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India Committee of the Netherlands changes her name!

By 1 February 2019No Comments2 min read

Utrecht, 1 February 2019

After 43 years, the India Committee of the Netherlands continues as Arisa. With a new name, new office and a new website, we remain committed to the defence of human rights in South Asia. A fresh start in 2019!

Why changing our name?

The focus of Arisa is shifting from India to South Asia. The political-economic relations of India with countries in the region have become more important. In addition, our issues are not limited to India but also very relevant to other South Asian countries. Discrimination against Dalits occurs throughout South Asia and labour rights violations in the garment and textile industry are a regional problem.

A new name, new office and a new website will provide a fresh start from today. Improved digital traffic and a better online presence makes it easier to share and tackle abuses in the region.

Curious why we chose Arisa? Read it below.

Under the watchful eye of…

We support and strengthen the defence of human rights in South Asia from the Netherlands. We do this for the marginalised people we meet in the field. For us, the person who represents them is Harisah, who works under deplorable working conditions. Every day we dedicate ourselves to people like her.

She gives us a name.

Arisa comes from Harisah, a Hindi and Muslim name. The name means ‘guardian’ or ‘protector’. With her in mind, under her watchful eye, we work together with our partners for the protection of human rights in the region.

Continue reading about Arisa →