Caste-based discrimination in Nepal - International Dalit Solidarity ...

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Indian Institute of Dalit Studies Volume III, Number 08 Movement and the subsequent power of the security forces to detain, question, and intimidate rural villagers at will has led to even greater sexual abuse and exploitation. In the wake of State resistance to the Movement, armed forces are unrestrained in entering Dalit homes and victimizing Dalit women. According to a 2005 Amnesty International Report, there has been reportage of security forces raping girls during “search operations” in villagers’ homes. Girls belonging to marginalized communities are particularly vulnerable to attack by the “upper-caste” members of the security forces.” (CHRGJ 2005: 35-36). 8.4 Dalit Women Empowerment: Empowerment, Inclusion and Integration are the three most important efforts made by the Dalit Movement and Donor’s support for the movement. Women’s empowerment and mainstreaming gender has been the two most important efforts by Women’s Rights Movement. Of these ‘empowerment’ is one of the most important concepts, which has not been widespread and not understood as it is on its terms. Dalit women’s access to financial, natural and community resources are lowest compared to other “high caste” women and males. Women’s empowerment or gender mainstreaming programmes also give more access to “high caste” women and girls and outrightly exclude Dalit women and girls. Also, programmess for marginalized or disadvantaged or excluded or deprived or “backward” groups or communities also provide least opportunity to Dalits in accessing resources. Similarly, Dalit targeted programs including Dalit programmes also give better access to Dalit men and boys than to Dalit women and girls. Differential Empowerment: Different categories of Dalit women need different types of empowerment. These are as follows: • Dalit women’s empowerment to fight against forms of caste-based discrimination by non-Dalits. • Dalit women’s empowerment to fight against forms of gender-based discrimination. • Madhesi Dalit women’s empowerment to fight against forms of regional and linguistic discrimination. • So-called “lower caste” Dalit women’s empowerment to fight against all forms of internal caste-based discrimination. 42
Caste-based Discrimination in Nepal Krishna B. Bhattachan, Tej B. Sunar and Yasso Kanti Bhattachan(Gauchan) Also, the following categories of people need to do the following if Dalit women should be empowered and get due equity and equal rights in community and society: • Non-Dalit women’s empowerment not to practice any form of castebased discrimination against Dalit women (and men). • So-called “high caste” Dalit women’s empowerment not to practice any form of internal caste-based discrimination against “low caste” Dalit women (and men). • Non-Dalit men’s and Dalit men’s empowerment not to practice any form of gender-based discrimination against Dalit women/girls. • Hill non-Dalit men’s and Dalit men’s empowerment not to practice any form of regional and linguistic discrimination against Madhesi Dalit women (and men). • Dalit women’s empowerment in constitutional/legal, economical, educational, political, socio-cultural, psychological/emotional, spiritual, religious fields. Priority areas for Empowerment: Dalit women’s priority areas are as follows: 1. Human resource development or capacity building (education, knowledge, skill, information, voice, organisation and health). 2. Increasing capacity to use politics for achieving human rights; 3. Awareness to enrich capacity to critically challenge against all forms of discrimination, including caste-based discrimination (of Dalits in general, Hindu non-Dalits, indigenous peoples, women and Madhesi in general); and 4. Access to, control of and benefit from resources. To conlcude, violence aginst Dalit women and double discrimination against them also should be eliminated. Both national and international actors could play significant role in such enedavours. 9. Conclusion Nepal is going through a peace process and democratic transition since the April Movement, 2006. The election for 575 members of the Constituent Assembly was successfully held on April 10, 2008 and nomination of 26 members of the Constituent Assembly was complete. The Nepal Communist Party -Maoist became the largest party followed by the Nepali Congress, Nepal Communist Party-UML and Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum. The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on May 28, 2008 implemented Secular, Federal 43
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