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.

Monday 7 January 2013

Monday 7th January

Another lovely sunny day here in Kathmandu.  Very cold at night though.  I hear it is very hot and bad bush fires in Tassie and Victoria.  My girls in the doll making class were a bit tired today, as they were out till 10 p.m.on the final day of shooting on the movie.  But because the three I had yesterday were a long way ahead of them, they really worked hard.  We were putting faces on the dolls of three girls today and I am absolutely amazed at how good they are.  Binu, who has never touched a machine in her life, is remarkable.  Her hand sewing is so neat and she is instructing the other girls.  All during the class they want to know if my marriage is a love or arranged marriage.  They are dreaming of love marriages just like any young teenagers.  As one girls was stuffing her doll she said she wanted to make it fat like Mama ( that's me)  A little demoralising. I am sorry to be only talking about me side of things, but when the trainers get home, we have dinner and then they are preparing for the next day.  I will try to get them to write some comments because they are so impressed with everything and it would be nice to hear from someone else other the me.  Dr. Steve Fyson arrived last night at 11 p.m..  It always falls to poor Grahame to go out late at night to the airport.  Grahame is on his way to the airport now to meet another man, Kumar, whom we have not met, but he is coming to train on Community Development.  We were anticipating another man, Lloyd Dunlop as well but he had to have a minor operation unexpectedly, so I think he will be arriving on the 12th.  On the 11 th, one of our sponsors arrives with her adult daughter, and they will be here till 19th.  Then we move into the new guesthouse on the 20 th.  As you can imagine, I'm ecstatic (not) about moving all this furniture and equipment and "stuff".  Fortunately, I'm sure there will be many strong young men from the church to do the heavy lifting, leaving only the organisation at the other end. Grahame and I will be here till the 27th to make sure all is in place for the next team at the end of March.

Robyn
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