| dc.description.abstract | In India, particularly in states with a long feudal history like Rajasthan, Dalit women face persistent discrimination based on the intersections of gender, caste, community, and class. Of the different disadvantaged groups in India, Dalits or the ‘untouchables’ stand out as the most deprived, according to widely available data about comparative living standards. They are a historically marginalized community that has faced centuries of social, economic, and political exclusion. Not only do they usually fare the worst according to almost all indices of economic well-being, but Dalits also have to bear the humiliating social degradation of untouchability challenging the constitutional provisions of fundamental rights. Things become worse when water, a necessity of life, becomes inaccessible via the commons , and is offered only through commercialized channels.
The expansion of water pipelines with the enormous infrastructure and productive power that has taken place over the last three-four decades in India has made it possible to guarantee water and food for all. In this context, not having water and food must be seen as a morally outrageous outcome. Yet one section of the population desperately searches for water and food to eat, while another part enjoys the swimming pools in the desert and spends millions of rupees on wedding feasts. This qualitative study delves into the dichotomous heart of Jaisalmer, a region grappling with the enclosure of the commons and the subsequent deprivation of water, unraveling the profound impact on the lives of Dalit women and pastoral communities.
Although Dalits make up 17.83 percent of the State's population, they bear a disproportionate share of socio-economic burdens. It seems to me that UN SDG 6, which aims to provide safe and affordable drinking water, is likely to go unmet because of the State’s failure to ensure equitable water access and its complicity in the privatization of common resources. The research embarks on a critical ethnographic journey, weaving together the narratives of 50 Dalit women through 4 focus group discussions and 11 in-depth semi-structured individual interviews with key informants. The objective is to shed light on the interconnectedness of water grabbing, thirst economy, state abandonment, food insecurity and the daily struggles of Dalit women being denied access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.
Based on findings exhumed through detailed field observations and from critical perspective, I argue that material disadvantages and deprivation of dignity in Dalits' lives are compounded when they are unable to safeguard their indigenous ecological practices. It should be a great concern not just for Dalits but for all desert dwellers and even society at large. Water insecurity, the erosion of traditional water management practices that have sustained Dalit communities for generations and the heavy burden of water collection that falls on Dalit women has devastating health consequences. My findings bring to the forefront the urgent need for policies that prioritize water rights and challenge the commodification of this limited resource.
During my fieldwork in Jaisalmer, the causal relationship between the problems related to water and food which Dalits face and a lack of public action was conspicuous. I also realized that too much research is happening in silos. Studies on Dalit health narrowly focus on crises within state healthcare systems, while analyses of the state's political economy highlight wealth inequalities, often overlooking critical interconnections. My study aims to transcend these disciplinary silos by elucidating how pessimistic societal and State attitudes towards Dalits perpetuate interconnected deprivations. I attempt to bridge gaps stemming from lack of holistic perspectives on the complex marginalization landscape within this region. In doing so, I try to illuminate the multidimensional challenges confronting Dalit communities, exploring intersections between health issues, food insecurity, poverty, and forced migration.
The findings of this study demonstrate the importance of centering the voices and experiences of those who have been systematically silenced. By bringing Dalit women's stories to the forefront, it contributes to a more nuanced understanding of dehumanization, politics of scarcity and the intersections between caste, gender, and water injustice. For me the implications of my research extend beyond the boundaries of academia, speaking to policymakers, development practitioners, and social movements striving for water justice. I propose for paradigm shift in water governance, one that recognizes the fundamental right to water and the agency of Dalit women in shaping sustainable and equitable water futures in India. | |
