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.

Sunday 7 April 2013

Dramas in Kathmandu

 We have had 48 hours without power and it has been very frustrating.  When there is no power, we have no water as it has to be  pumped up into the tanks on the roof.  We are twelve in number, and we couldn't flush the toilets, have a shower, or even get water to make a cuppa.  We had to borrow electricity from a neighbour for half an hour to pump the water up to the roof.  It is strange because we can get a few lights to come on.  We have had no refrigeration either so I have to throw out a lot of food.  The problem is not  load shedding but some power problem on our side of the street  and if you look at the power lines like bundles of spaghetti, I can't possibly imagine how it will ever be fixed.    We went to church this morning, and one of our girls gave her testimony.  Then Liz left for the airport heading home.  This evening, Raju took us out to dinner as a "thank you" for the Aussie contribution to the school and the training.  Tomorrow, there is a "bunda" ( strike)  There are 30 political parties flexing their political muscle , so no one can travel in the whole of Nepal, for the next 24 hours.  No cars, bikes, buses.  We have been advised to stay indoors as foreigners could compound the problem.  So much for our planning and training.  It is a good thing we cancelled Bill Newmans trip as the situation in not a good one at present.

Robyn
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1 comment:

  1. Trish Hamlin8 April 2013 at 07:23

    Hello team members, I am feeling for you all without water and electricity. Thankyou Robyn for the daily blog. I can close my eyes and see you all at the school and the hostels. I hope the new base is going well, could you put some photos up of it please? Give our beautiful girls a hug for me. Lots of love and blessings Trish

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