Understanding Caste in Law

Equality Labs has been a critical leader in the global push to establish legal protections for caste-oppressed communities.

Caste-based Discrimination

Though the caste system has been outlawed in India, its sharp aftershocks are still felt amongst the South Asian diaspora. Many caste-oppressed groups in the U.S. still face violence, mistreatment, and exclusion. Caste-based discrimination continues to pervade workplaces, educational institutions, interpersonal relationships and more. That’s why we’ve worked with legal teams, universities, and companies nationwide to implement protections into existing civil rights law—because the time for Dalit liberation is now!

The hierarchical system of caste is inherently exclusive—preventing many from attaining the same rights, access, and treatment as others. As someone who faced retaliation for blowing the whistle on caste discrimination in the workplace and seen the way caste bias permeates the tech industry, I can confirm that caste is something we absolutely need to consider from a workers’ rights standpoint. Caste discrimination exists and persists throughout the American workforce. Our work to end caste will not stop until caste inequality is a thing of the past. Civil rights movements are marked by perseverance and the pursuit of caste equity is no different.

Tanuja Jain Gupta

Google whistleblower & founder of Caste Equity Legal Task Force

Caste as a Protected Category

Because of our and others’ caste equity advocacy, institutions and cities across the world have added caste as a protected category to their non-discrimination policies. This bold move offers justice, hope, and healing for future generations.

Consult with our legal support team on how to get caste added as a protected category in your non-discrimination policy.