{{Short description|Indian political scientist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Ashwini K. P. | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1986}} | birth_place = Chikkaballapur | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | other_names = | known_for = United Nations special rapporteur | education = | employer = | occupation = lecturer | term = six years | predecessor = | successor = | party = | boards = | religion = | spouse = }} '''Ashwini K P''' (born 1986) is an Indian political scientist and university lecturer who became the United Nations special rapporteur on racism in 2022.
==Life== Ashwini was born in Chikkaballapur near the city of Kolar. She is from the low marginalised Hindu caste known as the dalits and her parents were V Prasannakumar and Jayamma.<ref name=decc>{{Cite web |last=DHNS |title=Kolar woman appointed UNHRC special rapporteur |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/kolar-woman-appointed-unhrc-special-rapporteur-1154800.html |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>
Her higher education started studying history, Economics and Political Science at Bangalore's Mount Carmel College. She graduated and went on to obtain a master's degree from St. Joseph's College in Political Science. She then took her doctorate in New Delhi in South Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ms. Ashwini K.P.: Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-racism/ms-ashwini-kp#:~:text=Ashwini%20K.P.%20is%20the%20sixth,Rapporteur%20on%201%20November%202022. |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=OHCHR}}</ref>
She was one of three candidates who were considered for the role of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur at a meeting in October 2022 in Geneva. The Human Rights Council decided to appoint her as the first Indian to the role - which lasts for six years from 1 November. She is in charge of any investigations she may make into a wide range of xenophobic discrimination. She has a mandate to look into racial intolerance wherever she decides in the world.<ref name=decc/> These Special Rapporteur experts are appointed by the United Nations and they are unpaid. In 2023 there were 60 of these experts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About special procedures |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures-human-rights-council |access-date=10 June 2024 |website=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights}}</ref>
As part of a two-week tour of the United States she met a number of leaders and marginalised groups.<ref name=fortnight>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-14 |title=US suffering 'selective amnesia' on issues of racism and xenophobia: Human rights expert {{!}} {{!}} UN News |url=https://news.un.org/en/audio/2023/11/1143577 |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=news.un.org |language=en}}</ref> She attended the World Jewish Congress where she was presented with evidence of an increase in antisemitism.<ref name=wjc>{{Cite web |last=Congress |first=World Jewish |title=World Jewish Congress |url=https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/wjc-welcomes-un-special-rapporteur-to-new-york-headquarters-for-crucial-dialogue-addressing-antisemitism |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=World Jewish Congress |language=EN}}</ref> The WJC's lead has seen a rise in holocaust denial on social media. In one report it was said that 50% of holocaust posts on Telegram were denying or distorting the holocaust.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yfat Barak-Cheney - Brandeis Center |url=https://brandeiscenter.com/tag/yfat-barak-cheney/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=brandeiscenter.com}}</ref> Ashwini said that she would include this subject in her report in 2025.<ref name=wjc/> At the end of the American tour she accused some people of "selective amnesia" by not realising that racial discrimination was still a problem.<ref name=fortnight/>
==References== {{reflist}} {{United Nations Special Rapporteurs}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:P., Ashwini K.}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:People from Chikkaballapur Category:Indian lecturers Category:Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, alumni Category:United Nations Special Rapporteurs on racism Category:Dalit activists Category:Jawaharlal Nehru University alumni