Desperate Girls

The Badi Girls

Between 7,000 and 12,000 young girls, aged 9-16, are trafficked each year from Nepal; mainly to India. According to Nepal Monitor/On line journal, 2007, there are more than 200,000 Nepali girls in Indian brothels.

The Dalits(untouchables) are the lowest level in Hindu society, and the Badi community, in Western Nepal, are the lowest of the low. As a displaced hungry people group the Badi community has made sexual subservience a way of life. Young girls from this group “serve” other groups. This has become a tradition and means of livelihood. Many girls, even when they are unwilling, are forced to serve as sex slaves. Family members knowingly sell their daughters to traffickers.

Though prostitution is illegal in Nepal, the industry reportedly has links with highly ranked officials and political leaders. Large groups of girls are taken across the border with many police and government officials being in collusion with traffickers and brothel owners.

Traffickers and related criminals are often protected by political parties, and if arrested, are freed using political power. As a result, there is an underlying distrust of police that has led people not to file cases against traffickers.

Domestic action involves activities of NGO’s and other volunteer groups. These groups are playing a major role to address girl-trafficking and sex slaves issues. Some NGO’s are playing a very important role to improve the situation. From creating social awareness to rescuing and rehabilitation, they are providing services (and relief) to those that need it the most – the likely victims as well as the rescued ones. The Lighthouse foundation is one of these.

*See Chandra Kala’s story on this blog site.

Friday 6 April 2012

Friday.    It is Good Friday today and the four ladies here had a lovely morning remembering our Lord.  We sang some hymns together  and had a prayer time.  Yesterday, Liat spent the afternoon at Mulpani training the teachers in art, and Viv with organisational skills.  Today, Anges is with another teacher buying books, creative learning equipment etc.  They have been out all day and she will be very tired when she comes home.  Yesterday Anges and a teacher were at the local stationer, and he asked her what the book was he had in his shop.  It was a Gideons new testament in Nepalese.  The teacher said it was a christian book but anyone can read it.  It was ok for buddhist and hindus.  Apparently, someone had left him a whole box of them.  He said he would give them out to his customers.  He has no idea he is giving them bibles.  Viv is, at present, doing further training in our kitchen to the primary head teacher, and Liat is back at the school doing her art programme.  Liat invited our local telephone exchange man home this morning.  He is such a lovely fellow with a little new baby. We have had the opportunity to talk about our respective faiths.  Last time, I gave him a Bible.  Never know where it will all lead  Tomorrow is Saturday, but that is church day.  Agnes, Liat and I will be all dolled up in our new Nepalese outfits.  They get very excited when we wear their style of clothing.  Grahame will be back from India tomorrow and we are looking forward to hearing how they got on with the Bio-gas plants.  They also have demountable buildings here now.  That could be a great way to get a school up and running if we can purchase some land..

Robyn
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