The term “Dalit” takes its meaning from the Sanskrit word for broken, and is used today to refer to people belonging to castes that have been subjected to untouchability. Most Dalits live in Hindu-majority parts of Nepal and India—both countries in which the caste system and caste-based discrimination are officially illegal.

The enduring oppression that Nepal’s caste system inflicts upon Dalit communities appears in a multitude of ways, barring Dalits from accessing education, healthcare, justice, land, and economic opportunity in modern day Nepal. The notion of “untouchability” is used as a premise to prohibit Dalits from certain spaces and activities, particularly those involving food or water. They are often prohibited from entering temples, houses, hotels, and restaurants, and in other public spaces may be forced to physically separate themselves from others.