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.

Thursday 11 April 2013

Weeks end

Sewing classes are finished for this week, but the job is not finished.  I'll have to grab a half hour each day after the cooking classes they will be in next week.  Margaret and Gloria have just finished their first week of their classes and the girls have turned out the most beautiful cupcakes with very fancy icing on the top.  To end the day, they had a little party and then had a foot washing ceremony with the girls.  They were very touched by it and then insisted washing Gloria and Margaret's feet.  Every one had to have their turn.  They will have the cleanest  feet in all of Kathmandu.  The whole place is always covered in dust.  Wipe off the dust and in a few hours everything is covered again.  Last night, at 2 a.m. we had a procession of monks through the street, blowing a horn and chanting.  Apparently the horn they use is the shin bone of a human.  I was wishing I had a bucket of water  to dampen  their ardour.

Robyn
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