India-born activist calls on UN to end caste discrimination by 2030

United Nations: A prominent India-born rights activist and founder of a US-based NGO, has urged the UN leadership to work towards ending caste discrimination by 2030.

Deelip Mhaske, President of the Foundation for Human Horizon and an IIT and Harvard Business School alumnus, underscored the need to follow Dalit icon Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar's principles to achieve a world free of caste and race based prejudices.

"The duty of the (world) leaders ...is to the serve citizens of the United Nations and work together to move from fear of each other, to trust in each other -- trust in the values that bind us and trust in Ambedkar's prinicples (to) serve and protect humanity," Mhaske said in a statement.

He called on the UN leadership to take action to end "caste discrimination completely by 2030", saying that if technological advancement achieved in the world and the United Nations come together to work towards human values, "we will see a world without discrimination among human beings based on race, religon, gender, class and caste."

Mhaske's NGO, which has ECOSOC Consultative Status within the UN, had co-organised a special commemorative event along with India's Permanent Mission to the UN and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) at the world body's headquarters on April 13 to mark Ambedkar's 126th birth anniversary.

During his address at the commemorative event, Mhaske had said that technological advances in the world will become inclusive only when citizens from all backgrounds are allowed to share in its opportunities.

"The United Nations exists for, and must serve, the needs and hopes of people everywhere. It comes down to Ambedkar's values, he fought for each of us, and those values are enshrined in the UN Charter as well -- peace, justice, respect, human rights, tolerance and solidarity," he had said.