User:Ashif Shaikh/Sandbox

Ashif Shaikh (born 18 October 1982) is an Indian Social Activist. He is known for his role in the campaign (Rashatriya Garima Abhiyan) for eradication of the inhuman practice of manual scavenging and empowerment of Dalit specially Dalit-Muslim and women through various campaigns of Jan Sahas.

Personal life
Born in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, Ashif completed his post graduation in Political Science from Vikram University, Ujjain. He faces various types of discrimination and exclusion on the basis of caste and religion in his early life.

Developed a Student Union
Along with friends, in 1999, he formed a student Union- Sahasi Ekta Group- in order to increase participation of students in social development and solving their problems. This is the membership based union. This group tried not only to solve problems of students but also helped hundreds of out of school children to get mainstreamed into formal education and empowering the students from Dalit.

Fellowships
Got a fellowship of Youth for Voluntary Action (YUVA), a Mumbai based organization to develop a cadre based organization of Dalit. During the fellowship period he imparted training to Dalit youth on human rights issues particularly focusing on Dalit rights. These youth in turn has formed small Mandals, Youth Groups, organizations and they are still working on human/dalit rights and social developmental issues.

Under the fellowship of Center for Education and Documentation, Mumbai he completed documentation of struggle undertaken by dalit community in Malwa region and movement of Kabir Bhajan mandalies.

Efforts towards eradication of child labour
On 13th December 1999, a child labour along with 2 adult labors died in a firecrackers factory based at Ujjain. 19 workers were working in the factory out of which 7 were child laborers. This issue was raised in order to get justifiable compensation to the dependents of workers. In order to prevent exploitative practice of child labour, a demand was made to government to implement a scheme under National Child Labour Eradication Program. Government took cognizance of this incidence and launched NCLP in Ujjain district.

After this incidence, efforts were undertaken to identify child labours working in various establishments. Around 1400 working children were identified and successfully released from exploitative and hazardous work places and 5400 out of school children were mainstreamed in to formal education.

Formation of Jan Sahas
In order to empower Dalit and other social excluded communities and for promotion and protection of Human Rights, along with activist friends, formed Jan Sahas - a human right organization in year 2000. Over the years, Jan Sahas has emerged as one of the leading organization advocating for Human Rights.

Struggle towards abolition of discriminatory practices of untouchability
Dalit community has been facing caste based discrimination in public as well as private places in spite of 60 years of Independence. A campaign was launched in 40 districts of India to abolish these inhuman practices.

Formation of Rastriya Garima Abhiyan (National Campaign for Dignity and Eradication of Manual Scavenging)
A campaign was launched for abolishing a practice of manual scavenging in 80 districts of India and more than 11,000 women were liberated from this inhuman practice. He was the part of PIL, filed in Supreme Court for abolition and rehabilitation of all manual scavengers across India.

Raising the issue of ‘Muslim-Dalit’ and organizing the ‘Muslim-Dalit’ community
Fist time Ashif raised the issue of ‘Muslim-Dalit’ in Madhya Pradesh, ‘Muslim-Dalit’ community facing the deferent type of discrimination, untouchability and social exclusion in lager society and within Muslim community. I am also belongs from ‘Muslim-Dalit’ community. In 2005 he raised this issue and many individuals and Muslim organization apposed his voice. But after the long time struggle this issue is established within ‘Muslim. Now they are organizing for dignity, inequality and rights.

Participation in various human rights campaigns
He is participated in various campaigns for fighting against violation of Human Rights at state, national and international level.

Writing of books and articles
He has written many articles in the mainstream media and alternative media and 4 books on Human Rights and Dalit issues.

Awards

 * 1) Sadbhavana Award 2005 – Youth Welfare Association
 * 2) On behalf of Jan Sahas received the M.A. Thomas National Human Right Award 2012

Member in different committees

 * 1) Member in the Task Force for survey of manual scavengers (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India)
 * 2) Member in the committee on amendment to Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993. (Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India)
 * 3) Member in the Committee for recommending modalities for conducting a Survey of Manual Scavengers and their dependents, in the light of Census, 2011 and Socio-Economic and Caste Census, current underway (Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation Government of India)
 * 4) Member in District Child Welfare Committee Government of Madhya Pradesh )

Member in different committees of the civil society organizations

 * 1) Genral Body Member in National Center for Advocacy Studies (NCAS), Pune, Maharashtra
 * 2) Member of FIAN international as a state representative
 * 3) Member in National Advisory Board of Maila Mukti Gatbandhan (Network)
 * 4) Governing board Member in Spandan samaj sevi sanstha, khandwa, Madhya Pradesh
 * 5) Governing board Member Community Communication Network (CCN)