of loans taken from the local rich, upper caste landlords.

In this context Dalit Samakhya felt that the best way to bring Dalits out of either forced, bonded labor is to make them avail the schemes and facilities through the government agencies and make them procure land for themselves. Dalits have been able to put in requisitions and in 2004.

Dalit Samakhya had initially gotten a land survey done, of where government land was, which land was under private ownership, which were barren, or uncultivated. Information was also gathered about the lands, which were originally meant for Dalits and land certificates distributed under Dalit names but were grabbed by upper castes as it was good cultivable land.

Because of the struggle and efforts by Dalit Samakhya, 750 families were distributed 1060 acres of land. Today, women of these families work in their own lands along with their husbands. They also have time now to concentrate on education of their children. Now that Dalits have land to work on their own and they do not have to either themselves work as bonded labor or send their children in their place, children are free to go to school and get proper education. After land acquisition, nearly 40 children have been re-enrolled into school and this is out of 94 school dropouts, from 164 families earlier forced into bonded child labor. At societal level also, ownership of land by Dalits is not only a permanent source of livelihood but is a visible symbol of social status and their empowerment, giving them equal status in society. Though Dalit Samakhya had initiated the process of identification of land, community took up fight to acquire land for them, once they were convinced that owning land was their right and they were entitled to it.

Campaign against Child Labour
Dalit Samakhya has taken strong stand to campaign against Child Labour. Rich prevalence of minerals, mines and favorable climate for cultivation of cottonseed in the district has given rise for high prevalence of child labour. In operational area of Dalit Samakhya, there are 2,722 child laborers. So far, Dalit Samakhya has successfully joined 1,199 children in residential schools and bridge schools meant for child laborers. Dalit Samakhya played a significant role in major incidents like death of child laborers happened.