South Asia is the most populous region of the world. Around two billion people, a quarter of humanity dwells there, yet it is home to 40 percent of the world’s poverty. The region has been ravaged by hunger, malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, lack of sanitation and healthcare. All this is made worse by the relentless ‘natural disasters’ exacerbated by climate change and lack of infrastructure and readiness. On the other hand, wars, religious fundamentalism, bigotry and crushing debts have been long imposed on the unfortunate souls of these lands. Democratic and human rights and freedom of speech are under constant attack across the region. Women, ethnic, national and religious minorities have to suffer manifold. From bigoted pogroms to targeted assassinations, national and cultural coercion, the list goes on. Along with the modern injustices, the archaic prejudices relegate millions to almost sub human social conditions. Gender based and sexual violence against women and other individuals is rife. In many parts of the region, they are denied basic rights of health, education and human dignity. The roles of the States and Governments range from active encouragement and tacit support to convenient indifference.
Tyrannized by the conditions, many are forced with a choice of migration. On these long and arduous journeys, many lives are lost in the waterless deserts and onboard overcrowded dinghies on high seas.
Those fortunate enough to make it to the advanced industrialized countries, have to navigate the labyrinths of legal bureaucratic procedures along with the challenges of alienation, isolation, discrimination, assimilation and economic survival. For many these appear to be individual struggles. But our fates are inexorably linked together and call for a collective approach.
The people of South Asia have been waging continuous struggles for their rights and betterments of their lives. From women’s fight for liberation to farmers’ protests, from students and youth’s struggles for education and employment to the Trade Unions and mass movements against inflation. Similarly, the South Asian diaspora have been playing a significant role in the progressive movements in their new home countries.
South Asia Solidarity Network (SASN) strives to build solidarity among these different yet connected struggles and causes in South Asia and beyond and use our relatively privileged circumstances in the western world to spread the message and gain support for these movements. Similarly, the trade unions, women’s rights, civil rights and other progressive movements in the west are the natural allies of their sisters and brothers in struggle in South Asia. South Asia Solidarity Network (SASN) aspires to build a platform where all these movements and struggles will collaborate, share experiences, learn from and support each other in our common struggle for a better South Asia and a better world.
You may also like
