Overview

The Society of Depressed People for Social Justice (SDPSJ) is a rights‑based civil society organisation founded in 1989 to advance the human rights and dignity of India’s most marginalised communities. Established in response to entrenched discrimination, inequality and social exclusion, SDPSJ works primarily with Dalit, Adivasi and other deprived communities, with a strong focus on women, children, informal workers, persons with disabilities.

For over three decades, SDPSJ has combined community‑level organising with legal action and policy advocacy, acting as a bridge between rights‑holders at the grassroots and duty‑bearers in state institutions. The organisation’s interventions are grounded in India’s Constitution and international human rights standards, while also delivering tangible, programmatic outcomes in livelihoods, social protection, education, health and access to justice.

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Vision

A just, inclusive and discrimination‑free society where Dalits and other marginalised communities – including Adivasis, women, children, informal workers, persons with disabilities– live with dignity, equal rights and secure livelihoods, free from caste‑based violence, exclusion and poverty.

Mission

SDPSJ works to advance the human rights and dignity of Dalits and other deprived and marginalised communities by combining grassroots organising, legal empowerment and policy advocacy. We support communities to claim their rights to justice, equality, livelihood and social protection through rights‑based education, strategic legal action, community mobilisation, evidence‑based advocacy and strong alliances with people’s collectives and institutions.

Our Strategy

SDPSJ adopts a holistic, multi‑level strategy that integrates rights‑based and development‑programmatic approaches.

At the community level, we build awareness of rights, entitlements and legal protections; strengthen community‑based organisations and collectives; and support individual and collective grievance redressal.
At the systems level, we engage with state institutions, human rights bodies, commissions, law‑enforcement agencies and service providers to improve access, responsiveness and accountability.
At the policy level, we document trends and evidence from the ground to inform advocacy for more inclusive legislation, policies and budgets.

Our core strategic pillars include: community empowerment and awareness; access to justice and legal advocacy; policy engagement and reform; grassroots mobilisation and collective action; building partnerships and networks; and research, documentation and communication.

Intro line: SDPSJ is guided by a diverse team of community leaders, social activists, legal experts and development professionals committed to social justice.

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