Since the late 1970s until mid-2018, I was active as a staff member and director of the India Committee of the Netherlands (now Arisa). Our mission has always been to raise awareness among governments and companies worldwide to human rights violations in India – sometimes also involving Dutch companies. Among others through the Stop Child Labour campaign and the MVO (CSR) Platform, we called on companies to take responsibility for their social and environmental impact and urged our government and the EU to pass legislation on corporate responsibility.
Since my retirement, I am still involved in what is happening in India and in the fight against violations of human rights, inequality and poverty there. For instance, I am an ambassador for the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) and work towards generating publicity on the disturbing decline of the Indian rule of law, the silencing of critical voices, the lack of freedom of organization and the marginalisation and sometimes often demonisation of Muslims, Christians, religious minorities, Dalits (‘casteless’) and Adivasi (indigenous peoples).
