The 27th Foreign Correspondent Report

Dalit Women in Nepal
Ms. Yojana POKHAREL (Nepal)
It is important to understand the meaning of Dalit first. In Nepal, we still practice a very
rigid caste system, which is broadly categorized as touchable and untouchable. Traditionally,
the caste system is divided into four classes, which are Brahman (priests and scholars),
Kshatriya (warriors), Vaisya (merchants and traders), and Sudra (laborers). Sudras are thelast among all and are called the impure, polluted and untouchables.
The word “Dalit’’ is widely used both at national and international level. But in Nepal,
the government uses this term to refer to untouchables. According to Dalit NGO Federation,
there are about 4.5 million Dalits out of the total population of 26 million in Nepal. Becauseof the lack of education and access to productive resources such as land, Dalits and theirfamilies often live with economic hardship and depend on higher castes for survival.
When it comes to Dalit women, they actually face multiple forms of abuses such as being
stigmatized as witches, and tortured with different types of domestic violence. The sociocultural, political, economic and educational status of these women is at the bottom in allindicators. For example, the literacy rate of lower-level Dalit women is 17.4% and theiraccess to toilet is just 5.5% whereas others have 42%. Likewise, the malnutrition amongDalit children is high with 35.9%. Dalit women and children are living in a precarious
condition for long and still face discrimination. Another problem that is making the lives ofDalit women and children worse is early pregnancy and child marriage. For example, girls
who get married before reaching 15 years of age range up to 62% among Dalit girls.
Some sociologists argue that Dalits have been excluded from joining the military, owningproperty and attending school, and historically they were denied rights over their own wives
and relationships with non-Dalit women were not allowed.
Government provision
The Nepali government has been implementing various programmes to combat multiple
discrimination against Dalit women, but there have been many areas where more work isneeded. Thus it is recommended that help desks for Dalit women should be established inDistrict Administration Offices including the National Woman’s Commission and theNational Dalit Commission. It is also vital to give priority to all programmes formulated
targeting women combating multiple forms of discrimination against Dalit women. Nepal
has adopted various legal provisions to combat discrimination against women and had
ratified CEDAW. Public education and awareness raising campaigns involving media,
political and religious leaders are also very important.
Experts argue that Nepal, as a member and signatory state to international humanrights instruments, has an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment and action toeliminate caste-based discrimination.

Positive change is happening
Nepali people got an opportunity for voting in a local election for the first time in 20years, and the Local Level Election Act 2017 stipulates that at least two out of the four
members of each Ward Committee must be women and that one should be a female member
from the Dalit community. As a result of this, 7,526 Dalit women stood as candidates in theelections and more than 6,000 got elected. This is a huge achievement for Dalit women, andhopefully this will slowly change the Dalit women’s political participation.

The 27th Foreign Correspondent Report
Women’s rights activists say that the women who used to confine themselves only tohousehold chores have now started coming out of their houses and appearing in public
seeking for their identity and rights. Dalit women these days are becoming aware of theirrights and have been witnessing a shift in their lifestyle and livelihood. Dalit women in
many villages have also taken the place which was traditionally occupied by male members
by engaging in development works including the installation of drinking water pipes, theconstruction of roads and primary schools, and the distribution of scholarship. Some also
approach the municipality for facilities and services they are entitled to be provided by thegovernment. This positive change will elevate the status of Dalit women and help break thepractice of caste-based discrimination and bring about a revolutionary change in our society.

Dalit family performing their household chores in the eastern village of Nepal