In its report 'Equality at Work: Tackling the challenges', it says caste discrimination keeps a vast segment of the population out of many workplaces. It adds that affirmative action like quotas have not helped the depressed classes be on par with the rest.

Dalits are generally not accepted for any work involving contact with water or food for non-Dalits or entering a non-Dalit residence, the report says.

Thus, they are excluded from a wide range of work opportunities in production, processing or sale of food items, domestic work and provision of certain services in private and public sectors.

The discrimination is not confined to the work place, as the report observes that limited access to education, training and resources such as land and credit further impair their opportunities for access to non caste-based occupations and work.

"The deprivation stemming from discrimination in all areas of their life leads to higher levels of poverty among Dalits compared with non-Dalits," the report says.

Commenting on religion-based discrimination, the report says Dalits in India suffer even more extreme marginalisation and socio-economic discrimination if they are either Muslim or Christian.

The report also highlights that though policies and laws are in place, enforcement and implementation are often "lacking or unsatisfactory".

While admitting that affirmative action has assisted a small number of Dalits in obtaining formal jobs, the International Labour Organisation says the programme has failed to lead to more even progress in providing equal opportunities to all.

"Purely developmental approaches to improving the lot of the Dalits are insufficient, if the underlying structural causes and caste barriers are not simultaneously addressed," the report cautions.

Apart from the traditional gender discrimination and that against migrant workers, the report throws light on "newly emerging" forms of discrimination like unfair treatment of both young and older persons, people with disabilities, those living with HIV/AIDS and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

"An additional challenge is the emergence of practices that penalise those with a genetic predisposition to developing certain diseases or those who have lifestyles considered unhealthy," the report says.