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.

Tuesday 17 September 2013

Sept.17. Steamy Kathmandu

It is  4.30 a.m. And it is warm already.  We are 7 in  number at present with new arrivals coming in dribs and drabs.  There is the unmelodious tone of a Buddhist horn somewhere in the distance.  Rooster is crowing and life is beginning to stir.  We had an excellent flight over, and Gloria had a great opportunity to share the gospel with an air hostess as we were descending into to Kathmandu.  We had our first night  out at the Bakery Cafe with out lovely mute waiters,  having fun playing charades to communicate.  They  have such a great sense of humour.  When we arrived, all our beautiful ladies from the half-way house and a few of our older girls were here with big smiles all over their faces, to greet us.  They looked so lovely .  They were all in their red uniforms that they wear when they are doing their vocational training.  They were doing tailoring and beauty.  It was great to get hugs and kisses.  I love them so much, and it was great to be with them again. Our first timers on the Kathmandu experience were in awe of the traffic with its death defying feats of bravery or stupidity, I'm not sure which.  We apparently have a new one day old baby in the Miriam centre  so we are keen to see our latest addition.  We also are looking forward to seeing our new hostel.  Since we were here last, a new building has been found and it is now full of girls.  Most of them we have not met yet.  This time, we upgrade all the girls photos and try to get a bit of an update on how they are going.  With 156 now in our care, it is a big task.  We have Tim here from Brisbane, and he is teaching motor bike maintenance.  So that's is a new aspect added to our training.  Today will be busy  with rearranging our guest house to accommodate our 22 team members and planning team members schedules, as we all begin our various responsibilities, which are many and varied.  Electricity looks like only about 4 hours a day off, but haven't got the schedule yet.

Robyn

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the post.
    Looking forward to coming over soon.

    Josh

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  2. What great memories I have. Good to see this ministry blossom and bless. Those Aussies are lucky ducks. I will be following the blogs with excitement and praying earnestly. Tim Y.

    ReplyDelete