By Padmalal Bishwakarma
21 May, 2004
Nepalnews.com
Dalit women comprise of more than half of the Dalit community in Nepal. Dalit
community in general and women in particular have been treated as sub humans for
ages. The women fold, as a whole became the victim of Manu order. Manubad is so
deeply rooted in our society, no any sort of reference seen to bring change
promptly.
After the political change in 2007, the situation of women has certainly changed
but not to the extent it should have been. The fact is that Dalit women also
consist of one-forth of the total women population. The whole women are the
victim of gender discrimination in the society. The basic difference between
high caste women and Dalit women lies on the ground of caste based
discrimination and untouchability, which Dalit women have to face. In comparison
to other high caste women, the Dalit women have been forced to live in most
vulnerable conditions. They constitute the major workforce doing hard manual
labour and engage in agricultural operations. Dalit women are thrice alienated
on the basis of class, caste and gender. The whole Dalit community has to
struggle for survival. Thus they need helping hand from their women. Through
this perspective, Dalit women deserve better position than those of higher
castes. But high caste people/women perpetrate caste based discrimination and
untouchability against Dalit women. The reality of the Dalit community is that
the whole family has to depend at least partly on their income. Regarding the
Dalit craftsmen artists and labors, women participate in productive activities
and thus become the part of economic chain. So in certain caste groups like
Chamars, Badi, Pode etc. there is some respect for the women in comparison to
higher caste women where they are also considered as tool of sex.
Population of Dalit Women
It is obvious that Dalit community comprises one-forth of the total population
of the country. The census of the past (2001) was not based on the scientific
criteria in which lot of Dalit sub-castes were included under upper caste group
on the ground of similar creed (Thar) like Gautam, Ghimire, Dulal, Derlami,
Khapangi, etc. According to the census held in 2001, the total Dalit population
is 2,962,591 (13.05%); of which the whole female population is 1,496,622 and the
male population is 1,465,969. To have a look at the total Dalit population
scenario, there is a table given in the appendix.
Violence against Dalit Women
Dalit women have been facing lot of violence from various areas. Dalit women
including male are considered untouchables by caste Hindus. They have no access
to public places including drinking water sources. In some rural areas, Dalit
women have to wait long in the water taps and wells until so-called high caste
women are ready to serve water for her. If at all they interfere, they become
the victim of violence and punishment.
Dalit settlement in general is outside the village of the caste Hindus and
mostly in the town areas. They face the difficulty of two basic necessities of
any human being-drinking water and sanitation. It is observed that Dalits are
not provided with even on tap/well for hundred of houses.
Dalit women become victim of their male partners when they use alcohol. They are
also facing hardship due to the child marriage, double marriage, bride price and
even dowry systems that prevail in the society.
According to the research study done by S.C.F.U.S., 23% Dalits are landless
whereas 48.7% have less than 5 ropanis of land. Furthermore, 15.6% Dalits have
6-10 ropanis of land, 9.6% Dalits have 11-20 ropanis of land and 3.1% have more
than 21 ropanis of land. They hardly have 1% of cultivable land. 95% Madhesi
Dalits are landless. Their per capita income is US $39.6, which is almost the
lowest in the world. Higher class and caste people monopolized the national
resources and all other income sources. They have enjoyed the fruit of all
development. Dalits have no easy access to national resources, public services
and even development projects. In such a situation, we can imagine the reality
of Dalit women. They participate with their male partner's work in the
agricultural field of the upper caste people. More than 90% of our Dalit women
living in the village earn their livelihood by working as agricultural labors
under the upper caste/class landlords. Their employers sometimes rape them. In
Hindu society, some women from Badi community have become involved in
prostitution in the name of religious tradition, which is alike Devdasi system
in India. Their condition and enjoyment by upper caste Hindus is sanctioned by
the Hindu religion. Badi women are looked down as inferior to dogs in the
society. Badi Dalit women per se are treated as untouchables in the society,
however, there is no untouchability as far as sexual exploitation is concerned.
Besides domestic works, Dalit women are entirely involved in agricultural work
as well. Their work is greater than the Dalit males. Every body is familiar with
the sight of a sweeper woman in Kathmandu cleaning the city area carrying their
small babies on their back. Similarly, we can see Dalit woman working in the
paddy field leaving their small kids in the side of the field in hill and Tarai
areas. In respect to Halia, Dom, Chamar women they have significant roles in
terms of earning income. In terms of earning livelihood, Dalit woman can be
considered as one of the wheels of the cart. We may never think the present day
situation of socio-economic development in the absence of Dalit women.
Dalit women get less wages in comparison to their male counterpart. Generally,
Dalit women work as daily labour for transplanting seedlings, threshing
paddy/wheat or even as labour in road or building construction. In the village
of Tarai, Chamar women accomplish maternity job. The irony is that these women
are permitted to enter the houses at the time of childbirth but as soon as the
job is over they are again reverted back to the untouchables status. Though they
provide most valuable service, they get nominal fees in the form of 5-10 k.g. of
food grains.
