Kathmandu, 18 June 2013-PDRC organized a meeting with stakeholders related to DEED (Dalit Employability Enhancement Database) with an aim of receiving feedback on the database.  Following the meeting with the stakeholders on last February which was concluded with a number of constructive feedback on how to make DEED an ideal and useful platform for all the stakeholders, prospective employees, and employers- yesterday’s meeting  turned out to be equally constructive as all the participants provided their valuable suggestions for the betterment of DEED;

DEED is a database developed by PDRC with generous support from Helvetas Nepal. DEED is expected to be an authentic source of information of all the Dalit educated youths who are spread all over the world. Providing easy and quick access to the educated Dalit youths to upload the information about their academic and other qualification and skills, all the educated Dalit youths and employers are expected to be benefitted from this.

Yesterday’s consultation on DEED meeting was to update the stakeholders about the so-far development of DEED  and to interact about how an alliance can be created and sustained so that DEED can be leveraged forward with minimum hassle. The two-hour-long program was conducted at The Thakali Bhanchhaghar, Durbarmarg. It was kicked off with a welcome note by PDRC’s Acting ED Rup Sunar. Pointing at the void of such a common platform, he explained the rationale behind the DEED and shed some light on its relevance in the present context.

In an opening remark, Kamala Hemchuri, president of PDRC claimed DEED to be instrumental in leading the currently fragmented Dalit Movement forward progressively. In order to enhance Dalit youth’s employment accessing skills and catering to the demand of the labor market, she believed that DEED will bring demand and supply party together in one forum. Sharing that such a database is prepared by Labor ministry in India, she demanded that the state should take the primary responsibility for it. Furthermore, she called for forming an alliance-namely DEED alliance- so as all the Dalit organizations can work hand in hand in pushing the revolution forward.

PDRC’s Human Resource Officer Mr. Riban Mangrati gave a detailed presentation on the development of DEED so far. He shared a glimpse of a brief history, background, procedures and latest updates on DEED. The presentation depicted different aspects of DEED and also help the stakeholders familiarize themselves with its technical aspect. His presentation triggered a rigorous interaction regarding opportunities, threats, strengths, and weaknesses of this database.

The stakeholder’s meeting was attended by participants from a dozen organizations working for Dalit welfare. The meeting raised the issue of the sustainability of DEED, working out for the reasons and rationale behind forming the DEED alliance and the importance of making DEED user-friendly and more inclusive. Stakeholders believed that the challenge of DEED would be to collect the proper information of the educated Dalit youths and to confront the crisis of resources. All the stakeholders appreciated this initiation and most of them also pledged that they will allow their logo to be placed at the bottom of the DEED website as a mark of their solidarity towards this important employment campaign for Dalit youth.

The consultation meeting was conducted by PDRC’s Acting ED Rup Sunar and was ended with the concluding remarks and gratitude by Kamala Hemchury, PDRC President, in which she reiterated her invitation for forming an alliance to work for the employability of Dalit youths so as to make them professionally and economically strong.