Untouchability Case Study

STATUS OF VULNERABLE GROUPS IN INDIA: a socio-legal study.

INTRODUCTION:-

“No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.” -Adam Smith.

A great majority of people in the developing nations are under the line of poverty. In India approximately 26% of the population lives below the poverty line. The basic needs of life such as health, education, housing, food, security, employment, justice and equity are not provided to them. People who belong to the vulnerable groups are unable to acquire and use their rights. Human Rights have

Dalit women suffer the burden of caste, class and gender, and continue to routinely suffer sexual abuse and rape. In rural areas majority of them are poor & have no assets. They meet their livelihood by doing meager jobs like scavenging, flaying, tanning etc. Further, the main issue that the people in this group face is economic exploitation on account of illiteracy , landlessness and poverty.

2.SCHEDULED TRIBES- They are socially, economically & fundamentally isolated. They are very poor, illiterate & have no assets. The Scheduled Tribes are landless and usually face discrimination. The tribals lack all basic necessities required to live a life in a sufficiently decent life. Right from malnutrition, disease, lack of proper food ,excess intake of liquor, lack of schooling, the tribals face a larger set of

CHILDREN- Education which is believed to be the basic right of every child in the world, has been denied in most parts of India. Poverty and Malnutrition is another problem which makes children vulnerable. Nearly nine million children die every year from preventable diseases and infections the largest killer being Diarrhoeal disease. Violence, child abuse and child labour is another problem faced by children. India is sadly the home to the largest number of child labourers in the world. The census found an increase in the number of child labourers from 11.28 million in 1991 to 12.59 million in 2001.

5. DISABLED- The basic facilities like health, education and employment are denied to them. Access to public transport, toilets, hospitals, government offices, public spaces like parks, educational institutions, places of worship are still in accessible to people. Persons with disability suffer from both social and material disability. The society, which is caught up with uniformity, cannot see people with differences with the same eye.

6. AGED- Older people face challenges including: lack of access to regular income, work and health care; declining physical and mental capacities; and dependency within the household. They also usually have greater need for healthcare services and for domestic