Untitled - Care Nepal

Risk factors
Social issues: gender and caste
discrimination
Gender and caste discrimination were
commonly reported. Dalit women reported
that they were not treated equally as other
caste’s women. In their perception, rich and
so called upper caste people took each and
every opportunity provided in the
community by government and
organizations. Due to gender
discrimination, sons were regarded as more
important than daughters in most matters.
Girls are restricted from getting education,
by the belief that ultimately they have to go
to their husbands’ house and do household
work rather than earning. Majority of
research participants expressed that
studying is not necessary for daughters. It
was widely reported by parents that women
and girls should stay at home (chori manche
gharmaii basnu parcha) and should do
household work.
Due to social restrictions and traditional
practices most of the women felt sad being
daughters and they wanted to give birth to a
son. In many communities, husbands are
treated as gods by their spouses.
Furthermore, almost all the key informant
interviews KII respondents mentioned that
economic factors are the major source of all
their problems. It was shared that women
had to work as laborers to help their families
survive, meet their basic needs. Without
doing so, it was difficult to feed and take
care of their children and elderly family
members properly.
Protective factors
Coping and resources
A number of different coping strategies were
identified. The coping mechanisms are
divided into three categories: 1) individual
coping (i.e. self-initiated strategies to solve
a problem/situation, 2) family support (i.e.
support or cooperation to solve a problem
by family members), and 3) community
support (i.e. support and cooperation from
neighbors, elders and other community
members to solve a problem/situation).
It was revealed that most of the women first
relied on their family members while
experiencing problems. The family
environment was found to be both a source
of support as well as a source of increased
distress. Some of them said they shared the
problems with their family members
especially with sons and daughters. Many
also shared with close friends. A few of the
respondents reported the use of alcohol to
relieve their problems. Socially, women
were supported by some organizations and
emotionally by their close friends.
Economically, women who had suffered
from their in-laws and husband found
support from their parental relatives (maiti).
Furthermore, women were supported by
their own children. Children helped their
mothers to do household work and spent
more time than before with them. On the
other hand some of the women were beaten
by their husbands, and were suspected of
having relationships with other men, this
blame towards the women increased their
psychosocial problems.
Psychosocial Issues of
Women affected by conflict
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