Chamars and Doms are supposed to clear the village or town even by throwing away
dead animals. They have to do such work free of charge but earn a little bit by
selling hides and skins, bones etc. of the dead animals. Dalit women from these
caste groups help their men folk in doing such works in the name of religion and
tradition. Dalit women from Dom, Badi, Damai, Gaine, Hudke sub-caste groups are
supposed to entertain the high caste people with various folk songs and dances.
In return, they get nominal tips as the mercy from high caste people.
Dom, Chamar, Mehtar, Pode/Chyame women like their men folks perform the
humiliated job of clearing the houses, surroundings of the public places even to
the extent of carrying the night soil. The greatest irony is that these people
are considered as untouchables even by other untouchables.
Patriarchal feudal system considers women folk in general as commodity, means of
entertainment and second-class citizen. That is why, even Dalit women face
discrimination in justice, education, job, property rights, wages and
decision-making process. Dalit women like other women get to loose their
identity after marriage since their children follow their father's family name
that is reflected in getting citizenship certificates. The great tragedy is that
some people from Badi community face hardship in getting citizenship just
because of their unknown father. Having guided by Hindu societal norms, Dalit
community is also indifferent to educate girls as they think them other's
property. Dalit women have to face violence in home, in public places and even
at work in different occasions. However, there is no any proper legal provision
as to protecting their basic human rights.
The next tragedy lies in the area of women trafficking in which the high
percentage of Dalit women falls. As a result of which they have to suffer a lot
from dangerous diseases like AIDS. Similarly, a great number of Dalit women are
being victimized in the accusation of Boxi (witchcraft). Recently, there
occurred lot of such Boxi incidents in the Tarai.
Nextl, Dalit women have been the victims of dowry and bride price systems which
are still continuing in our country. Mostly Dalit women have been the victims of
intra-caste and inter-caste marriage. So- called upper caste people engage in
fake love with Dalit girls and then right after pregnancy or marriage they give
up them just on the ground the caste factor. Hence, a great number of Dalit
girls have been facing hardships.
Any violence on the Dalit community is ultimately born by Dalit women.
Specifically during the eight-year of Maoist war, many of Dalit youths have lost
their lives by being the victim of both Maoists and state. It is the Dalit women
who have to bear all such unbearable sufferings socially, economically,
culturally and politically at great risk of her own and her children's life.
Efforts to improving situation of Dalit women
Despite the civil Code (1964) along with its eighth amendment and the
constitution of the kingdom of Nepal (1990:11/44) ensuring equitable justice for
Dalit rights, the caste-based discrimination and the practice of untouchability
still continue. There are contradictory laws and by-laws which violate Dalit
rights. Still there is an urgent need to formulate laws as to abolish disparity
both in principles and practice. Nationa Planning Commission came out with
special provisions for the whole Dalit community in Eighth Plan (1992-97), Ninth
Plan (1997-2002) and the Tenth Plan (2003-007). Particularly the Ninth Five Year
Plan had put some major objectives for Dalit upliftment with a view to
abolishing all forms of discrimination. However, the state commitment could not
be translated into reality. The Tenth Plan is focusing on Dalit empowerment and
development programs. INGOs, NGOs and even government agencies have spent a big
amount of money in the name of Dalit empowerment for decades. But the so-called
Dalit empowerment programs seem to be mostly Kathmandu- based,
activists-centered and are out of the reach of grassroots levels. Actually some
forward Dalit activists including women have been benefited from several
projects rather than the unaware-targeted community. It is notable that right
after 1990 various Dalit organizations, along with Dalit women activists are
working for the Dalit cause. The significant change so far is seen in the field
of awareness raising.
The creation of Dalit Bikas Samitee in 1978 has become an asset to Dalit
community, although the budget allocation to its program is nominal. In May
2002, the government constituted National Dalit Commission with a view to
protecting Dalit rights. Since this Commission was created through executive
decision of the government, there arises a question of its legitimacy. Thus, in
reality it could not meet the minimum aspiration of Dalit community. The current
government, for the first time in the history, has declared reservation policy
to Dalits, indigenous and women. Definitely, from the perspective of
inclusiveness this step of the government is positive one and it is hoped that
it will help bring change in the life of the Dalit community. Moreover, the
approach adopted by Maoists might be debatable to many but it brought certain
level of awareness and practice of equity in the Nepalese society.
It is praiseworthy indeed that some INGOs and NGOs have given due attention to
Dalit empowerment programs in Nepal. The next important juncture was the WCAR
conference where for the first time Dalit NGOs became successful in raising
their voice at international level. Paper presented at a seminar organized by
FES/CETS)
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