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 5 April 2015

Lahu people



 

 Lovely fresh veges in the market.  A couple of traditional bags with pom poms.  The flying elephant from Yangon airlines.  A tribal lady in the market.  I just love the outfit.  This is a beautiful old hotel we stayed in at Kyaineton.  I am well known for my love of tea.  So this is my kind of market.  Those bags are full of all sorts of tea.  One night, there was a mixup with our hotel accommodation.  We were offered a vacant apartment for the  night, so we slept on the floor, and were grateful for somewhere at short notice.  The teacher training begins tomorrow with six Aussies, Harold and Grace    Patsy, Beth, Lynette and Peter, and about 60 trainees.  We also have Lyn and Tanneal doing follow up training in Lashio.  They arrived this  morning at 9.30a.m. and left on the bus at 5 p.m. for an overnight journey.  They will be doing the second round of training with about 11.  David and Stacey Coates are also here assisting us, and we will spend the next few days looking at land, existing international schools, and investigating various approaches.
Robyn



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