Power and Corruption

CASTE DISCRIMINATION Caste discrimination is one of the worst human rights abuses in the world today. It is little understood and rarely acknowledged and affects more than 260 million people worldwide. Through a hierarchical system, the assignment of basic rights among various castes is highly unequal, with those at the top enjoying most rights coupled with least duties and those at the bottom performing most duties coupled with no rights. The system is maintained through the rigid enforcement of social ostracism (a system of social and economic penalties). Discrimination involves massive violations of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. It is often outlawed in countries affected by it, but a lack of implementation of legislation and caste-bias within the justice systems largely leave victims without protection.   The exclusion of so-called ‘lower caste communities’ by other individuals and groups in society and the inherent structural inequality in these...