1 July will see the Leicester Square premiere of Michael Lawson’s film, ‘India’s Forgotten Women’.

This 45 minute film documents the lives of India’s Dalit women, highlighting the harsh realities of life as the lowest of the low within modern day India. The detailed exposition raises the issue of caste, its link with poverty and the resultant impact on Dalit women. Filmed in towns and villages in and around Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, presenter Anjali Guptara exposes the world of temple prostitution, bonded labour, rape, human trafficking, domestic violence and dowry crime that plagues the 250 million-strong Dalit community.

Lawson’s film gives voice to the stories of Dalit women and shares the insights and intelligence of experts working with these women every day. Through its narrative, the film paints a sad picture of the hopeless future that most Dalit girls and women face as a result of caste and gender discrimination.

DFN UK is pleased that Lawson’s film draws attention to the reality of human trafficking in India. Whilst only touching on a few of the many different ways that Dalit girls and women are trafficked, ‘India’s Forgotten Women’, communicates a loud, visible message that India carries a very real problem which until now has remained relatively unknown by the rest of the world.

DFN UK’s goal is to help bring an end to the trafficking of Dalit people by: firstly, raising awareness about the problem of Dalit trafficking through its UK focused education and advocacy programme and; secondly, implementing an India based strategy which includes a legal intervention framework and on the ground anti-trafficking activities implemented by India-based partners. DFN UK hopes that Lawson’s film will be a catalyst for raising awareness in the UK and urges those who see it to get involved in this very pressing cause.

‘India’s Forgotten Women’ will premiere at the Vue, Leicester Square at 6.30pm on 1 July 2010. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session chaired by Sky News' Dharshini David and includes Michael Lawson and Lady Kishwar Desai as panellists. Tickets for the event are available at www.pipevillagetrust.org/tickets and cost £10.

Copies of the film are also available on DVD from Dalit Freedom Network – order by email from This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or send a cheque for £8.50 to Dalit Freedom Network, 39 Honor Oak Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 3SH.

For more information about the film or the UK film-making human rights charity, Pipe Village Trust, who produced this film, visit pipevillagetrust.org/ifw