Caste-based discrimination in Nepal - International Dalit Solidarity ...

Caste-based Discrimination in Nepal
Krishna B. Bhattachan, Tej B. Sunar and Yasso Kanti Bhattachan(Gauchan)
Table 1: Population of Caste/Ethnicity by Sex
S.N. Caste/Ethnicity Male Female Total %
A Population of Nepal 11,359,378 11,377,556 22,736,934 100.0
a Dominant Hill Caste 3,464,273 3,558,947 7,023,220 30.89
b Indigenous Nationalities 4,090,839 4,181,136 8,271,975 36.31
c Madhesi "High caste" 1,475,884 1,326,303 2,802,187 12.30
d Muslim 504,325 471,624 975,949 4.29
e Other 134,767 130,954 265,721 1.16
f Unidentified caste/ethnic 116,569 115,072 231,641 1.02
g Dalit 1,356,634 1,393,493 2,751,975 14.99
Hill Dalit
1 Kami 432,937 463,017 895,954 3.94
1.1 Sonar 72,331 72,757 145,088 0.64
1.2 Lohar 42,270 40,367 82,637 0.36
2 Damai/Dholi 188,329 201,976 390,305 1.72
3 Sarki 153,681 165,308 318,989 1.40
4 Gaine 2,857 3,030 5,887 0.03
5 Badi 2,152 2,290 4,442 0.02
Sub-Total 894,557 948745 1,843,302 7.11
Madhesi Dalit
6 Chamar/ Harijan/ Ram 138,878 130,783 269,661 1.19
7 Musahar 88,041 84,393 172,434 0.76
8 Dusadh/Paswan/Pasi* 82,173 76,352 158,525 0.70
9 Tatma 39,606 36,906 76,512 0.34
10 Khatbe 38,643 36,329 74,972 0.33
11 Dhobi 38,350 35,063 73,413 0.32
12 Bantar 18,139 17,700 35,839 0.16
13 Chidimar 6,516 5,780 12,296 0.05
14 Dom 4,631 4,300 8,931 0.04
15 Mestor/Halkhor 1,848 1,773 3,621 0.02
16 Kuswadiya/Patharkatta??? 286 266 552 0.00
17 Kakahiya N/A N/A N/A N/A
18 Kalar? N/A N/A N/A N/A
19 Khatik N/A N/A N/A N/A
20 Kori N/A N/A N/A N/A
21 Pasi* N/A N/A N/A N/A
22 Sarvanga/Sarbariya? N/A N/A N/A N/A
Sub-Total 377,014 356,410 735,272 3.24
Unidentified Dalit 85,063 88,338 173,401 0.76
Source: Census of 2001, Table 16: Population by caste/ethnic group and sex (HMG-N 2002:72-3).
Note: The Census data does not provide separate population data of Pasi, instead it mix up
with Dusadh and Paswan but the National Dalit Commission has identified it as a separate
Dalit caste.
’”’”’” Kuswadia is listed as one of 59 indiegnious nationalities of Nepal by the Nepal
Government.
o Kalar, Sarvanga and Sarbariya is the same Dalit caste.
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