Caste-based discrimination can constitute persecution where it reaches the threshold of seriousness, particularly where accompanied by physical violence, systematic economic exclusion, or forced practices that violate fundamental rights. Dalits in India and Nepal may constitute a particular social group (PSG) for asylum purposes.
Expert witnesses assess the severity of caste-based harm in the specific regional and community context, providing both country conditions analysis and assessment of the plausibility of claimed caste status and the risk it creates.
Caste persecution claims require evidence both of the general pattern of caste-based harm in the relevant country and of the individual's specific risk profile. Upper-caste violence, state protection failures, and economic and social exclusion are key themes in South Asian caste discrimination claims.
Dalit vulnerability (India and Nepal)
Caste-based persecution claims require expert analysis of the appellant's specific caste status, regional enforcement patterns, and the gap between constitutional protections and practical state protection. Dalit communities face systemic discrimination in both India and Nepal.
Related Case Types
Frequently Asked Questions
Can caste discrimination constitute persecution in asylum law?
Caste-based discrimination can constitute persecution where it reaches the threshold of seriousness, particularly where accompanied by physical violence, systematic economic exclusion, or forced practices that violate fundamental rights. Dalits in India and Nepal may constitute a particular social group (PSG) for asylum purposes. Expert witnesses assess the severity of caste-based harm in the specific regional and community context.
What level of proof is needed for a caste persecution claim?
Caste persecution claims require evidence both of the general pattern of caste-based harm in the relevant country and of the individual's specific risk profile. Expert witnesses provide country conditions analysis and, where relevant, assessment of the plausibility of claimed caste status and the risk it creates.